Mitchell spoke uncertain truth

I wonder how other brand marketers view Alan Mitchell at the moment?

I wonder how other brand marketers view Alan Mitchell at the moment?

Certainly he managed to offend the chap at Ronseal, but what about marketers in general? Over the last few weeks he seems to have taken on the language of uncertainty, of change in the air, of “might” and “maybe”. By his own admission, brands are faced with “an emerging new model whose characteristics we are still struggling to understand” and “the answers are still hazy”.

I personally think he is absolutely right to be taking on the mantle of visionary because the reality of the new economic models he describes will have an impact on all areas of an organisation, including its brands. Productive relationship strategies in this environment will be as much to do with a brand’s relationship with other brands, with affinity groups, with staff and their friends, with suppliers and their suppliers, and with customers.

This is the reality of the “network economy”. What brand marketers will be doing in pursuit of success will be more complex, more multi-dimensional than anything we can even conceive of today.

I don’t know what will be done but I do know that in the future marketers should not expect to create consumer expectations in the same way as they do today.

In an information-overloaded economy where consumers will be part of an individually defined yet fluid matrix of networks, brands and their corporations will be tested to the core. The new model that Alan describes will transform marketing as we know it. Be prepared.

F Wyburd