They Say They Want A Revolution: What Marketers Need to Know As Consumers Take Control

Many of those in charge of brand strategies are clueless as to why the old ways of marketing are no longer effective. They continue their Madison Avenue crusades with disingenuous fervor. Plan their strategies with reach and frequency projections and then continue to target their audiences with 30-second sound bites. Yet they're mystified, unable to explain how it is they execute flawlessly, but still their market share declines.

From 1996 to 2000, the Big Three automotive companies increased their marketing cost per vehicle by 87 percent. Yet, their combined market share dropped by more than four percentage points! Detroit is not alone in its marketing futility. Nearly every product niche is experiencing the same.

Overwhelmed by brand overload, deafened by market din, and empowered by new technologies, the consumer is no longer a passive target simply awaiting directives from the marketing establishment.

With the ultimate desire to touch, and be touched, the consumer has taken control of when, where, and how they retrieve information relevant to their purchasing decisions. Whether it's the TiVo control that allows them to effortlessly fly past commercials, interactive DVDs that simultaneously engage and enlighten, or intelligent web sites that cater to their individual needs, the consumer has ascended the throne.