Lemonade From this Lemon: Lessons from the President-Elect
My friends and family know that, one, I'm a teacher; and two, and I'm a glass-half-full kind of guy, and always looking to make lemonade. And today, it's how I'm feeling, so, here's my 12-hour reflection on marketing and communications lessons from our president-elect.
Measure behavior
The presence of consumer behavioral data makes self-reported survey data increasingly questionable for all marketers. If the entire set of pollster data, which is based on self-reported intention can be so universally wrong, then it's time for marketers to move faster away from surveys, and toward analysis of consumer engagement and transaction behavior. Amazon is writing the book on this. Are you listening, Nielsen?
Media is powerful stuff
"Taking your story to the people" was a Kelly-Ann Conway drumbeat. Having 30 million Twitter followers was a way to do it. Brands that still rely exclusively on third-party media to get their stories out are at a growing disadvantage. Starbucks figured this out. So did Nike.
Engagement trumps intent
There's little denying the passion of the Trump voters. In spite of some horrific stories of the most extreme versions of their engagement, they became an advertising force of advocates unlike any consumer brand we've seen. Note how Apple brand advocates built Apple, not just great products.
That "Authenticity Thing"
Hillary was captured saying "have a public position and private one," whereas Trump was recorded saying and doing the most outrageous, inflammatory things possible. Yet, it seems his followers merely saw and heard someone who "told it like it was." Brands that nail the authenticity value tend to be those known to draw great followers. Think: Patagonia.
Yes, there's learning here. Lemonade out of lemons? You decide.