Internet Marketing Information

Networked Markets Are Democratic, Structured Markets Are Republican


Today I was checking out Michelle's A Small Victory. There are threads on self-publishing that mutated into a dispute about trolls, who was a troll, and whether linking to Little Green Footballs was as "un-nuanced" as linking to "Democratic Underground."

At one point a troll popped up and I had to blogroll him! The Troll Patrol. It's protected troll habitat, and of course I had to say that, daring them to do their worst. and taunting them with my Trolls Unlimited Cafepress Section

And then I commented a couple of threads at Michelle's, making the point that she might wish to use cafepress to publish a book she's working on - and should probably have tee-shirts with the Best Bon Mots of the Day. To show that Zazzle.com was the way to go there, I posted this:

Ok... now, is this trollery, shrewed marketing, editorial comment or what?

Well, it's all of the above - and a new clue about the new networked economy.

I've made the point before that money is in a way simply Representative of ideas in motion - just as are goods and services.

Zazzle.com and Cafepress.com are two examples of new, consumer-creator driven media - the antithesis of top-down marketing models. They are viral, marketed between friends and among interest groups and can be intensely topical. There's no investment barrier. I create artwork or write words, and I "sell" those images and words. The company merely puts the images on the chosen media, and they make their money on that.

They are both making MORE money by realizing that they do not have to shape the tastes and opinions of their consumers. And as I stated in Jump on the Cluetrain - that means people are the new brands.

Michelle is a brand. I am a brand. Tacitus and Dkos are brands.

But the traditional brands - for peas and pajamas and politics - those are in deep, deep trouble.

The vast uncommitted center in the upcoming election will not be voting for a republican or a democrat. They will be voting for either the George Bush brand or the John Kerry brand - neither of which bears a great resemblance to the traditional, bland and homogeneous image of their respective parties.

And it's worth checking out how people are playing on those brands:

Anti Bush activists are vitriolic.

Pro Kerry can be summed up as "being praised with faint damns."

Pro Bush is almost all anti-bush, with a few genuine items that prove that those few that are for bush and are on Cafepress are somewhat conventional-minded, humor-impaired, or just plain freaky-nuts.

I'm interpreting this as being simply that social conservatives view this sort of venue as sheer anarchist chaos with no focused central message.

And it is an antiathoritarian venue for sure, because (with certain vague and tiny limitations), you can say whatever the hell you like on a Cafepress product, and benefit by it - or not. The market determines if anyone gives a damn about your "brand" of speech.

As Papa Heinlein observed; "Money is the sincerest form of applause."

About The Author

Bob King writes regularly for Graphictruth.com and Wall/Fire eZines. He can be reached by email at webcarve@graphictruth.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Internet marketing accounts for 23% of ad budgets
Digital Response Media, UK - 11 hours ago
Almost a quarter of advertising budgets is spent on internet marketing, according to a new report. The E-consultancy Best Practice Guide to Managing Digital ...


dBTechno

'Spam King' Soloway given 47-month prison sentence
Bizjournals.com, NC - 7 hours ago
According to investigators, Soloway operated Newport Internet Marketing Corp. in Seattle, which offered "broadcast e-mail" services. ...
Seattle Spam King Dark Mailer faces 47-month sentence Register
One 'Spam King' Faces 4 Years In Prison, One Escapes CRN
Spam King Soloway Gets Four Years Digitaltrends.com
Current IT news from heise online - Daily Breeze
all 68 news articles


Internet Marketing Leader, MarketingProfs, Announces Forum ...
PR Web (press release), WA - Jul 22, 2008
The "Digital Marketing Mixer: A Forum on Email Marketing, Search Marketing and Social Media" tackles what's working now in internet marketing for both B2B ...


Internet marketing 'allows businesses to control spending'
Business Feet, UK - Jul 22, 2008
Online adverts are therefore becoming increasingly popular, because businesses can track performance and be more efficient with their spending, ...


PR NewsChannel (press release)

World’s Leading Internet Marketing, PR Gurus to Share Secrets to ...
PR NewsChannel (press release), FL - Jul 21, 2008
The world’s leading experts in Web site marketing have combined their efforts to create a new Web site, Tele-seminar and Internet marketing course that ...


Internet Marketing Company Lazword.com Inc. Celebrates 10th Year ...
Emediawire (press release), WA - Jul 21, 2008
New Jersey based Internet Marketing and Website development services company, Lazworld.com Inc, celebrates its 10th year in business. ...


WebsiteBiz Execs Named to Board of Charlotte Internet Marketing ...
dBusinessNews Charlotte (press release), NC - Jul 21, 2008
... has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Charlotte Internet Marketing Association (www.charlotteima.org) as Second Vice Chair. ...


Better targeting with internet marketing strategies
Business Feet, UK - Jul 21, 2008
Internet marketing strategy can be a lot more targeted than traditional media, according to one small business expert. Commenting in USA today, ...


Effectiveness tracking 'making internet marketing popular'
Digital Response Media, UK - Jul 21, 2008
The ability to easily track the effectiveness of online ads is making internet marketing increasingly popular among businesses looking to expand their ...


Online Revealed Caribbean Brings Internet Marketing Must Do's to ...
MarketWatch - Jul 17, 2008
Registration is now open for Caribbean Travel Industry professionals for the Online Revealed Caribbean Conference, the unique internet travel marketing ...

Internet-Marketing - Google News

home | site map
© 2006