Re: The Value of NBCi (was GoTo Policy Change)
ROB FRANKEL <rob_at_robfrankel.com> WROTE:
>You CAN change the mind of the consumer. And having
>lots of bucks sure helps. But you can't substitute money
>for strategy.
Actually (respectfully) that is not a good example.
You weren't entering an entirely new market which would
require that your customers think of you in an entirely
new light. For instance, before the "pay" version of
Frankel Tips, people thought of you as a marketing/
branding/advice resource (or something like that).
After the "pay" version came out - people still think
the same thing. They still haven't "changed their
minds" about what you do. The first thing that comes
to their minds AFTER is the same thing that came to
their minds BEFORE. Whether it's a pay or free service
is irrelevant.
However, if you decided to become a TV station (as an
example), the people that know Frankel Tips would say
"Huh? FrankelTipsTV? Isn't that the marketing company?
Now they think they are broadcasters? Whats up with that?"
It would be VERY expensive and most likely not
successful to make a move like that.
With NBCi, people said "NBC? Isn't that the TV station?
Now they think they are an Internet Company? What are
they, a TV station or an Internet company?"
Now you have created "Brand Confusion" in the mind of
the consumer. Now one or both of those ventures are
going to fail - in this case NBCi. (the "i" is
irrelevant.)
Read any Ries and Trout book (22 immutable laws,
Guerrilla Marketing, etc) and you will see what I am
talking about.
HTH,
Don Makoviney
Received on Wed Apr 25 2001 - 10:40:17 CDT
