Have we thought of the term "15 seconds of fame" and how it has come to being?
It emanates from "15 seconds of mindspace". Our schedules are busier today. Be it emotions, thoughts, feelings, dreams or fears, we can't contain it for more than 15 seconds. External forces (unless life threatening) do not get more mindspace. We are what we think we are. And that's all there is. And us busybodies have no time to think. Thus the fleeting thoughts make us.
An important lesson for marketers.
If you plan your $$, you might be rest assured of the 15 seconds of fame, sooner or later.
So will that assure you of 15 seconds of mindspace?
You may go beyond awareness. You may go make space in the life of the consumer.
But until you win his mind over, he will forget you the moment he sees a more beautiful damsel.
Do what it takes. All you have is 15 seconds. Sometimes it is not even as long as 15 seconds. It could be just a word, visual or some sensory that gets evoked in that fleeting moment of time. And it is this 15 seconds that make or break the next purchase decision.
Why are we as consumers so short of time?
Two reasons:
-The over-abundance of available information
-Socially and individually built complications
Twitter for instance, is one such brilliant example to capture the 15 seconds of mindspace. Seed a thought 'subtly' in and wait for it to grow. Once you assimilate or manage to seed in the 15 seconds of mindspace, it is upon the strength of the thought to grow or branch out within the consumer mind. So it is not just about the "seeding", but also the "strength" of the thought.
In yesteryears, this 15 seconds was much longer. Just like a Rs. 100 has lost its value in today's time. Today, the value of time has appreciated more than we can imagine. And in time to come, it will be practically zilch. The task ahead for marketers is to focus as much on the seeding as well as the strength. It is necessary to go beyond the obvious product benefits for instance. A soap is meant to lather. But if a soap makes you feel better about yourself, it could be worth your time.
It is common practice to plan basis a consumer's purchase basket. It is now time to plan basis a consumer's time basket. It is not about day-in-the-life of, it is about day-in-the-mind of the consumer. Think like him. Think his thoughts. Why do you think your thought is good enough to be that extra thought in his mind?
Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone
