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18/01/2009 by
7791 views

Seth Godin Angry Viral Is Getting A Bad Name?

Seth Godin seems angry about the fact that viral marketing is getting a bad name. He blames clueless marketing agencies and clueless marketers. And Godin has a good point in some of his points. However, I feel some of his remarks might need more explanation or concrete next steps…

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Here’s what brands and agencies do, says Godin: “they get a lame product, or a semi-lame product, and they don’t have enough time or money to run a nationwide ad campaign. So, instead, they slap some goofy viral thing on top of it and wait for it to spread. And if it doesn’t spread, they create a faux controversy or engage a PR firm or some bloggers and then it still doesn’t work.”

Godin continues:”Being viral isn’t the hard part. The hard part is making that viral element actually produce something of value, not just entertainment for the client or your boss.”

Next Godin explains that: “Marketers are obsessed with free media, and, as is often the case, we blow it in our rush to get our share. We create content that is hampered or selfish or boring. Or we create something completely viral that doesn’t do any marketing at all.

But I’m afraid I do not understand all of the remarks really well….


Godin continues: “Something being viral is not, in and of itself, viral marketing. Who cares that 32,000,000 people saw your stupid video? It didn’t market you or your business in a tangible, useful way.”

But a few lines later, Godin claims that his book (Unleashing the Idea Virus) was downloaded millions of times. And indeed he claimed fame, coined the term viral marketing and increased his number of speaking gigs by this book, and other books many enjoyed, including me!

But is it fair to expect that all marketers and agencies leave their obsession of free media behind, after having read Godin’s book? Since we are ‘blessed’ with mass communications, all marketers are indeed obsessed with shouting campaigns backed by paid media. And free media is even a bigger obsession.

And I’m fully behind Godin that (free) media is neither the holy grail nor solution. But I also feel and can make the safe assumption that Godin is aware this is change management and a process that will take a while to land in the minds of marketers.

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I also feel Godin is right that: something that is not viral, cannot be made viral. It’s viral at heart or not viral at all. And indeed, better products would be better than lame products.

But I do feel that Godin’s steps of helping brands should go further than launching a bestseller viral book, or earning enormous amounts per speaking gig. Don’t get me wrong, he’s earned it and I applaud him for that. He even made viral marketing top of mind and provided many agencies with extra business.

So his books and speaking gigs are helping and a good start. But if he has the authentic need and passion to make viral marketing better, to help marketers lose their obsession for free media, to help marketers understand how they can listen to consumers to get from lame products to great products, that would be a great next step. And a necessary step if I read Godin’s comments?

In this case my question to Godin is: what have you done lately to protect viral marketing and to change the attitude at marketers and agencies? Where are all your concrete tips, examples, cases and blog items that help to change behavior at marketers and agencies? Based on your conclusions, they really seem to need extra help?!

If the anger for viral marketing getting a bad name is only a commercial move to earn attention for a book, it would not very authentic, if you ask me? So even if Godin is right (which I feel he is in most of his remarks) still the question remains: if he’s really that concerned and passionate about viral marketing, what will be his concrete steps and output in 2009 to protect viral marketing and to improve the behavior of clueless marketers and clueless agencies?

Will he dedicate part of his time to give new tangible assets and examples to marketers? Output that really helps the clueless ones to improve their behavior? Will he give examples and cases that open the eyes of marketers, so they really start understanding how they should listen to their customers and consumers?

Because I feel that commenting on the mistakes that others make from the sideline, are not the only concrete ways to change DNA of that specific marketers and agencies. We all know that your book was a great success and that it spread very well. We have heard that song over and over again, and it keeps returning each year, like a great classic Christmas hit.

However, in 2009 I would love to listen to a new CD, with a few new tracks. A new viral song that is refreshing, remarkable and especially very tangible to the ones that need it most: clueless marketers and agencies. And I’m convinced they need to hear a new song. So I hope Godin will try to help them. How?

May I suggest Godin i.e. creates a viral marketing playbook, with 101 concrete tips to marketers? Plays that are based on fresh cases, examples and ideas that really push (or should I say pull?) clueless marketers and agencies into the next steps of great viral marketing.

Help them find awesome viral campaigns or smart listening programs that really helps marketers to improve their products, to create satisfied and loyal customers and to create better brands. More new and fresh ideas, clear and tangible tips, and less referring to former successful books.

It can even be a book created by the wisdom of crowds. Gathering smart ideas from smart people. The book might become a collaborative tangible and valuable asset to all that need it. It might even become a bestselling book again, since all that helped with input and cases will probably send it to many friends and co-workers, and most co-authors will buy a copy (or two) of the book themselves.

But I hope the book will not only become a bestseller. I also hope the book will achieve a shift of mindset at many marketers and their agencies. Maybe the new book can even influence their thinking or DNA? Even if 10% of this target group would understand the examples and change their future behavior due to this book, I would call it a great achievement. And a very successful outcome. An outcome that is driven by the ‘passion’ for viral marketing or ‘believe’ in the need for better products and brands that listen.

I feel that the urge to create change, is reflected by the passion and need to get things really done. And here I am curious if we can expect that next step from Godin? He’s able to do it. So let’s do it! I really hope that his passion for viral marketing is strong and authentic enough to do that mission work in 2009. The need for change is being mentioned by himself in his article What is viral marketing?

Please read his item. Then let us know if you believe that Godin will take marketers and agencies by the hand in 2009, by giving them the concrete tips and tools to change their behavior.

I originate from the laws my grandmother hammered into my DNA:
“Igor, if you really, really want something to change; do not sit and wait for it to happen. Don’t complain about others that are not doing it. Don’t point at others that do not make it happen. If you really want things to change, the only thing that counts is: what have you done to lead this change? And if you have not done all you could yet, please stop pointing and complaining. Since the moment you stopped trying, is the moment you lost your right to complain about and to point at others.”

But fully true: my grandmother did not publish a book that became a viral success. Does it make her old-fashioned laws not true? I am not really sure yet.

So I agree with Godin’s remark: “Who cares that 32.000.000 people saw your stupid video? It didn’t market you or your business in a tangible, useful way? Nothing, if it did not help and did not influence consumers’ behavior, I would agree!

However, if I read Godin’s remarks about: viral getting a bad name due to clueless marketers and clueless agencies, there might be people that could think: Who cares that 32.000.000 people downloaded your stupid book, if it didn’t market you or your thought leadership in a tangible, useful way?”

Because some people might ask: if so many millions have read your book, why are so many marketers and agencies still that clueless?

People might draw the conclusion that the number of Godin’s book downloads are not enough to really change the business in a tangible and useful way?! At least, that seems to be the case?

So if we really want to change behavior, DNA and the way we do business, what do we need next from Godin to make that happen?