Howard Davidson Arlington, MA

Marketing Guy – Arlington, MA

Let’s Talk About Deserted Islands

  • Sumo

So let’s talk about deserted islands – places where, I can assure you, Howard Davidson has no desire to spend time.

Deserted island blog image

This came to mind after viewing the recent French Telecom ad, which compares losing a smartphone to being alone on Survivor’s Exile Island. When I misplace mine, I call it Marooned with Howard Davidson. I don’t know where I’m supposed to be. I can’t text my clients and suppliers. I can’t pick up my Injustice 2 game and go kick Superman’s butt. I miss the news. I can’t upload photos to my Howard Davidson page on Instagram.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have customers who are that dependent on your product or service? I mean, short of dealing crack. (That’s on the Howard Davidson no-no list.) For instance, there are many, many folks who include some version of coffee in their daily morning activities. Think of the memes. Think of the threatened anger when denied. Think of the alleged success promised when supplied. I’ll tell you this – there’s a lot of Arabica in every successful Howard Davidson project.

What makes products addictive? They go above and beyond when they connect with customers. The brand managers for a product that clicks with its audience listen to its audience. That’s why McDonald’s is practicing delivery on demand through UberEATS and Postmates. This means you don’t have to go TO a McDonald’s to get your Big Mac and fries when you’ve just slugged down to your shorts to watch the game or sign into Twitch.

(Of course, you’re SOL without that smartphone.)

What else? You’ve got to think outside the boxes. It may not be a smartphone that clicks. It may be an iPad. It may be a car system. It may still be cable. Think outside all of them. Then give your people the ability to deliver what the customer wants. You may want to devote your energy to hard news in print. Your customer wants to see live feeds on YouTube. Your three-hour tour will end badly on Gilligan’s Island and this time there won’t be any coconuts. Let your reporters provide the news how the customers want it. (By the way, Gilligan’s Island? Howard Davidson seal of approval. Got to love the professor.)

Then all you have to do is create it and make it click. Or else you’ll be in the marketing equivalent of wherever they’ve dropped Survivorman this week. Without his smartphone.

-Howard Davidson

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Howard Davidson Arlington MA