“Among the earliest and most forceful advocates of the theory that the twenty-first century marketing class stands essentially helpless before a mighty new breed of in-control consumers was A.G. Lafley, chief executive officer of Proctor & Gamble. In 2005, he declared that the new consumers ‘expect more from the brands they buy and use every day.’ Companies like his would have no choice but to meet their demands: ‘Consumers have grown accustomed to having it their way,’ he said. ‘It’s a consumer revolution… The rise of this powerful consumer boss marks one of the most important milestones in the history of branding.” – Rob Walker, “Buying In”
Over the past year, this excerpt from Rob Walker’s latest book has stuck with me. It very much speaks to the critical juncture that modern marketing has found itself. As the traditional advertising model slowly erodes, its relevance has started to loose the same impact that it once had. Marketers, understanding this new paradigm have started to look elsewhere in making those “all important” brand / consumer relationships.
As marketers and consumers equally flock towards the latest in online social networks and forge these new consumer bonds, we must never forget the other critical connection point that is of equal importance – Consumer Packaging.
