There's life after 30

Book review: Life After the 30-Second Spot by Joseph Jaffe (2005)

Jaffe says the 30-second TV spot is dead. Or at least dying. Or, if it's not dying, it should be killed.

In this age of media saturation, a flight of TV spots simply fails to be noticeable. Add to that the increasing skepticism of consumers (you don't believe everything you see on television, do you?) the irrelevant execution of most TV spots, and the very fact that there is no longer a mass audience to reach any more -- you can see that the old advertising system is in trouble.

In the nonprofit world, most of us are fortunate never to have bought into the bogus and over-inflated world of TV spot advertising. We couldn't afford it. But Jaffe's post-30 thoughts work for us too, and we're well positioned to take hold of many of them, since we're already steeped in the direct-marketing mindset that lives and dies by actual, measurable response.

Here are Jaffe's ten approaches that are transforming marketing:

1. The Internet. This is where more and more people are turning for information, entertainment, shopping, and more. You need to be good at reaching and motivating people over the net.
   
2. Gaming. Don't laugh! Check out Nonprofits and Second Life and Other Games at Beth's Blog.
   
3. On-Demand Viewing. Can you produce material so good that people seek it out?
   
4. Experiential Marketing. Here's another area where nonprofits have huge advantages. We're out there doing real things. Invite your donors along for the ride.
   
5. Long-Form Content. Some nonprofits have been using this for years. If you can pull it off (on TV, radio, internet) you could have a very powerful fundraising tool.
   
6. Communal Marketing. You probably have a natural community. Are you tapping into that?
   
7. Consumer-Generated Content.
   
8. Search. You should "own" certain search terms. Fact is, you can buy them.
   
9. Music, Mobile, and Things That Make You Go Mmmm.
   
10. Branded Entertainment.
    

Not all of these things are well-suited for nonprofits, with our older audience. But many of them are right up our alley. You need to be thinking about these things.

That's why I recommend you buy this book. You can chortle over the end of an advertising system that's been built on a foundation of stupidity, arrogance, and money. But more important, you can start thinking about your next steps in the changing marketplace.

(Jaffe also has a very good blog, Jaffe Juice, that covers these same topics.)

Life After the 30-Second Spot is available at Amazon and at Powell's.

Technorati Tags: fundraising, marketing revolution, Joseph Jaffe

Comments

[Beth]

Hi,

Thanks for the link. If you are working in a nonprofit and interested in exploring second life, check out the TechSoup Virtual Office on Information Island or better yet come to one of the Friday 11:30 AM meetings.