The collapse of dot coms shouldn’t mark the death of innovation. Part 2
It was a completely useless Web page, but it captured the imagination of the world. And it proved that fresh thinking could result in innovative ways to draw people to a Web site. And yet it is that type of fresh thinking that few people will want to try in today’s period of doom and gloom.
No one wants to take a risk, because the climate around us is so ugly. This is a terrible thing, because digital marketing works. If our goal is to use the Internet to draw attention to a brand, company, project or product, then the fact remains that a Web site has become an integral part of the way that we market.
I still believe that innovation and out-of-the-box thinking always results in new ideas that have staying power. Webcams have become an integral part of many marketing campaigns. I still think that the StellaCam, with its live views of bars around the world, is a brilliant piece of work, and that over time it will come to be recognized as something that provides a unique and lasting marketing hook.
But ask yourself this: in today’s environment, would the person who dreamed up the StellaCam have much luck if they tried to sell the idea? Probably not, since innovation and risk taking in the world of marketing aren’t as acceptable today as they were yesterday. The fallout of the dot-com collapse has meant that conformity is good, innovation is bad, and we dare not do anything that steps outside of the box.
This is, if you think about it, a terribly bad thing. The marketing industry is one that has prided itself on originality. And the world of marketing was one of the first to grasp the power of the Internet.
After all, the early Internet seminars weren’t about e-commerce; they were about “marketing on the Internet.” Don’t forget that back in 1994, it was marketing pioneers who were the busiest in trying to comprehend the power of this remarkable new tool. They first aggressively got the corporate sector involved with the Internet, long before other corporate groups latched on to it.
But now, as the naysayers have their day, it seems to me that marketing professionals are losing their edge. In these dark days, it’s all too easy to panic and to stop exploring the power of digital marketing.
The fact is, innovation is a good thing. Yet we are at a low point and must work hard to ensure that we can dig out. Marketing agencies must continue to support digital marketing professionals. Clients must continue to experiment with edgy new forms of Web campaigns. Rewards must come to risk takers.
And everyone has to fight hard to stay outside of the box, rather than jumping in like everyone else.
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