Tuesday, January 04, 2011

anti-demographics


Demographics were useful in the age of spray and pray marketing to the mass.
They allowed random messaging to be slightly more relevant by 'targeting' age, gender, ethnicity, and other things like income bracket.

Scatter-gun advertising isn’t nearly as effective as it once was, and now demographics just ain't got that swing.

The internet has been the big disruptor, allowing people to connect and form groups around shared interest on a scale that has never previously been possible in human history.

Santa brought me the DVD of Elvis Costello's Spectacle TV series, in which Elvis has intimate chats with various musical legends. One episode features Tony Bennett, who backs up my argument.

When Elvis asks Tony who he thinks his audience is he replies:
'I'm anti-demographics'.

I remember going to see Tony sing at Edinburgh Castle about 12 years ago, the crowd was an even mix of over 50's, ex-punkers in their mid-30's and teenagers/students.

Figure that one out demographically.

People now demand brands that founded on principles and values.
Something to believe in, not just ever changing campaign lines, tweaked and tickled to fit lazy demographic data.

Tony just sings for anyone who loves swinging jazz numbers and the great american songbook...

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