Some friends and I spent all day and evening in NYC. Mostly we went to visit MOMA, but of course no trip is complete without visiting Rockefeller Center to join the hordes around the christmas tree and skating rink. And then onto Times Square for a few beers and a few more single malts....


But what struck me most occurred at MOMA, amongst the ghosts of Klee and Monet. Thousands of people from several generations wandered throughout the galleries, eagerly taking in the world's greatest art and artists. What shook me most is that this represented my third visit in the last year, and not once have I been lured by a direct mail piece, a banner ad, a post card, an e-mail or any of the countless marketing vehicles that we so covet.
So what's going on here? Is it possible that we have this marketing thing all wrong?
As mentioned in an earlier post, we seem fascinated by our tools and driven to use them. And yet places such as MOMA and in our world Starbucks, seldom apply these tools. Instead they invest their energies in creating unforgettable experiences. Some fail but most work. Who can argue with the numbers represented by happy and full galleries and 40 million cups of espresso sold every day?
Maybe, just maybe, we should apply fewer tools (science) on behalf of our clients and spend more time on discussing the values and philosophy underpinning our client's business. Discover what makes each of them special to their markets and focus that specialness to create great experiences (art).
In other words, let's live up to our consultant titles and help our clients create atmospheres and environments that shake their christmas tree, and then unwrap the packages below. Doing so will spark customer and client passions (more art).
If we build and share our passions with others, like art and artists, people will come to see what we have built.