STRATEGY

WHY STRATEGY FIRST

There is a new reality. Everything you thought you knew changed yesterday (or more precisely, overnight). The evidence is everywhere.

• Behemoths like Nokia and Kodak have all but disappeared.
• Newspaper circulations have halved from their peak (or worse).
• Media is globalising - The American TV giants CBS have recently acquired Australia's Channel 10. Google is the most dominant media company in the world.
• Restaurants, cafes and services are driving growth in Shopping Centres (when do we stop calling them Shopping Centres?)
• Human attention span is now 8.25 seconds. A goldfish is 9.

The Economist has said that 'as the traditional mediums and approaches collapse, marketing complexity is growing sharply.'

A consequence of this craziness has been a sho=ift towards Tactical activations. A 'let's do something quick' attempt to find a solution - from sales promotions (price off discount) to a short-term ad campaign, maybe a brand ambassador or a gift-with-purchase. The sales bump a little, but on any considered assessment, the results are poor. Tactics in isolation just doesn't work.