Attention Nit
A recent IBM white paper on the future of adveretising makes a fundamental error about attention. It states, “Consumers are increasingly exercising control of how they view, interact with and filter advertising in a multichannel world.”
That’s just silly. The consumer has always had 100% control over her attention and has always exercised it whether going to the fridge, petting the dog, returning to her magazine etc. What’s more, the consumer has always had 100% control over how she interprets the advertisement. Finally, she’s always had 100% control over whether she applies the interpreted message.
What has changed are media and marketing’s abilities to detect and measure attention, largely in the real-time two-way channels. But new data does not mean new behavior, much less some new day of consumer empowerment.
Both leftist and elitist critiques of “consumer culture” have assumed a passive, powerless and easily manipulated consumer but that was never true. Every instance of communication, even in one-way media, is a two-way street, always contingent upon attention, interpretation and application. The “com” in communication means “with” and while marketers may be loath to admit it, communication is always a collaboration.
Great point, Len — that consumers have always been in control of their own attention. But they do have greater control and choice of the media distribution channels, devices and interfaces that compete for attention. The nature of how they manage their attention has fundamentally changed. Be sure to check out a few of my favorite thinkers on the subject….
- Michael Goldhaber: http://www.goldhaber.org/
- John Hagel: http://edgeperspectives.typepad.com/edge_perspectives/
Cheers,
Max
Max
Thanks for the referrals. I’ll be on the look-out for any evidence that the proliferation of channel choices has fundamentally changed how consumers manage their attention. As you know, I’m skeptical re claims that human behavior has changed but am willing to listen and even be convinced.
Thanks for your attention to my post and your helpful reponse.
Cheers
Len
This is great Len. I was just on a panel the other day talking about social media and I couldn’t believe how people were talking about “giving people the ability to share media” as if people hadn’t been sharing media on their own without permission for all time.
Am thinking about your comment as well (“I’m skeptical re claims that human behavior has changed”), I started trying to come up with examples and hit a bit of a wall. I can think of ways that behavior has adapted (we have more loose ties than we ever could before because of email is one example that comes to mind), but I don’t see that as a fundamental change. Anyway, I’ll be stewing on it.
Oh, and we still need to grab a coffee or beer sometime. You, me and Max.
Thanks, Noah. I don’t mind being a party-pooper if it prompts people to ponder. Frankly, the rush to embrace the new is in my view both a strength and a weakness. The former doesn’t need any encouragement from me; it’s the latter we all need to remember. Have a good time stewing! Cheers.