Retro-renaissance marketing

As every day passes for modern marketing, we are building a larger Tower of Babel. The descendants of Noah taught us a lesson thousands of years ago as they migrated southward along the Tigris River and westward to the land of Sennar. They progressed far from their ancestors and constructed a tower to reach heaven. Their ambitious project was never completed as they were confounded by God for their pride, unable to communicate with one another. The first babbling idiots—but certainly not the last.

In an era of rapidly changing technology, new media channels, and an overabundance of choices, brand marketers are staring at the construction of a modern Tower of Babel and stand in awe and confusion. Our world, already small, is getting carved up into tiny pieces and the marketing community can’t track of them all. Unprepared to fathom the deep-rooted effects of digital technology that continue to splinter and challenge traditional media channels, they can’t reach and speak the languages of micro segments being born every day. They are taking dictation with a chisel and stone tablet, missing nearly every word. The dark ages of marketing are getting nearer by the day.

Consider e-mail, Web logs and instant messaging: Millions of people are now using personal media to communicate and it all falls under the radar of modern marketing. Proven communication techniques—advertising, PR, event marketing, direct mail—must quickly revisit key cornerstone skills, proven centuries ago, to determine just how they will communicate to a growing number of people that are not listening and having their own sidebar conversations.

Consider growing consumer apathy and cynicism: An increasing number of people either not believing or not caring enough to listen to what they consider to be babble, marketing “white noise.” Millions upon millions of dollars pouring into channels that basically go unheard.

It is time for marketers to ask a fundamental question: Is what we say credible, clear and compelling? Does it tell a story—that can be translated universally to many languages—with one voice? With all these dramatic societal, technological, and economic changes, what will be the new criteria that will separate marketing’s next generation in a world of new media? Tough question and tall order. It would serve them well to take a look back—centuries ago—at what will work: Renaissance Marketing.

Elevation of sages—these are the few wise citizen scholars that direct and alter the mindsets of the many unlearned. To cut time to truth, people go to the town square and inquire with such elite thought leaders for recommendations, direction, insights and sound advice. Recently, this is seen as media and authors; now it’s your neighbor, a blogger, book club colleague, and co-worker. Knowing who they are, where they live, what they think, how they influence, all become keys to successful marketing.

Rebirth of storytellers—these are people that possess a golden tongue that charms, sooths, and satisfies. People that now how to turn the mundane into magical words that flow and create immediate interest. This gift is knowing how to create ways of communicating that are more visual, more memorable and more interesting—and slightly less informative. How to teach this skill becomes a treasured talent.

Birth of the programmer-poet—in the modern “retro renaissance,” these are people that can describe Keats, Augustine, and Shakespeare just as easily as Gates, Moore and Brin. Balancing how diverse technology works, the best way to use it, and the right creative content to channel through it will be a highly valuable skill—modern marketing artisans. How to recruit and develop them becomes critical to finding your way. People that understand the Web, e-mail campaigns, RSS, podcasts, blogs, viral marketing, emerging technologies, wireless mobility and tomorrow’s technical breakthroughs.

All speak convincingly and are understood. They persuade because they don’t try to convince. They’re marketing linguists, trusted to create and convey the message. Creativity becomes their added flair not the primary draw. They are retro because they’re not too proud to recognize that we can learn as much from the past as the future. They’ve studied abroad, maybe even home schooled, worked on a farm, studied human nature, worked hard, paid their dues—and are ultimately versatile in new media marketing.

They are renaissance marketers.