It seems to me that we’re fast approaching a period of history (or will be be history as we look back with wise eyes) where two words are set to dominate the climate of all areas of our lives; Volatile & Social
I don’t need to elaborate on either of these too much unless you’ve been stuck in darkened room with no access to internet or information for the past few years. I’d like to think we’re reaching a crescendo of global volatility and social connectivity but I think we have a long way to go.
The question for us marketers is not just how we can weather the storm of global economic and political uncertainty but moreover how we can capitalize upon it.
2 weeks ago the world woke up to discover Mark Zuckerberg, founder & CEO of Facebook was planning an IPO valuing the company at $100bn, the figures are staggering especially for a business who not too long ago was still being written of as a fad and in an economic environment already having been burned on a number of occasions with over inflated valuations. This is a very real valuation not so much upon the growth, potential ad revenue and the like, but more of the apparent very real power Facebook has today.
It was summed up by the man himself in his open letter at the announcement, this paragraph is particularly relevant since after the Arab Spring of 2011 Zuckerberg went to great lengths to distance Facebook as an accomplice to the revolution.
“By giving people the power to share, we are starting to see people make their voices heard on a different scale from what has historically been possible. These voices will increase in number and volume. They cannot be ignored. Over time, we expect governments will become more responsive to issues and concerns raised directly by all their people rather than through intermediaries controlled by a select few.”
Now embracing power his enterprise has, he recognizes that his Harvard pipe-dream truly has the ability to force change, that individuals can gather, exchange ideas and ‘cannot be ignored’
Facebook has embraced Volatility as its mode of valuation and emotional bait to bring more and more people inside. Growth in the USA is slowing but emerging markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East where change is so needed are the future of the company.
Now not all of us own or work for an organization like Facebook, but as Marketers we have a responsibility to understand and embrace whats happening around us. The tools, platforms and connections exist to make ignoring it a professional crime.
In a world full of doubt, fear and uncertainty, we can be very sure of one thing. Us humans are individuals with collective desires, if we can harness these voices and empower people to advocate our produces then the potential for growth is almost unlimited. Every marketer has an obligation to serve his client (and potential) base with useful information and the tools to share it. Our connections are our strength and we plant enough quality seeds in the right fertile land then the harvest will come.
