How powerful is online?

First things first, I am a paid up member of the ‘digital marketing roolz’ squad. I still believe that the online environment offers the most attractive and exciting platform to engage proactively with our audience blah blah blah

Or I think I do. Because despite everyone’s best attempts I don’t think anyone has quite got it. Before, I blamed advertisers, but now I’m not so sure. Look at Nokia’s ’somebody else’s phone’ campaign, or the pretty excellent ‘Cactus Boy’ attempt. Sure, they are clever, engaging, well thought out and nicely executed, but will people be blogging about those campaigns in 20 years time. No. No way. Because however much we appreciate their clever use of the online space, no online campaign I can think of has really excited, really made a difference.

Maybe the traditional marketeers who see online as being ‘not their space’ have got a point? Or maybe I’m as narrowed minded and unintelligent as everyone else and can’t quite grasp the true possibilities afforded to brands and advertisers by online. And sadly, if that is the case, I, like so many others,will wait, slighlty unsure, til a campaign breaks which changes everything.

And then, of course, I’ll be too late.

As a side note, there is, of course, a third option. That online becomes a useful, but niche aspect of the marketing mix. Excellent for small scale interaction with key members of audience but in no way a tool to communicate powerful and enganging messages to the mass market. Which is a bit of let down, really. For a better view on this read the much more articulate Chris Brogan