Maybe you read the story about 12-year-old Cade Pope from Oklahoma who sent the same handwritten note to all 32 NFL franchises – addressed to each team’s owner. His letter simply asked these captains of industry which pro team he should support.
You can probably guess how this worked out. Young Cade did not receive a response from 31 of these NFL owners – save for Carolina Panthers chieftain Jerry Richardson (who included an autographed replica helmet) and wrote a handwritten response to Cade.
The Bleacher Report quoted Cade: “If this is the only team that responds to me, I’m a Carolina Panthers fan.”
For life.
It’s all about the power of that personal touch, and recognizing the importance of individual fans whether we’re talking football or radio. From consultant/entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk to Taylor Swift, we are seeing more examples of the importance of hi-touch, personalization, and serving the needs of individual fans.
We heard a lot about this at CES. Ford’s CEO Mark Fields talked about how Netflix will be able to better understand how individual customers watch videos – alone, in groups, eating popcorn, in a dark room – and how these patterns change by the day, the week, or the season. Understanding individual behavior will make it easier for brands to suggest entertainment options and unique experiences that are hand crafted right down to the person.
Similarly, Fields talked about how “connected cars” will build driver profiles that consumers can take with them from vehicle to vehicle. This data will allow carmakers as well as their partners to understand driving and consumption patterns, optimal routes, and couponing opportunities along the way.
While legacy media has always thought in terms of big boxcar numbers (cume, circulation), the Internet of Everything points to a focus on the individual consumer that will continue to become a priority for marketers and brands.
And even with all this technology and gadgetry, perhaps it goes all the way back to the most old school form of communication – the personal letter, like the kind that Cade Pope sent to every NFL owner, and the kind Jerry Richardson wrote to respond to him.
So here’s a twist. It’s Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin providing an excuse letter for fans who stayed up late to watch his team play the L.A. Clippers (the Hawks won, by the way) as well as a free ticket offer. It’s notable that the Hawks are going through a tumultuous ownership change, and need to keep filling up the seats at Philips Arena.
Make no mistake about it – for Koonin and the Hawks, this is marketing, plain and simple. But with a personal, handwritten touch on Twitter, it is leaps and bounds ahead of the email blasts fans receive from the other NBA teams. It shows an understanding of the average fan, and it does it in a way that is both human, humorous, compelling, and yes, buzz-worthy.
As big data becomes more prominent, connecting with one consumer at time, and meeting her needs is the essence of where marketing has moved.
Lori Lewis has talked about the importance of the “Every person counts” philosophy when devising social strategies and policies.
For communication with customers and fans, penning a note, making a personal call, and acknowledgment become more important than ever. It’s about pleasing one fan at a time, the pathway to building better brands.
Get personal.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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