So you’ve been asked to develop of a new marketing strategy, but for some reason all the creative nerve endings in your brain appear to have retracted like a snail that’s just spied Manu Feildel swaggering by fry pan in hand. Given the deadline you ponder the only thing left … the tried and true. But what if you’re trying to rise above celebrity endorsements, price wars or competitor sledging, what then? Well you may find yourself turning to Milestone Marketing, but be warned, just like sautéed garlic snails the end result isn’t always palatable.
 |
|
Thanks to Will Clayton
|
Finance, Health and Insurance companies can often be seen employing Milestone Marketing strategies. The scruffy blonde surfer dude, surfboard in tow, high school fading from his memory as he embarks on his first overseas holiday with seven mates … travel insurance anyone? Or the young couple looking blissfully at the quaint Fremantle heritage cottage, unaware of the perils of DIY rewiring without the safety net of building insurance, or more importantly Ambulance Cover. Both reasonable examples of Milestone Marketing. But consider this ….
You’ve just reached a milestone birthday let’s say the big one … 50.
 |
| Thanks to muteboy |
Much rejoicing has taken place over the past few weeks.
You’ve survived the family dinner, the ‘hilarious’ personal roast put on by your work colleagues.
You’ve even made it through the big backyard bash attended by a mishmash of friends and acquaintances …
A sea of mates accumulated through school, various workplaces, sporting clubs, kids friends, exes, some you can’t recall how you actually met, and one you’re convinced just walked in off the street, even though he seems to know way to many intimate details about your university days.
You’ve even survived the milestone gift to yourself, be it a Harley Davidson ride, skydiving or an inconspicuous tattoo. Well inconspicuous as long as that particular area of skin doesn’t undergo the same inexplicable extensive sagging recently taking place in other usually unseen parts. The weeklong hangover has subsided, and you’re settling in for many months of mellow musings as you help your mates celebrate their own milestones. Then a week after the celebrations your phone rings.
‘Hi, I’m …’ You’re about to hang up knowing that by this age you have no need of a new solar hot water system, garage door or financial advisor, and since you’ve just purchased 10 tickets in the Wheelchair Sports lottery, your charity conscience is also clear. But then you hear …
‘ …Dr Elewishus…’
A Doctor, that’s different, maybe it’s not a telemarketer, so you carry on listening.
‘I’m calling on behalf of the government.’
Ok, still listening but somewhat less enthused.
‘We’re running free health checks … hearing tests actually’. And then the clincher …‘yes hearing checks for anyone over the age of 50.’
It’s about now that it hits you. Pondering your future you realise it’s not going to include telemarketers enlisting your support for a new Club Med Surf School. Nor market researchers enquiring about your reactions to the latest indie music festival or Top 100. No, it dawns on you that your calls will probably be about haemorrhoid creams, concealers and female viagra. But mainly you’re left pondering … couldn’t they have waited at least a month or two before calling.
Be that a lesson to all you young advertising account directors out there. If you’ve obtained that golden ticket of direct marketing, a list of people reaching significant milestones, be very careful how and with what you approach them. Remember 50 is the new 30, well at least that’s the goss amongst the 50 year olds I spoke to, and anything with the words drooping, sagging, hearing impairment and heaven forbid funerals, should be confined to those excitedly awaiting a telegram from the Queen … and even then you’d better tread carefully after all if logic follows then 100 is the new 80.
