Author Archives: hds2

The end of experts and the threat of the 140 character argument

Posted on by

It seems that there is a bout of soul-searching underway as we search for certainty in a changing and tumultuous world. The authority and legitimacy of the ‘expert’ is being questioned and routinely dismissed in a way that seems to suggest that anyone with a modicum of freemium reading believes they are empowered to refute or ignore the arguments of subject experts.

The issue surfaced substantively following the crash of 2008.  People questioned why experts hadn’t foreseen it and. Even the Queen asked a gathering at the LSE why nobody had noticed it coming. More recently during the Brexit referendum politicians of both sides were not seen as credible by the people they were trying to scare.  The ex-justice secretary Michael Gove in an interview in 2016 said that “people have had enough of experts.   More recently the UK government criticised The Bank of England governor Mark Carney for running dubious monetary experiments an argument subsequently endorsed by William Hague.  Lately the theme was picked up by the Bank of England’s chief economist Andrew Haldane who argued that people had lost faith in the theoretical models used by economists and that economists were guilty of talking mainly to themselves and failing to reflect on the gap between theatrical models and real outcomes.

At a time when information is both cheap and must be served in easy to digest lightweight chunks and meaning is up for debate, making business decisions without critical thinking and the expertise of the expert runs the risk of succumbing to the cult of the individual.  Indeed, the cult of the individual over substance is a trend that Alain Sylvain, founder of strategy and planning consultancy Sylvain Labs believes has been developing since the financial crash and dotcom bust.

Dismissing the opinions of experts in both business and society is a simple way of avoiding a change of opinion or use evidence based analysis to form a decision.  Indeed, such refutation is a repudiation of both critical thinking and of fallibility.

What are the implications for marketing?   The risk for the discipline lies in the rejection of craft and deep understanding that is expertise for the gloss of the web guru state of marketing.   Here the latest list of must do things to ‘win’ in online marketing is the first thing management turns to.  Who needs a marketer when the answers are just a click away?  Superficial list based marketing promises that the answers to your marketing problems lie on the page.  That all you need to do is keep reading, subscribe and bookmark.  But such an approach has real dangers.  First of all everyone has access to the same list.  But more seriously real expertise and results that flow from it come from deep understanding of principles and their application in the world.  In other words, expertise understands that performance is contextual to situation and is an amalgamation of different types of knowledge often referred to as tacit and explicit.   This offers a level of subtlety that no list based promise can match

The message for companies is that in a discipline which so easily succumbs to the new and shiny, the lure of succumbing to the cult of the self-promoting proselytizer can obscure true expertise.   Companies should therefore be careful to ensure they understand the difference between expertise and self-promotion and develop means to propagate the emergence of expertise.   Nonaka demonstrated how the potential to create performative knowledge which has real traction in the world is accomplished.  It is through challenging existing knowledge, bringing in new knowledge but adapting it.  It is through a dialogue between theory and practice that enables new knowledge capable of creating epistemic work beyond that provided by following explicit instructions or some pundit.    It is through the creation of genuine expertise and a commitment to creating a culture of knowledge creation.  This is a storey that the most successful companies already understand

Dr Malcolm Ash,  EdD, MSc, MBA, DMS

What Brexit Means for the Savvy Digital Marketer

Posted on by

Flag

Despite a high level of uncertainty surrounding Brexit and just how it will unfold, there is something to be said for just getting on with it. After all, business owners still have to get up every day and look after their business, students still go off to learn and the world is still turning. With so much negativity circling the Brexit outcome, it might be time we looked towards the opportunities it could create too.

It’s true that not many of us were prepared for the referendum result, and many marketing budgets were restricted amid Brexit fears. However, we are all well aware that actually leaving the EU won’t happen for some time; so there’s a definite gap to gain benefits from the situation.Digital Marketing banner and icons

In the panicked environment we currently live in, with constant stories of Brexit talks on the news, there is an opportunity for brands to become a calming voice and a force of reassurance. Despite a climate of unrest, the relationship between consumer and brand can remain stable and maintain a high level of trust, which is something vital to any company’s success.

Brand development on a global scale

There is still just as much chance to grow your brand in light of post-Brexit UK as there was pre-Brexit. With little or no immediate impact, there is a real chance for brands to utilise their digital marketing strategies in a new way. There is an opportunity to up your creativity and prove your worth on a global level, not just within Europe. Creative industries must now demonstrate their value on a wider scale; but this is exciting, not daunting!

With the prospect of leaving the EU a matter of years away, digital marketers can continue to put the needs of their consumers first. Savvy business owners will be looking for a way to turn Brexit into an advantage instead of a setback; driving further success. It is now time to reflect on the ways digital marketing firms engage with their consumers, particularly in regard to financial or economic matters.Business meeting. Marketing strategy

Communication is key

One thing is clear when it comes to the digital marketing industry; brands must place huge importance on open lines of communication. Continuing to communicate and engage is crucial, before you jump to any conclusions or panic about the consequences of Brexit.

The message here? Let’s get to work. Brexit might feel like a bad break up but let’s pick ourselves up and get back out there to show everyone that Brexit won’t break us!

Brexit should hopefully be a wake up call to those in marketing to ensure they truly know their consumers and what matters to them, in order to continue tailoring the best possible marketing experience.

With a vote that divided the country right down the middle, it’s time to evolve targeting methods and introduce more empathetic marketing; there is no room here for a one size fits all approach.

Mark Blackhurst of  Digital Next