Not Mass, Not Spam, Not Shameful...

The first chapter of Seth Godin's book This Is Marketing begins the discussion by setting boundaries. He defines marketing by telling what it is not: mass, spam or shameful. Before Godin can begin to lead us down the path towards his vision of marketing, he must destroy all our preconceived notions. Overall, two sections stood out to me.

The compass points towards trust

Right off the bat Godin declares that everything we know must be flipped on its head. This is a sentiment I often echoed with yearbook students. Journalism is often the opposite process from English composition. "Instead of selfish mass, effective marketing now relies on empathy and service" (1). He goes on to explain that the act of marketing is the opportunity to serve others, meeting the needs that they have.

I love his description of the Internet. Having taught programming and web design, students (and adults) often think the Internet is the place where anyone can get rich quick simply by learning a few lines of code.

To be really clear: the Internet feels like a vast, free media playground, a place where all your ideas deserve to be seen by just about everyone. In fact, it's a billion tiny whispers, an endless series of selfish conversations that rarely include you or the work you do. (3)

To counter this false belief, we must build into the stories of the people who comprise our share of the market. We must connect with our audience and exchange ideas. Or as Godin states, "being missed when you're gone" (5).

Marketing doesn't have to be selfish

Selfishness is a derogatory term hurled at generations as if it were a surly epitaph. It has been used to describe Millennials and Boomers alike. But the truth is that selfishness is a human problem expressed differently by every generation.

And this is where I began to like Godin and open up to the possibility of enjoying his book. He claims that marketing needs to create "honest stories" that provide "meaning, connection and possibility" (6). This is the same premise found in the gospel, discipleship and evangelism.

He finished the chapter with a list of items that we must stop doing. They waste our precious time and energy, accomplishing nothing. By refocusing our attention on relationships instead of the frenetic activity, we bring a sense of purpose and fulfillment to marketing.

“Not Mass, Not Spam, Note Shameful...” This Is Marketing, by Seth Godin, Penguin, 2018, pp. 1–9.