Marketing has persisted for several centuries. Back in the day town criers yelled out the latest news and developments. Then, in time, posters appeared, pressed against walls like bees on honey. These posters held all kinds of news: the latest attractions, wanted criminals, new plays in the closest theatre, and news on shocking or fascinating events. Later down the line newspapers rose and advertisers and marketers made their marks on the ink-filled pages and in the eyes and minds of many readers. For over a decade news papers were the main source of information and advertisements. Then came the radio. With this new invention people could hear fantastical stories and listen to current events while drinking a cup of coffee and sitting with the family at the dinner table. Suddenly, television made its appearance. People saw events live and saw movies market themselves through commercials. Today marketing has gone a whole new level.
With the invention of computers marketing has become a race of "Who has the best of the best?" Does the cover look good? Is the trailer heart wrenchingly incredible? Does the advertisement on the side of the webpage catch the user's eye? These are questions that were not asked one hundred years ago, but are pertinent to today's technological utopia. Marketing is everywhere, not just in television screens or billboards or radio. Now Facebook, Pandora, Twitter, Spotify and other websites have the latest trend available for users. With this new wave of advertisement books are also seeing themselves marketed just as often as movies are. Television commercials present new book releases of famous authors and Barnes and Nobles sends out e-mails to all its members lists full of new popular book names hitting the shelves. The covers themselves have become oriented towards the readers of interest. If it's for teenagers the book is flashy with a large title and colorful images on the front, if it's a self-help book the cover is maneuvered accordingly.
Marketing has evolved from simple word of mouth to a blown out version of criers in web version. There is nothing people don't know about and if they don't know about it one simple look at the various online sites will provide all the information needed. Technology is both a blessing and a curse, but businesses who know how to maneuver their way through the online community know just how much of a blessing it can be.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Pick Up your Pens and Tongues
Almost two months ago an entrepreneur of the Business Department in TCU came to visit our class. Michael Sherrod introduced himself with enthusiasm and charisma and one of the first things he said was: "English majors are the most important people in a business." Of course, I'm paraphrasing, but his statement was well remembered because for years I've heard comments similar to "You will never find a job as an English Major." "Go into law instead." "English? I don't think you make much with that." I'm sure I'm not the only person who has heard these point of views and I most likely will not be the last. Yet, on a Thursday morning in a class full of English majors and minors I heard Michael deny what most people had told me during my short college career. English majors are highly sought for, he said, and not because it's a field with less applicants, but because English majors are innovative.
For a business to thrive it needs creativity and requires of its workers and CEO fathers and mothers to keep a lookout for new ideas and creative ways to market or build new products. Sherrod clung to this point when he spoke with us. Creativity blooms in an English major and minor's mind because the student reads constantly and writes constantly both fiction and non-fiction pieces for class. Sherrod believed (quite emphatically) that businesses needed more creative thinkers who could put forth new ideas and new answers to current financial or production problems. He went as far as saying: "You don't need to get a business major to get into business. I didn't get a business major and I helped bring up several companies." Again, paraphrasing, but the gist of the idea is there. English majors don't need to fear being out of a job because indirectly Sharrod stated that they are a commodity. There are fewer English majors and minors each year and businesses are scrambling to implement people who can read in depth and write without making multiple spelling mistakes. Being an English major suddenly didn't seem like a wishful dream to make it somewhere in the world.
There is much left for an English student to do and say. Every passing day is full of people offering new ideas for an application on IPhone or a new website for an upcoming movie. Creative minds are everywhere, but as Sherrod said, English majors and people focused on literary works have a different way of viewing the world. The jobs are out there and so are the businesses, all we English folk have to do is search.
For a business to thrive it needs creativity and requires of its workers and CEO fathers and mothers to keep a lookout for new ideas and creative ways to market or build new products. Sherrod clung to this point when he spoke with us. Creativity blooms in an English major and minor's mind because the student reads constantly and writes constantly both fiction and non-fiction pieces for class. Sherrod believed (quite emphatically) that businesses needed more creative thinkers who could put forth new ideas and new answers to current financial or production problems. He went as far as saying: "You don't need to get a business major to get into business. I didn't get a business major and I helped bring up several companies." Again, paraphrasing, but the gist of the idea is there. English majors don't need to fear being out of a job because indirectly Sharrod stated that they are a commodity. There are fewer English majors and minors each year and businesses are scrambling to implement people who can read in depth and write without making multiple spelling mistakes. Being an English major suddenly didn't seem like a wishful dream to make it somewhere in the world.
There is much left for an English student to do and say. Every passing day is full of people offering new ideas for an application on IPhone or a new website for an upcoming movie. Creative minds are everywhere, but as Sherrod said, English majors and people focused on literary works have a different way of viewing the world. The jobs are out there and so are the businesses, all we English folk have to do is search.
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