We’ve heard quite a bit over the past several years about how the web has changed the way we read, even the way we think. In particular, the often-publicized worry is that the change has been a negative one– that we no longer read deeply, and we can no longer focus our thinking as we did before. That may be true, and it may be incorrect. It no doubt varies by individual.
But the real problem is not whether we have changed, the key issues lies in our failure to imbue marketing with information worth paying attention to. No matter what happens with the web, people still fervently seek out information and entertainment. Every year, more books, magazines, shows, movies, music and the like are created and consumed.
A report came out recently that showed the top selling books, the top grossing movies, and the highest-rated television programs are getting longer in length. It’s clear from the book, film and television data that Americans do NOT have an attention problem. The common thread between the three is the power of the story. People want to be told stories, and clearly have an ample supply of attention to give them. Fortunately, the purpose of marketing is to tell a story, one that compels people.
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