Annoying Marketing

Annoying marketing is running rampant.  

And it’s not reserved to one type of marketing. Digital, email,  direct, grass roots, traditional radio and television. All are culprits.

Take Tuesday.

I fielded two phone calls from candidates. One for Mayor and one for city council. I no longer pick up when the calls from the Power Division solicitors call. Those two went straight to voice mail. On the way to the subway I am intercepted by three people in pink shirts shoving flyers in my precious New York space asking me if I have time to talk.  

I was greeted by huge interstitials on four separate websites asking me to sign up for their newsletter. Only one gave me a choice to never see it again. Another asked me to sign up  not knowing I already subscribed. By then I was so annoyed I considered unsubscribing. Which is what I did in the case of  three other newsletters that have taken to sending me not one, not two, but as many as four emails a day. And every where I go I am being followed by banner ads for Totally Her which by the way – I would never have clicked on if not writing this article.

All this on a day when my Time Warner Internet connection has slowed to that of a snail and I am scheduled to be on HuffPostLive via webcam. 

Note that I am not as irritated by television marketing for one simple reason. I DVR everything I watch so I can fast forward past any attempts to rankle me further.  

It’s getting a bit much – all this annoying behavior. I understand the reasons behind it. Everyone wants to be heard and/or seen. Most are so terrified that they will get lost in the noise that they resort to the antiquated methods of push marketing they are most comfortable with – shouting loudly and as often as possible.

Except for the fact that no longer works. The age of digital means the age of engagement. Tell me a story. Offer me good content. Pull me towards you.  Don’t beat me over the head. Don’t follow me wherever I go – relentless in your pursuit.

It’s annoying. 

It doesn’t work. 

If you’ve got a good product, if you’re serving up fresh, engaging, useful content you won’t have to remind me every hour. I’ll know. I’ll be looking for it.

I can’t quite figure out why marketers aren’t listening. Thirteen year old Ruby Karp who wrote an article this week in Mashable on why none of her friends use Facebook gets it. 

“Teens hate it when people try too hard; it pushes them away.” 

The thing is – it’s not just teens. Adults don’t like it either.



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