Because progress cannot be halted, Steve Heyer CEO argues that companies have to be smart about the way they market themselves, always seeking new methods because new things are coming upon them. It is clear at present that the man was right in his tips, delivered long years ago. He delivered a keynote speech bearing this message to a group of 400 media, ad agency and entertainment executives during an “Advertising Age” conference in 2003.
The man occupies a top position in Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. His words from some years past were eventually continued in subsequent interrogations regarding them. He claimed that he is not marketing rooms in hotels but entertainment and lasting memories.
Experiential value is of prime importance here. We deliver memories.” Heyer's innovation was in the lens through which he approached the subject.
He also emphasized the need to provide for the new powers of consumers nowadays. Interestingly, this too has proven true. You can see this most prominently in areas of the market devoted to the provision of digital services.
The entertainment business is being sucked dry by the latest technologies in the hands of teen consumers. Just for illustration, when software for musical piracy was introduced, the support from consumers was so overwhelming that the music industry almost immediately saw a setback in profits. Consumers went online in droves when songs started becoming downloadable on sites for free.
The music industry momentarily went into chaos, which is a scenario referred to in Steven Heyer’s keynote address. It was an object lesson along the lines of Heyer's theme of continuous adaptation to handle a shifting market. Heyer said that even TV was no longer safe, and that new trends might well harm those in the industry.
The idea behind his words was the replacement of traditional understandings of products with new concepts based around them being associated with a certain lifestyle. According to Heyer, he intends to provide a unique and enjoyable experience for consumers. Heyer's intent, obviously, is to market something that is even more in demand than lodging in the present culture: an experience.
Indeed, Starwood has even come up with unusual partners in the enterprise, such as Victoria's Secret. The Victoria's Secret shows command a good bit of attention, and only select guests of the hotels are allowed. This is a case of the product being an experience.
The proliferation of brand names in films has also drawn attention from Heyer, who dislikes it. He calls the practice a “contextless” insertion of brand logos into movies or TV programs. He also said this practice neither improves storylines nor enhances marketability of products.
One of Coca Cola's former leaders is actually Steve Heyer CEO. Some of his services for that company actually demonstrate what he is trying to say by "contextual" brand placement. What he did was to put a glass of Coke in front of each judge in American Idol, a popular TV series.
When in search of relevant info about online marketing and business in general, hitting the link will help.
