Re: Forrester: Ingres and MySQL Lead Open Source Databases

Peter

It¹s great that we are discussing advocacy issues. I applaud your
initiative, though I entirely disagree with your premise.

Personally, as a former advertising creative director of some experience, I
confess that I hate most advertising. I avoid commercial radio and TV and
regard billboards as visual pollution. The main problem is that I KNOW the
tricks so I know when and how I¹m being Œsold¹ to.

But somehow we have to reach new markets. We can¹t rely on a ŒBuild it and
they will come.¹ view of the world. So advertising needs to be intelligent,
engaging and respectful of our target audience.

Besides, we are not just talking about advertising. We are talking about
marketing communications of which your preferred view (word-of-mouth
referrals) is only one channel, PR, direct response and advertising are a
few other examples.

While we are recommending reading on this topic, I¹d like to mention two
books that are worth taking the time to digest:

> The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
> by Al Ries and Jack Trout
> HarperCollins, New York, 1994

A small paperback. This classic is 15 years old but as relevant as ever.

> The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell ­ 2002

Again, not a new text but a great read that will give you food for thought ­
particularly in the current environment.

Rob Napier

On 23/8/09 9:27 PM, "Peter Eisentraut" <peter_e(at)gmx(dot)net> wrote:

> On tor, 2009-08-20 at 23:21 +1000, Rob Napier wrote:
>> Public Relations 101:
>
> On that matter, I recommend reading and viewing the videos here:
>
> http://www.buzzmachine.com/2009/05/30/advertising-as-failure/
>
> "[T]he ideal relationship a company should have with its customer is
> that it produces a great product the customer loves and talks about and
> thus sells; there is no need for advertising there. It¹s only in the
> case of failing at that idea that one needs to advertise."
>
> This doesn't necessarily mean that we should shut down -advocacy and put
> everyone to code. But it does support that we should put resources into
> making user support and the user feedback loop more efficient rather
> than wondering about the layout of brochures and tipping of the right
> analysts.
>
>

Regards

Rob Napier