The Next Evolution of Marketing

The Next Evolution of Marketing



The Next Evolution of Marketing

The Next Evolution of Marketing is a new book by Bob Gilbreath. Bob Gilbreath is a Head marketing strategist at Bridge Worldwide that is one of the major digital relationship marketing agencies in North America. This is a new book just released in 2009 spotlighting the change in marketing from conventional media to what the author calls me”aningful marketing”.  When anyone buys this book, they may think it is going to concentrate on social media marketing but it in fact does not deal with that to much all through this book.  It centres more on why conventional media is not doing well anymore quoting some instances such as DVRs blocking ads and ad-blockers on computers.

The Next Evolution of Marketing by Bob Gilbreath takes a fresh look at an age-old problem for marketing professionals: How to better connect with consumers in an era where print and television advertising continues to be more of an inconvenience rather than an informative means of communication. Gilbreath argues for a new approach by marketing professionals, where “marketing with meaning” takes center stage in developing strong and lasting connections between companies and their ever-adapting customers. The book is divided into two parts; Chapters 1-5 focusing on defining “marketing with meaning,” and Chapters 6-10 establishing ways to integrate this concept into practice. (Schultz 2011)

What is “marketing with meaning”? The concept is used consistently throughout the book and is synonymous with terms such as engagement, value-added, and relationship marketing, although the author makes it clear that these are only small parts of the meaningful way in which companies and marketers can help to improve people's lives. The expectation of this approach is that the customers will reward you financially for helping improve their lives through products and services, the approach will create a positive business culture throughout your organization.

Gilbreath's experience as Chief Marketing Strategist at Bridge Worldwide and as a brand manager at Proctor & Gamble has provided unique and relevant background for writing this book. Particularly effective are the various company and industry examples he uses to support his points throughout. Given his prior work experience, it is no surprise that the book is heavily weighted with examples from Procter & Gamble, and the author appears to have a specific liking for Nike and Apple as they are mentioned frequently. These examples, however, did not noticeably detract in any way.

Chapters 1 and 2 explore the problems with “traditional” marketing techniques (opting out, constant interruption) and how adding “meaning” to marketing can positively influence the customer. As stated: “Marketing with meaning is the remedy to (customers) taking a back seat; it puts in value to persons's lives sovereign of buy - which, as it makes, is far more expected to succeed their business” (Gilbreath 2009, p. 33). In defining meaning, the author discusses “personal value” (p. 33), since not all consumers view or respond to the messages in the same ...