Monday, February 27, 2012

What to Do With Today's Market, According to Steve Heyer CEO

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. Heyer spoke of such things years past, almost as though he could see the future with inhuman clarity. Heyer spoke of these matters famously in a conference some years past that was attended by many representatives of the marketing and advertising industries.

Heyer is actually the CEO of one of the biggest hotel companies in the world. In an interview made a couple of years after his keynote address in 2003, he explained his point in 2003 by talking about his marketing strategy for the popular hotel chain. Heyer's stated goal was the marketing of amusement, as opposed to the marketing of lodgings in the hotels.

Experiential value is of prime importance here. The goods, for Heyer, were the entertainments to be found in the resorts. Marketing in this manner was new back then, and quite an original concept.

In the 2003 speech, he proposed to marketers and media leaders to become more customized and personalized in delivering their services and products, and aim for the empowerment of consumers. This exactly is today’s most observable trend across corporations and industries. And this is most apparent in the computer and digital industries.

The latest developments have also spelled difficulty for people in entertainment. When Napster.com, the first music downloading service website, burst into the scene, the music industry lost millions in potential revenue. Almost instantly, people were getting on board the pirate ship, so to speak.

There was pandemonium in the song-production business, Heyer noted. In his 2003 speech, the CEO turned to music executives and reminded them of the changing ways of producing and reproducing music due to the empowerment of consumers. It was necessary for other media producers, according to Heyer, to take note of this imperative for change.

Steve Heyer argues that modern marketing efforts should focus on the creation of cultures, not products. In the interview explaining his marketing strategy for Starwood Hotels, he furthered explained that they are now a company engaged in distributing entertainment and unforgettable experiences. 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 the perfect execution of what Heyer meant.

Heyer has also spoken out against slapping on brands in films. He found it reprehensible for its lack of contextual significance. To him, such random inserts would serve little purpose, either for the film or for the company.

Steve Heyer CEO used to head Coca Cola Ventures. It is from that time that we may take an example of what he means by properly contextualized brand "cameos". He very subtly and effectively placed Coca Cola glasses on the “American Idol” judge’s table.


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