This image was on Techcrunch and I've been laughing about it all day. It was in an article about a new AdWeek/Harris study about the way Americans are ignoring ads, especially on the Internet. According to the study, more people are ignoring ads on the internet than in any other media by a significant margin.

The Internet is dominated by consumer generated media today. Interrupt that environment with a slick in your face ad and it is going to feel like a punch in the face, or it will just get ignored as the study points out.

This reminds me of one of the memorable presentations from the WOMMA Summit last month. Paul Freher from the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant chain talked about their concept of "uncopywriting" in their marketing communications. They wipe away the slick marketing language and communicate with consumers as friends. For example, a brand would say "Today is a great day to try some delicious wings from Buffalo Wild Wings" but a friend might say something like "Mmmmmmmm wings". It's working for them, here is their presentation:

C.C. Chapman also talked about the importance of an authentic voice in our interview with him last week about his new book "Content Rules".

The web is rapidly becoming a promotional medium. A white paper from Borrell Associates shows that promotional spending on social networks is about to takeoff. As you can see in the chart below, spending on ads is now dominant but spending on promotional activities will increase as marketers use social networks in a more sophisticated way. By 2015, promotions spending will exceed ad spending by a 2:1 ratio.

This is a new model and it requires a new approach. The Internet is a conversation. It is where your customers are spending their time and it is how they make their purchase decisions.

Focus on doing things that get people talking. Run contests, giveaway coupons, offer special deals, distribute free samples and get involved so people are talking about your products and stop being a bully.