(no subject)
Must share. I ordinarily do not talk about work on this journal, but we're having a corporate nervous breakdown discussion about one of those handy-dandy hand-sized management-gimmick books, which I shall not name to save the embarrassment of all. I got through about half the book before concluding firmly that the writer was a jackass, which is about typical.
However, the best part was the author advocating, essentially, that one should treat one's customers as a fanbase, and woo the early adopters: have a hook that draws in the Cool Kids and the Uncool Kids will follow. (That's actually not new, in marketing/product development terms; it's the basis for Scott Westerfeld's 2004 novel So Yesterday, and essentially a fair description of the business plan of Apple.)
Yes, you too may be co-opted by The Man if you are a BNF, and wooed until your mindless followers have all bought the widget you rave to them about. Considering the recent cage-matches in re BNFdom, and BNF-influence, and how all BNFs are evil insiders who want nobody in their circle but themselves -- let us just say that the kernel of truth in using fandom as a metaphor for new marketing is completely overwhelmed by the hilarious vision I am having of members of different investment firms getting into flamewars over whose bonds are the awesomest.
I would not be nearly as irritated with the author's usage of otaku to mean early adopter and slightly obsessive enthusiast if (a) there weren't already an English-language equivalent (i.e., fan) and (b) the word didn't have strong derogatory understones in Japanese. Also, there is the basic problem of what comes up when you google "define: otaku":
In Japanese, a derogatory form of 'you' which also has the meaning of, roughly, 'no-life geek who spends all his time building GUNDAM models...' Be that as it may, in certain circles its meaning has evolved into a less perjorative term, namely, 'huge anime fan who is respected because he spends all his time building GUNDAM models...'
...not really what I am looking for in a hip, moving-and-shaking customer base, you know? Unless I am selling Gundam model kits.
However, the best part was the author advocating, essentially, that one should treat one's customers as a fanbase, and woo the early adopters: have a hook that draws in the Cool Kids and the Uncool Kids will follow. (That's actually not new, in marketing/product development terms; it's the basis for Scott Westerfeld's 2004 novel So Yesterday, and essentially a fair description of the business plan of Apple.)
Yes, you too may be co-opted by The Man if you are a BNF, and wooed until your mindless followers have all bought the widget you rave to them about. Considering the recent cage-matches in re BNFdom, and BNF-influence, and how all BNFs are evil insiders who want nobody in their circle but themselves -- let us just say that the kernel of truth in using fandom as a metaphor for new marketing is completely overwhelmed by the hilarious vision I am having of members of different investment firms getting into flamewars over whose bonds are the awesomest.
I would not be nearly as irritated with the author's usage of otaku to mean early adopter and slightly obsessive enthusiast if (a) there weren't already an English-language equivalent (i.e., fan) and (b) the word didn't have strong derogatory understones in Japanese. Also, there is the basic problem of what comes up when you google "define: otaku":
In Japanese, a derogatory form of 'you' which also has the meaning of, roughly, 'no-life geek who spends all his time building GUNDAM models...' Be that as it may, in certain circles its meaning has evolved into a less perjorative term, namely, 'huge anime fan who is respected because he spends all his time building GUNDAM models...'
...not really what I am looking for in a hip, moving-and-shaking customer base, you know? Unless I am selling Gundam model kits.