Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Stay with me here - I’m doing the “wander all over the place to make a point at the end” thing. In going in for my monthly root canal renovation check-up (don’t ask) I wonder why the heck dentists always flock together - after all, they’re competing and it seems like we have enough in Albuquerque for all 675,000 of us to get personal attention to each individual tooth. Also, why do wonderful television shows fail while ho-hum run-of-the-mill stuff like “Yes, Dear” (1) seems to be on every channel, all the time? According to Watch with Kristin “More than one-third of America’s Next Top Model’s audience is changing the channel before Veronica begins–not a good sign.” Oh dear, I like Veronica Mars.

Then - aha! - I read Seth Godin’s post The Proximity Effect. The light begins to dawn.

Bottom line: We (and tv programmers) should remember where (and how) our targets look for (and give credibility to) their choices - for everything from dental care to entertainment.

For example - I think Mars is a fun, well-done show, with a positive role model for young women. However, I wouldn’t be caught dead watching Models. So, why did the folks schedule these two together? I have to think - based on my experience in market research - that the people who watch the super models differ dramatically demographically from those who like funky, punky Veronica Mars.

(1) My apologies if you’re a fan or cast member. There’s no accounting for taste (for example, I love even the dumbest vampire flicks.) and I know actors have to make a living.