Current Issues in Marketing Strategy

Many months ago I wrote an article about the 60 minutes online chat room, slamming them for having unmoderated chat, no sign of the 'expert' they claimed to have online and the rudest users I've ever seen. It really turned me off the program and in my own mind, it degraded the once proud 60 minutes brand. The general rule in marketing is that if it bothers you, it probably bothers other people and I am very glad to say, that they have finally corrected their mistakes and got it right!


When I jumped on last night to ask a question about box jellyfish, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they have addressed all of my concerns. The moderators kept the conversation on topic and the expert was given his very own text box so that he could do a direct Q&A session, instead of sifting through loads of rubbish conversation. This engaged me and I stayed online for some time.

To understand the significants in terms of marketing, we need to look at why they are doing it in the first place. The ability to engage in conversation increases the loyalty of their viewers and allows for two-way communication between the two parties. The very concept of social media marketing is based on this, communicate with those that like and hate your brand and improve you value offer. On top of this, stimulating conversations about your show help to build the brand and encourage new viewers to trial the product for the first time.

Josh Strawczynski's Opinion:
I love it when online providers get it right. 60 minutes have now set the framework to really engage their customers and build a stronger realtionship.

As for me, I now know that a box jellyfish will kill you inside 3 minutes and on average it takes paramedics 8 minutes to get to you...I'll stick to calamari rings from the local fish & chip shop.