Last week, I wrote a post about Nonlinear Marketing, a term I’m using to describe the techniques many marketers are using to connect with their customers in new and non-traditional ways.

You can read the full description of Nonlinear Marketing on our blog — and it might be worth taking the time to check it out. But if you’re short on time, here’s a quick recap:

Traditional marketing is disruptive, intrusive, and uninvited. Nonlinear Marketing is is woven into the fabric a consumer’s life.

In other words, Nonlinear Marketing is about strategically becoming part of your consumers’ lives, instead of simply interrupting their lives with TV, radio, print or other forms of traditional advertising.

[clickToTweet tweet=”What is nonlinear marketing? Starbucks and other brands are jumping in. You should, too:” quote=”Nonlinear marketing is the act of creating demand and preference for your product or service by having your brand participate in the consumer’s life, and by having the consumer participate in your brand’s life. ” theme=”style2″]

It’s important to note that Nonlinear Marketing is not a tactic. Instead, it’s a strategic approach that frames how you’re going to introduce your brand into the lives of your customers.

No sooner had I written my post about Nonlinear Marketing than Starbucks launched a new campaign that highlights exactly what I’m talking about.

We’re not talking about a new TV spot for Starbucks. Or a new print ad. Or even a new promotion.

Instead, we’re talking about a new original series called Upstanders that’s bypassing all the traditional channels (e.g. TV, radio, print, etc.) and instead being distributed directly to consumers.

Here’s what Starbucks has to say about the new campaign:

In contrast to the divisiveness and cynicism currently fueling our national discourse, Starbucks today debuted “Upstanders,” its first original content series, which aims to inspire Americans to engage in acts of compassion, citizenship and civility.

“Upstanders” features ten stories, each told in written, video and podcast form, about ordinary people doing extraordinary things to create positive change in their communities. The series is written and produced by Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman and ceo, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Starbucks executive producer and a former senior editor of The Washington Post.

Here’s a list of the shows that Starbucks is distributing as part of the series:

The Mosque Across the Street: When an Islamic center purchased a plot of land opposite a church in Memphis, Tennessee, the local Muslim community expected hostility. Pastor Steve Stone had something else in mind.

Breaking the Prison Pipeline: Susan Burton, who spent years in prison, is determined to keep other female ex-convicts from returning to prison by giving them a place to live that’s free of drugs, alcohol and abusive relationships. She has helped hundreds of them start new lives.

Homes for Everyone: Faced with a growing homeless population, Utah changed the way it provides shelter to those on the streets.  Under Lloyd Pendleton’s leadership, the state has reduced its chronic homeless population by 91 percent.

Scholarships for Every Student: In Baldwin, Michigan, college wasn’t in the cards for most high-school graduates — until residents did something remarkable: They banded together and raised enough money to provide every student with a scholarship.

The Kids Who Killed an Incinerator: Seventeen-year-old Destiny Watford’s decision to stand up for her community and oppose the construction of an incinerator led to an improbable series of events that would stun her neighbors and everyone connected with the project.

The Hunger Hack: In the United States, 40 percent of the food supply is wasted. College student Maria Rose Belding created a web-based solution that saves tens of thousands of pounds of food each year.

The Empathetic Police Academy: Susan Rahr is transforming the way police officers are trained in Washington State. Instead of preparing them to wage a war on crime, she wants them to become guardians of the community.

Employing the Full Spectrum: John D’Eri set out to find a job for his autistic son, Andrew. His journey led him to open a car wash where 85 percent of the employees are on the autism spectrum — and business is booming.

A Warrior’s Workout: Former pro football player David Vobora gave up a lucrative career in private training to work with wounded warriors. His workouts have brought them new strength and inspiration.

Building Homes. Building Lives: After spending his teenage years in and out of jail, Robert Clark turned his life around. Now he’s committed himself to helping the at-risk youth of Newark do the same, by leading them in building homes for poor families.

Why you should pay attention to what Starbucks is doing in the Nonlinear Marketing arena.

If you’re like most marketers, you’ve got enough on your plate already. The sheer volume of data and information you’re dealing with is mind-boggling. Adding “Nonlinear Marketing” to the list of things you need to keep track of is probably more than you can handle.

Despite all that, I’m going to encourage you to keep an eye on Nonlinear Marketing and how it’s being used by sophisticated marketers around the globe.

Brands are struggling to get their messages out using traditional media. The cost of running a TV campaign has gotten so far out of reach for most brands, that they’re looking for new and innovative ways to integrate their brands into the lives of their customers.

Nonlinear Marketing is the approach many brands are using to accomplish their goals.

It’s a focused, strategic approach to marketing that leapfrogs over traditional marketing. And if you’re not keeping an eye on it, be warned — your competitors are studying Nonlinear Marketing and figuring out how to put it into action for their brands as we speak.

 

About the Author: Jamie Turner is an internationally-recognized author, speaker, and business thought-leader. You’ll find him on the 60 Second Marketer and as an expert commentator on CNN. He is the founder of SIXTY, a marketing optimization firm that helps clients get more bang for their marketing buck. He is also the founder of the Mobile X Festival, an un-conference for businesses that want to use mobile to grow their sales and revenues. 

101 Digtial E-book 2.001