Z.E.R.O.: Zero Paid Media as the New Marketing Model

CHAPTER9

Introducing Z.E.R.O.

Occam's razor: The simplest explanation is often the correct one.

Charity Begins at Home

The solution begins inside the corporation. It's an internal solve that flips the funnel by recognizing that waste is never acceptable and that the true engine of business is not fueled via acquisition but in fact by retention. It's an innate belief and the activation of that belief that in a perfect world the optimal marketing and media budget would be zero.

Zero spend

Zero paid media

Zero advertising

Zero “bought” attention

Zero waste

We believe that in a perfect world the optimal paid media spend would be zero: that all businesses (large and small) and all brands (existing, newly formed, and newly launched) would not need paid media to launch, build, or sustain their presence, relevance, or resonance with their target market, prospects, customers, advocates, community, or constituencies (internal or external).

I MAY NOT ALWAYS DRINK BEER, BUT WHEN I DO, I PREFER DOS EQUIS.

Admittedly, this isn't a perfect world and this is perhaps why paid media will continue to be a part of many companies' marketing plans. This doesn't justify it though. In fact, it could be argued that the very reason the status quo is perpetuated is itself evidence of an imperfect model.

It is our belief that paid media should not be the first part of a plan. It should not be the default or go-to play in the marketer's handbook. And it should most certainly not dominate the plan both in ...