Monday, October 8, 2007

What is real?


What is authentic in today's tricked out world? Getting past faux-ness in the world to the real thing is an age-old dilemma - but more so today than ever. I was reminded recently how wonderful a truly authentic experience can be at the mineral springs at Ojo Caliente in the New Mexico desert about an hour from Santa Fe.

Deemed sacred by indigenous Native Americans of Northern New Mexico, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs has been a gathering place and a source of healing for hundreds, even thousands of years.
Ojo Caliente is the only hot springs in the world with a remarkable combination of four different types of mineral water: lithium, iron, soda and arsenic. For the spa aficionado this is an experience not to be missed. While there are no rusty wheelchairs or weathered crutches littering the landscape like at the Santuario de Chimayo, despite the "quiet" signs in all the tubs, the stories of regeneration from those who frequent the springs were inspirational. Warning: This is not to be confused with a luxury spa, rather it is an entirely authentic mineral springs experience.

For marketers it is critical to remember what is authentic. We too often get caught up in the stories that we tell about our products , and who is there to call our bs. The only way we find out is if the consumer doesn't buy it and our products.


Trends gone awry

I am a trend analyst for materials that go into the built environment, not a trend forecaster. For those of you who want to see trend "forecasts" from the past century gone awry visit the Paleo-Future blog. It is great fun!

Back to the Future

On a recent trip to the New Mexico desert, I realized that my original blog posting contains all the seeds of success for selling materials for the built environment both interior and exterior. The houses that are "one" with the desert floor make for stunning architecture. And...the graffiti strewn landscape seen throughout the area is not art! Why make your customers slog through hundreds of product choices when a much smaller selection may be appropriate for your marketplace. Remember that manufacturers create products to satisfy the entire marketplace, which is now often global in scope. For your local palette- go out and get your hands dirty, scoop up the local soil and vegetation before creating your marketing materials. Benjamin Moore paints has offered a collection called America's Colors for years. This palette will help you find your regional colors without even getting your hands dirty.
  • Continue to look to nature for inspiration.
  • Edit choices in a customer-centric manner.
  • Make it local!