The continuing rise of Conversational Marketing

Really intriguing post over on JaffeJuice: "Spending on Conversational Marketing to Outpace Traditional Marketing by 2012."

Lots of compelling evidence and stimuli for marketers and ad agencies here. I really hope this post fuels numerous conversations inside marketing teams. Because if the numbers are right, the makeup of your marketing department and staffing at your ad agency is going to change dramatically, and soon.

What really intrigues me is the picture this information paints for students and those just now entering the marketing and advertising industries. The need for portfolios filled with spread print ads and TV storyboards is waning, and this data only speeds up that assesment. Even the titles Copywriter and Art Director are probably growing less and less important as the influence of Conversation grows.

Of course traditional ads won't go away. But, as Jaffe puts it:

"It's probably safe to say that most brand initiatives will contain an unbeatable punch of interactivity and conversational activation by 2012...hence the belief that linear, one-way or unidirectional, intrusive, poorly-targeted and static communication will take a back seat to the rise of what I believe will be the next way of growth, innovation and evolution of marketing (as a conversation)."