The Art Market
Introduction: The Paradox of Selling Artwork
Expressing Oneself
Pleasing the Customers
Plattner’s High Art Down Home
Who decides an artist’s worth?
The Artist
The Customer
Characterizing American Artists
Norman Rockwell
Jackson Pollock
Andy Warhol
Common Denominators
Training
Exhibits
Fame
Customer Insights
Wypijewski’s Painting by Numbers
Market Research
“Cumulative Advantage” article by Duncan J. Watts
The Art Market Today
Popular New Artists
Popular New Artwork
Gallery Atmosphere/Showcase Methodology
Conclusion: My Plan
Becoming an Artist
Using Marketing Skills
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
The Reptilian Hot Button
Dr. Rapaille is a little different. This “expert” in creativity and archetype discoveries has his own way of collecting and interpreting data from consumers. As featured in The Persuaders, Chief Officers (and every type of corporate executive) are interested in what this man has to say. They’re so interested in fact, that they are willing to pay big bucks, even millions of dollars, for his quirky yet confident advice.
Dr. Clotaire Rapaille is author to several well known books including “Seven Secrets of Marketing in a Multi-Cultural World” and most recently “The Culture Code.” He is also kept on retainer by fifty Fortune 100 companies according to randomhouse.com. But what makes this guy so special? His personalized research technique, referred to as finding the “Reptilian Hot Button” seeks the basic needs and desires of consumers on a cognitive level. Needless to say, this information cannot be uncovered by typical surveys or focus groups. No, in order to find the inner-child Dr. Rapaille subjects his respondents to a more primal investigation.
A typical study, as shown on the film, consists of several steps of information gathering. First, the environment is much like any other focus group, with participants sitting in chairs around the room shouting out answers to Rapaille’s questions in a pop-corn style fashion. The interviewer will begin by showing one word on a white-board, in this case “luxury,” and ask respondents to define it. This phase is not given much consideration as cliché answers are often given because of a common exposure to the media.
Rapaille has the respondents take a break before they begin phase two. This section of the research involves confusing participants so they are unable to understand what the researcher is looking for. This allows them to give more honest answers with less influence from external forces. In the video example, Dr. Rapaille asks them to act as if they were telling a story to an alien child.
Finally, after break two, the participants re-enter the room to find all of the chairs missing. They are forced to think from their reptilian instincts as they sit or lay on the floor in the dark. Upon relighting the room, participants journal their thoughts as Dr. Rapaille recreates the open mind of the early morning when one first awakens. Here, the “Reptilian Hot Buttons” are exposed and marketers may find the most insight.
I found the results of Dr. Rapaille’s study somewhat ambiguous. I felt like someone with no expertise of research experience could make some of the same conclusions but be given little attention. The real genius behind Rapaille’s work is his ability to sell it at premium rates! Without his experience, attitude and corporate popularity he would not be able to get away with such vague insights. Where is the real science behind his discoveries?
As a marketer, one might be in trouble taking his advice for staple goods. He seems more like a fashion designer or philosopher whose audacity could be mistaken for being profound. Although P&G seems to love him, I feel like he may serve more as a muse to the marketing directors than a concrete source of information. Simply by saying “In America cheese is dead,” the company on the film credited Rapaille with the success of their product sales. I feel like some of his statements are obvious and/or generalized and people are “remembering the hits and forgetting the misses” when it comes to the return on their investment.
If I were Dr. Rapaille I would look out for Michael Shermer.
Dr. Clotaire Rapaille is author to several well known books including “Seven Secrets of Marketing in a Multi-Cultural World” and most recently “The Culture Code.” He is also kept on retainer by fifty Fortune 100 companies according to randomhouse.com. But what makes this guy so special? His personalized research technique, referred to as finding the “Reptilian Hot Button” seeks the basic needs and desires of consumers on a cognitive level. Needless to say, this information cannot be uncovered by typical surveys or focus groups. No, in order to find the inner-child Dr. Rapaille subjects his respondents to a more primal investigation.
A typical study, as shown on the film, consists of several steps of information gathering. First, the environment is much like any other focus group, with participants sitting in chairs around the room shouting out answers to Rapaille’s questions in a pop-corn style fashion. The interviewer will begin by showing one word on a white-board, in this case “luxury,” and ask respondents to define it. This phase is not given much consideration as cliché answers are often given because of a common exposure to the media.
Rapaille has the respondents take a break before they begin phase two. This section of the research involves confusing participants so they are unable to understand what the researcher is looking for. This allows them to give more honest answers with less influence from external forces. In the video example, Dr. Rapaille asks them to act as if they were telling a story to an alien child.
Finally, after break two, the participants re-enter the room to find all of the chairs missing. They are forced to think from their reptilian instincts as they sit or lay on the floor in the dark. Upon relighting the room, participants journal their thoughts as Dr. Rapaille recreates the open mind of the early morning when one first awakens. Here, the “Reptilian Hot Buttons” are exposed and marketers may find the most insight.
I found the results of Dr. Rapaille’s study somewhat ambiguous. I felt like someone with no expertise of research experience could make some of the same conclusions but be given little attention. The real genius behind Rapaille’s work is his ability to sell it at premium rates! Without his experience, attitude and corporate popularity he would not be able to get away with such vague insights. Where is the real science behind his discoveries?
As a marketer, one might be in trouble taking his advice for staple goods. He seems more like a fashion designer or philosopher whose audacity could be mistaken for being profound. Although P&G seems to love him, I feel like he may serve more as a muse to the marketing directors than a concrete source of information. Simply by saying “In America cheese is dead,” the company on the film credited Rapaille with the success of their product sales. I feel like some of his statements are obvious and/or generalized and people are “remembering the hits and forgetting the misses” when it comes to the return on their investment.
If I were Dr. Rapaille I would look out for Michael Shermer.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Michael Shermer is Skeptical
After blogging about how we as consumers are more apt to complain about negative experiences than brag about positive ones, Michael Shermer tells us the opposite. But he isn’t really referring to the retail environment; he’s talks about how astrologists and psychologists make their livings: by people remembering the hits and forgetting the misses. If only Time Warner Cable was so lucky…
Michael Shermer is head of the “Skeptic’s Society” and publisher of “Skeptic Magazine.” In his episode of TED Talks he dissects the reasons people have for believing peculiar things. His work is largely a study in science, proving and disproving all of the crazy claims and inventions in our world today.
His group is like the “Ralph Nader of bad ideas,” Shermer claims while showcasing a marijuana-seeking antenna that works 50% of the time. “We need to keep track of the misses along with the hits” in order to prove something scientifically rather than relying on chance.
The real problem is matching data to support one’s theory as Galileo found out while observing Saturn for the first time. Theories are full of cognitive bias. Without data to back them up, they are little more than a stepping stone to real answers.
It seems that areas with incomplete information or “grainy details” are often twisted and given meaning through the power of suggestion. The tendency of the cognitive mind to find faces and look for patterns is evidence of this. Furthermore, from a marketing perspective, Shermer’s theories say a lot about the power of persuasion. He basically suggests that people are seeking to be persuaded. It is easier for us to attach meaning to things we do not fully understand rather than admit that matters are beyond our comprehensive capacity.
I found it particularly interesting that the “face of the Virgin Mary” appeared on a grilled cheese sandwich. First of all, why would any religious icon choose to reveal herself on a food product? Secondly, if this was truly a sign, why didn’t any religious authorities make a claim on it? It’s pretty amazing that despite the public’s general agreement that this object was not supernatural in any way, someone managed to make $28,500 on eBay.
I guess that is the power of marketing.
Consumer Power (blog 6)
There are several strong opinions floating around about various retailers and service providers. Legendary stories about Nordstrom’s (like the one about replacing a man’s flat tires because he was a valued customer and complained to them) make it stand out in the minds of many consumers. On the other end of the spectrum, there are horror stories about waiting on the phone for two hours to report one’s cable being out to Time Warner and still receiving no help. But which type of stories do we hear the most?
It has been said that one negative experience can be multiplied by 10 because that’s how many friends the unhappy customer shares their story with. On the other hand, a positive experience may be multiplied only once or twice. Is there something in the human psyche that makes us more apt to complain than be thankful? Or is it just easier to recall bad experiences because they tend to be more traumatic? Perhaps the service level across all consumer industries has increased so much that we expect more today.
Let’s go back to Wal-Mart. When brought up in marketing classes today, Wal-Mart is noted as a powerhouse. Many attributes like power over suppliers, efficient inventory technology and sheer mass come up when discussing the super-store. However, people no longer associate Wal-Mart with great customer service. Almost anyone I ask seems to appreciate the customer service at places like Target over Wal-Mart. But what about the little old man in the blue vest? The guy with 32 pieces of fleer, ready to hand you a shopping cart? This friendly Wal-Mart trademark seems to get overlooked for low prices and monstrous selection.
Target may not have a greeter, but they do have personnel throughout the store to answer your questions and actually walk you where you’re trying to get. Target has established itself as a higher quality retailer, with higher pricing points and better quality goods than Wal-Mart. This may be part of the reason people associate it with better service. Ultimately from a PR perspective, it is often worth the extra wages paid to store clerks to ensure your brand does not become the next retail horror story.
It has been said that one negative experience can be multiplied by 10 because that’s how many friends the unhappy customer shares their story with. On the other hand, a positive experience may be multiplied only once or twice. Is there something in the human psyche that makes us more apt to complain than be thankful? Or is it just easier to recall bad experiences because they tend to be more traumatic? Perhaps the service level across all consumer industries has increased so much that we expect more today.
Let’s go back to Wal-Mart. When brought up in marketing classes today, Wal-Mart is noted as a powerhouse. Many attributes like power over suppliers, efficient inventory technology and sheer mass come up when discussing the super-store. However, people no longer associate Wal-Mart with great customer service. Almost anyone I ask seems to appreciate the customer service at places like Target over Wal-Mart. But what about the little old man in the blue vest? The guy with 32 pieces of fleer, ready to hand you a shopping cart? This friendly Wal-Mart trademark seems to get overlooked for low prices and monstrous selection.
Target may not have a greeter, but they do have personnel throughout the store to answer your questions and actually walk you where you’re trying to get. Target has established itself as a higher quality retailer, with higher pricing points and better quality goods than Wal-Mart. This may be part of the reason people associate it with better service. Ultimately from a PR perspective, it is often worth the extra wages paid to store clerks to ensure your brand does not become the next retail horror story.
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