There's no point talking about the marketing madness of Christmas. If you are in the Western world you see it, you feel it and – chances are – something in you says 'I don't like it'.
 

I have a confession

This feeling crops up for me throughout the rest of the year as well. I am personally at war with myself over the powerful effect marketing has in our community. When I drive around the city, soaking up billboards and shop signage, I begin to feel a little ill (admittedly, I'm a sensitive sausage). If I spend too much time looking at websites, I end up staggering out of the office gasping for air. 

Which makes me think of Pattern Recognition.

Sci-fi novelist, William Gibson wrote Pattern Recognition, a story about a marketing consultant, Cayce Pollard, who reacts to logos and advertising as if to an allergen.

I relate to Cayce Pollard. If too exposed, I often react to marketing as I'm allergic to it. Strangely, I also choose to be in marketing. As does Cayce.

To console myself…

I try to see my marketing efforts as stepping stones to better education. And the reality is, good people trying to run worthwhile businesses can fail due to poor marketing. So by helping these businesses with their marketing, I take a part in creating better education about how people can help others – and maybe even help to create livelihoods.

Is it a matter of degree?

We are exposed to – and consume – so much these days. It is up to us to take control of our lives, in whatever capacity.

Chocolate, for instance is not good or bad per se. But eating too much of it isn't much chop. The same might be said for promotional material. Marketing is not good or bad, per se. It is how we choose to expose ourselves to it, and how we choose to consume it.

Like with eating, it all boils down to us as individuals making conscious choices for ourselves.

How do you feel about marketing?

Are you adversely affected by the holiday onslaught? Or are blissfully filtered from it? Let us know by making a comment.

This post was written by Megan Hills. Megan is a writer, cartoonist and marketing consultant who has just completed a really intense Photoshop course – and is relieved that a holiday break is in store. Find out more about Megan.

(feel free to mosey through to My Cartoon Thing for some other Christmas cartoons)

YOUR CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE: 
Put marketing in perspective during this holiday season.  

"But surely it's impossible!" you cry.

I understand. Christmas is the time when marketing activity is at its most overwhelming. And it seems to get more intense with every year. But we live in a consumerist society. If people don't buy, we don't eat.  

So how much is too much? Could saying less possibly be more?

How can we get more 'Zen' about how we promote our businesses? Not just at Christmas, but anytime of the year – ?

Mmmmm….

I have some ideas. But let's contemplate this for moment…..

Join me for the next blog to continue the meditation.