What Can We Learn From Miley Cyrus?
Initially I'm sure your response is "Not A Damn Thing!". But there are a few things you can actually learn from Miley's failed attempt at "twerking" if you can have an open mind.
1. Just Because Everyone Else is Doing it...
Like "twerking", just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you need to or should. Here's the thing, "twerking" wasn't mainstream and Miley didn't invent it folks. Honestly it was something limited to strippers. Occasionally normal girls would just mess around and do it, just to show they still had it or as a joke. Some marketing practices are like twerking when it was underground. You'll find that certain marketers are doing things that are black hat and then it becomes mainstream because everyone else is doing it. But the fact of the matter is, the practice is still black hat. So keep that in mind if you become tempted to try a technique or buy a product that you know may exploit loopholes. You may get some exposure like Miley but eventually it will work against you.
2. Know Your Strengths.
I hate to bring up twerking again but it has to be done. Twerking has one major requirement besides being able to move rapidly. You need have SOME booty to make it happen! If you have "long back" or "flapjacks" for a butt, you have no business twerking! The same applies for marketing. Some of us have natural strengths. So most of your marketing activities should play to that. If you're good at talking to people, maybe you're should be creating audio or video content. Or maybe instead of focusing on SEO you market via forums and blog comments or doing joint ventures. Either way, know what you're equipped with and work with it. Don't get me wrong, we should always try to improve our weaknesses. But I say spend far more time maximizing on your natural strengths. Unfortunately for my eyes, no one relayed this message to poor Miley!
3. Change is Part of Life...
I think the whole Miley Cyrus thing is sad in that this girl is basically just going through some changes we all did in our youth. The only difference is that her experimentation and changes are being played out in front of millions. Imagine if your 20s were on national TV for the world to see. Marketing is like the change that Miley is going through. It's an inevitable part of your business. Sometimes the changes are going to be good and other times they'll be bad. Either way, you have to be able to adjust to it and move on. Folks moaning and crying about a given change isn't really going to do a damn thing. You can only control how you react to it.
Your Thoughts...
So what do you guys think? Let me know if you found this article entertaining but useful for your own marketing perspective? Chime in below and feel free to chime in about Miley too if you want. Seems like everyone else is instead of focusing on real issues going on in the world. (Just saying....) I can't believe I just wrote a whole article about booty shaking. SMH. LOL
P.S. I did my research online to learn about twerking. I'm not speaking from past real world experiences at strip clubs. ;) LOL
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That Will Smith and family face was actually while they were watching Lady Gaga not Miley Cyrus...yeah I know I am off the point..but I hate misreported stuff haha.
See DomW, that's what I was telling my friends and family. I don't remember seeing them reacting during her performance at all. Awww the joy of photoshop. LOL
Well considering that she just had a hip fixed a year or so ago, I was impressed she could get up there and dance. Granted it wasn't a memorable performance. But I give her props for being able to do it. She was very tame from a marketing perspective. She and her team are usually marketing geniuses. LOL
Right on! If you focus on developing your strengths, greatest could result. But, if your focus is on developing your weaknesses solely, the best you can hope for is mediocrity. Lee
I have been told by several that if you work to build the strengths, the weaknesses improve as well and this really is true. Change can be difficult, especially for folks set in their ways, but is a necessary part of life regardless. I appreciate you comment on controlling change is how you react to it. That is an important piece of information. Thanks
I totally agree with that statement to a certain degree about the correlation with building up your strengths and the impact it has on your weakness. But certain things will always be a weakness if you're just not equipped with the right stuff. Glad you appreciated my comment about change. You may also enjoy the book "Who Moved My Cheese?". It really help me see change differently and how to deal with it which I think is hard for everyone. Thanks for chiming in.
You're welcome. Trust me you'll love it. It's a quick read too. It will literally take you less than an hour.
I found the book at the local library. You are correct, it was a fast read, but also very !interesting concepts. We do have to check to make sure the cheese is not old and look for future opportunity before the cheese runs out. LOL Change has always been very hard for me, but under these concepts, it keeps you busy looking for other opportunity before the change comes and makes an easier transition. Valuable lessons learned.
I'm so happy you picked up the book. I knew you would appreciate it. Change has always been hard for me and still is. So I probably need to re-read it again. But isn't amazing how such a simple story can give you a whole different outlook?
Maybe-Miley accomplished what she wanted, attention. Empower does the same thing with outrageous claims of wealth- good or bad is an individual opinion i suppose. Mine is that both Miley and EN will eventually regret their actions.
I totally agree. I definitely think Miley is in an attention seeking stage and also a growing period where she wants to show the world I'm not that little girl or Hanna Montana anymore. I get it! It's like when you leave HS and go to college and want to redefine yourself. That's fine. But sometimes we take it to the extreme for better or worst. Unfortunately her changes are on display for the world to see, fortunately for the rest of us, that isn't the case. I'm sure she'll grow out of this in time. But for now it's a lot of free publicity! LOL
Agreed! But some would argue any publicity whether good or bad is good publicity and visibility.
Feel free to elaborate. Clearly Miley and her team knew it would cause a stir. And someone argued that's what the VMA awards are about. So she definitely achieved that. But I don't think her marketing team planned this per se.
Eddy, to elaborate a bit more, this goes beyond what Miley's team planned or not. MTV has been known for years in regards to marketing sexually charged messages to young children using former child stars.
No argument there my fellow Eddie. MTV was always about pushing the envelope for better or worst. They know how to get eyeballs glued to the stupid box and make their marketers happy even at the expense at our impressionable youth. But they're a business. Fortunately as a parent I can control what my kids watch and it won't be any of the garbage I saw that night. LOL
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Ha! Well I can safely say I never would have expected to see IM being compared to Miley's twerking at the VMAs. Guess it's good to know I can still be surprised.
Big Steve! You know I always have my wacky angles on things. It's what I do buddy. LOL