The Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association does some interesting things.  One of them is to run an annual interactive summit which, over the past seven years, has become a premiere interactive marketing event in the Midwest.  They’re running a program now which is the topic of today’s screed.  This program – a blog carnival – asks folks to post on certain topics and the one I’ve chosen is “Where does content start and marketing begin…or vice versa?”

I’m not sure if any of you watch Mad Men but it’s well worth the time or some space on your DVR.  This week, a coffee client – Martinson’s – was presented with a new campaign designed to market his product.  The ad team offers the client a “song,” a mixture of a Brazilian or French guy singing about a “coffee-colored exotic girl” and an “exotic brew.” “Is this a jingle?” the client asks. The response is “It’s a song and it’s a mood. It’s definitely more than jingle.” Content? Marketing?

I don’t believe there is any differentiation between content and marketing any more. As stated in the Cluetrain Manifesto, “networked markets have no respect for companies unable or unwilling to speak as they do.” Creating content is part of the conversation these days – heck, it IS the conversation. When a commercial entity creates content, it’s marketing.

This post is a fine example. While I certainly have a point of view and want to convey it, I also have a consultancy that advises clients about issues such as these. MIMA’s readership, (hopefully), likes this content and emails me to begin a conversation about how I can help them. Voila! Marketing!

One needs to be mindful that “content”, in my mind, goes beyond advertising. It truly is something of value that advances and enhances the particular conversation. Cluetrain again: “markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies.” Part of that intelligence is the ability to distinguish 1.0 companies from 2.0, especially in the digital media. Marketing is content, content is marketing.