Shocking Behavior And Continual Disatisfaction

Working on the launch of Airborne’s TXT-TV network has re-sparked my insatiable quest to understand all things about television (remember my Just For Laughs TV producing background?), most notably the screen’s place in the world of social and other newly-relevant media.  That said, the November issue of Fast Company’s very complete piece on Hulu and its CEO Jason Kilar (that's him looking up below) is a great read. 

Amongst Chuck Salter’s detailed reporting and crisp storytelling are a couple of pearls of wisdom; the first very at home here at Surprise Central, the second an odious tell-tale warning to anyone venturing into any business that deals with the public.  To wit, from Kilar:

“Consumer behavior is one of the hardest things to change.  The gap between the existing and the new has to be materially better that it shocks you into a behavior change.”

Early adopters may cut new swaths, particularly in the digital blogfacetweet space, but the vast majority of the real world takes the path of least resistance. Read Neale Martin’s underrated book “Habit: The 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore” for a deeper understanding.  Getting them off that path is perhaps marketing’s greatest challenge (which is why I megaphone the shock of Surprise on a constant basis, but you already know that…).

But even if you’re smart and daring and persistent enough to bump a market off said path, you’re far away from easy street.  As said here ad nauseam (but for good reason), Surprise must exist as a continuum to be fully effective. One shock is never enough. Hence the article’s second mammoth point, from analyst Will Richmond of Video-Nuze:

“Hulu was a breakthrough service but people are never satisfied.  It (ostensibly the market for TV on the net) was a desert and Hulu provided water, but now the people also want food and table settings.”

And while you’re giving ‘em that, you’d better be preparing dessert.