I changed the name of my 7,200-member Facebook Group yesterday.
I know, I know.
Changing an established brand name. Risking losing loyal followers. It’s almost unthinkable.
It’s also usually a terrible idea, like when WeightWatchers became WW, or someone decided to call Twitter by a letter reserved for adult movies.
But changing the name of your favourite FB Group (tell me it’s so) makes perfect sense for one big, important reason.
YOU.
Yes, I finally woke up to the idea that “Jonny Hates Marketing” was all about me. Maybe people were thinking, Jonny hates marketing? Good for him. What’s that got to do with me?
So I finally did the market research I shoulda done 7 years ago, and asked a buncha people what they actually thought about marketing.
“We hate marketing” said 66.7% of the respondents from San Marino, Europe’s third-smallest country. The other one jabbered something in Italian I couldn’t make out.
And closer to home, over half my family said they didn’t understand marketing. Technically exactly half, as my son was asleep and didn’t reply.
Then last week, an industry expert from Shard End (look it up) finally brought everything into focus as he eased his taxi into the bag-drop outside Birmingham Airport. “That’ll be £37.50 mate”, he said without a hint of irony. “And by the way, everyone hates marketing!”
And just like that, I saw the error of my ways.
So what if Jonny hates marketing? You do too. Of course you do. Why wouldn’t you?
Yep. You, me, and random strangers everywhere are in complete agreement.
Everyone. Hates. Marketing.
Welcome to EHM.
Love you lots
Jonny
PS: Don’t worry if you’ve got weblinks starting with JonnyHatesMarketing. They won’t be changing. I may be triggering mild confusion right here, but that would just be bloody chaos. 🥹