I travel, I buy luxury cars and top-end cosmetics. I own two homes which I decorate myself. I wear beautiful shoes. I read a lot. I do my own grocery shopping and I entertain frequently. I bank with a private bank and I have 470 000 air miles in my account. I eat out frequently and love going to the theatre and exclusive book evenings. I go to the movies at least once a month, more often if I can. My clothes come from a range of high-end boutiques and, from time to time, I invest in art and a new piece of furniture.
And I am a committed mediaphile.
Having been a newspaper and magazine addict all my life, for the first time ever, the other week I took the decision not to renew my annual subscription to my two daily newspapers. I came to the conclusion that the only reason I was buying them every day was to do the Su Doku!
My media consumption habits have changed dramatically over the past year or so. A trend guru may call me an "early adopter". I own a PVR recorder, a Kindle, an iPad, and a BlackBerry.
Technology has completely changed my life and the way I consume media. I record the TV programmes I like, watch them when I like and NEVER watch an ad - (even though I dedicated 20 years of my life to that profession). I do not hold the product that is produced in any esteem whatsoever. Few ads inspire me and those that do are usually sent to me via social media anyway.
I read my books on my Kindle - downloaded in a few minutes, read in a font size that I can choose, with a personalised library of books, so on a whim I can flip between a business read, a novel or a more spiritual offering. Consequently, when I travel my suitcases are significantly lighter as I don't have to carry a pile of books with me any longer. I can highlight the passages that interest me and get immediate gratification for words that are unfamiliar.
My iPad gives me my email, magazines in colour, (cheaper than from the book store), movies I choose, music immediately and Twitter news updates whenever I want. With the launch last week of Flipboard, the ease of accessing social media has again been revolutionised.
How the hell are you going to reach me if you are a marketer?
All media consumption in my life is at my discretion. I read the news on the sites that I choose. I follow people with similar interests. Bore me twice, and I "unfollow". I also unfollow people who write about their personal lives. I really do not care what you think about the sunrise, or what you are having for dinner. Add value to my life, or, in a click, you are gone.
Mr Advertiser, you can only reach the very possibly valuable me if you understand me. Find the news sites I read and be there - my starter pack of every morning is The Daily Maverick, which also has by far the best form of web advertising I have seen to date.
The Daily Maverick ads do not insult me and do not make me feel I see the back-of-the-book cheap classifieds. I can read the great articles without feeling assaulted and annoyed by the big ad on the right-hand side that sits there and peacefully attracts my attention. So dear advertiser, if you want to attract my cash, and not my anger, that is the way to go.
Find and court me
Am I being difficult? Yes, and unashamedly so. You have to find me, and then court me to persuade me gently to buy your product. I don't want to be insulted, assaulted or annoyed by your ads. And remember, there are hundreds of thousands of people like me.
Ignore us at your peril.
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