In an earlier blog, I mentioned that one branding website accused direct marketers of disrupting people’s lives. The comments to this blog saw direct marketers as the curse of the marketing universe. It was pretty entertaining and revealed that some general advertisers were feeling the pressure to deliver ROI on their advertising dollars.

I like the term "disruption" when referring to direct marketing. All successful advertising must ultimately lead people to make an unplanned purchase. It strikes at the core purpose of advertising in a free market.

For example, the strength of the Internet medium also contains a weakness. It possesses a low disruption capability. The advertiser has to wait until somebody decides to visit his website. That is why direct mail is often used in addition to digital media to drive people to a website.

Disruption, as some choose to call it, is essential. And the more disruptive, the better. It prompts people to take notice.

I do not want the prospect to feel comfortable when I write a direct response advertisement in any medium. I want her to feel uncomfortable as she realizes she needs my product. Otherwise, I have lost the sale. So, this disruption factor goes beyond the medium and drives the creative strategy.

Getting people to pay attention and consider your product requires disruption. In the scheme of things, people do not want to hear what you have to say until you show them that you can satisfy some unmet need.

Do you agree with this assessment? Or is this disruptive quality we strive for something direct marketers need to reexamine?