Why consumers are like cats: Lenovo’s view of the future of marketing

This report offers a theory of marketing from Lenovo, an electronics firm, which suggests that, following the digital revolution, consumers have evolved from friendly and obedient "dogs" to finicky "cats" in terms of how they respond to marketing.

Why consumers are like cats: Lenovo’s view of the future of marketing

Low Lai Chow

Marketing has rapidly evolved into a different beast due to the rise of digital media. And while speaking at the Festival of Asian Marketing Effectiveness 2013 in Shanghai, Ajay Kaul, Lenovo’s executive director, global brand communications and marketing analytics, argued the consumer has become a new kind of animal, too.

“Consumers and customers have changed. They used to be like dogs. Dogs are very friendly, they do what you tell them, they do exactly what you ask them to do. They are very passive and...

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