Need smarter marketing?

I have always claimed to achieve this you need to admit you can be as powerful as a publishing company.

And it's easy to do this through online publishing.

When I read News Ltd's article Skinny models may be outlawed in France, it showed in an an unusual way just how powerful an individual entity can become though online publishing streams.

In a sort of novel way, the fashion model industry of France did it without even trying; its has become an incumbent that can now sit back and let society take up debate which simply fills their coffers with enormous attention for free. Hence increasing the profile and value of its models.

The more thick-set of French society see outlawing as a victory. Others see it as an infringement on the rights of a legitimate and longstanding industry and job limitation for the kilojoule challenged.

I see it very differently. That fact that everyone seemed to care so much about eradicating models who are probably naturally very skinny anyway is the most interesting issue.

Let's face it, nobody is forced to look at any of these so called skinny models in any advertising, but they just cant help themselves.

The skinny models executives are just doing what they have been doing for decades - not bleating on about it to much because they don't need to.

They stuck to their own industry's point of difference, backed their own public relations for long enough so nowadays they let society drum up all the free publicity you could possibly dream of.

The point I am making here is that the modelling industry always stuck to its core message; this being it gave the market what it wanted - visual images of other humans to which the individual can either compare itself (in envy or vanity) or value as an aesthetic.

Because that's what models are for - to bring attention to a product, service or cause - and here an industry found a power so successful it hypnotised an entire nation into a brilliantly corralled sideline debate which in reality is cunningly marketing the French skinny model industry globally.

My point isn't to illustrate whether using skinny models in France is right or wrong. The real message is to highlight just how powerfully noticeable an entity can be through contemporary comms streams.

Any company - even yours - can have a global impact of this type. All it needs is a shift in its marketing dynamics to a new mindset and platform where you think and function like a publishing company.

Online capabilities achieve this, where you market by stimulating discussion and exchange ideas and hence become a thought leader in your specialisation.

The more you engage people, the bigger your reputation and business standing.

As the model industry of France proves, you can eventually sit back and have everyone talking about you (hence increasing your profile).

Don't forget, the headline didn't scream that skinny models will be outlawed n France, it said they may be outlawed.

Powerful online marketing. Very, very clever.