X-Message-Number: 29174
Subject: Re: [CN] 29161   Cryonics As An Escape Art???
From: "Fred C. Moulton" <>
References: <>
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:39:00 -0800

I will leave it to others to comment on Lovell. What I noticed in
looking at the URLs associated with this story were some of the
difficulties the Cryonics movement creates for itself.

I have on a couple of occasions posted comments about marketing
Cryonics.  So let us review a few things.

First I think it would be a very good idea if ACS would drop the visitor
counter on the front of the page.  It looks like a 1995 antique.  The
important thing to consider is that it gives a count of visitors over
about a 10 year period.  Even reporters can do simple math and determine
the number visitors per day.  If someone from ACS ever gets on radio or
TV and says yes there is interest in ACS then all reporter has to do is
drop the average daily visitor number which is not that large.

This is why I keep telling people who think they have a bright idea
about marketing Cryonics to Stop and Think.  Cryonics is important.  If
you are going to be involved in marketing Cryonics please know what you
are doing.  By knowing what you are doing I mean having solid college
level courses in Marketing (undergraduate is good, graduate level is
better) or several years of full time experience in a similar
environment.  If you have an idea that you think is great and you do not
know about Marketing then contact some one who does know about it and
has the time and experience to help.  Not all marketing is the same.
Marketing Cryonics is not the same as marketing the latest jet fighter
plane.  Ideally each of the major Cryonics groups will have a marketing
resource focused not only on their individual group but also working to
develop a coordinated and focused message about Cryonics as a whole.

And remember that context is very important.  Consider the auto company
Volvo.  Volvo has worked to develop an image of being safe and up scale.
Now consider Hustler magazine, a magazine that is not viewed as up scale
by many parts of our society.  If Hustler announces that they are going
to run a special issue about auto safety do you think that Volvo is
going jump in with an Ad?  Not Likely.  Volvo does not want to be seen
in Hustler.  What if Hustler sends a reporter, will Volvo have a top
company official welcoming them in for an interview?  I really doubt it.
Why?  Because Volvo does not want to associate themselves with Hustler
regardless of whether Hustler is praising Volvo or criticizing.  Volvo
will ignore Hustler.  One factor to consider is the misremembered
comment.  For example consider someone is standing in line at the
supermarket and overhears someone discussing a Volvo interview in
Hustler.  They may not remember the details that it was an interview
about auto safety but now they have a mental link between Volvo and
Hustler.  This is why Volvo does not want to appear in Hustler.  It is
about context and message control.

And if at this point someone is thinking "But I can explain Cryonics so
well" then that person is missing my point.  There is a place for
Explanations but it is not always the first step for all audiences.  For
the broad marketing of a concept like Cryonics to people who are
uninformed the best initial step is not "Explanation".  The first step
is to make sure that you are developing a general feeling about the
topic which is not threatening and not controversial.  If you have an
audience that is set for example in an hour lecture then yes you can get
to the Explanation phase, but that is typically not the case.  This is
why leading out by discussing religion is not a good idea, religion is
extremely controversial and can arouse strong emotions.

This is why I keep saying if you do know what you are doing when it
comes to marketing Cryonics then do not do it.  The mess that a well
intentioned but clueless individual might make can take a long time to
clean up.  You can contact a Cryonics organization and see if they have
specific tasks that need to be done and coordinate with their marketing
efforts.  You can donate resources.  There are ways to help without
making a mess.

Fred

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