I guess technology changes, but people don’t. Or maybe the players change, the platforms change, and the playing field changes, but the game remains the same.
In this case, the game is the classic ego trap: using people to promote your product/service for free. The best laid ego traps are
- Simple
- Scarce
- Personalized
- Quantified
- Appealing to the head and heart
Ego traps are part of “earned media” strategy and often used in B2B marketing, like industry awards and influencer lists. Here’s how they work:
- The creator seeks credibility as an authority, in order to build brand and win business
- The subjects legitimise the creator by acknowledging, linking back, and promoting to personal communities
- The ripple effect of sharing adds value to the original asset (the “trap”)
The 2021 evolution of the ego trap is This NFT Collectible Card Game Honors Iconic Marketers and Supports Their Favorite Causes
- Old adage: the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach
- 2008 version: the way to a blogger’s keyboard is through their ego
- 2021 version: the way to an influencer’s IG is through their ego