On April 1, I will start a new position as Marketing Manager for Dag og Tid. Dag og Tid is a Norwegian weekly newspaper with articles about politics, society and culture. Last year, Dag og Tid received the renowned Free Speech Award (Fritt Ords pris).
When I leave the world of management consulting with its – I admit – attractive and flattering jet-set lifestyle, it is for two main reasons. First, I want to spend more time with my friends, family and kids (as long as they are small and still want me around). Second (and this is what this blog post is about), my new job at Dag og Tid is a great opportunity for me to work for something I strongly believe in. Being the digital marketing and social media nerd I am, I do not only see the amazing opportunities these technologies represent. I also see their dark side, the threat that ever-growing echo chambers pose to our democracies. To say it with Barack Obama’s words:
«Increasingly we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information – whether it’s true or not – that fits our opinion. Instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there».
Barack Obama in his Farewell Address 2017
This paves the way for increasing populism and radicalization. As a marketing manager of a high quality newspaper I can do my tiny part to counteract those effects, because Dag og Tid exposes its readers to a range of different perspectives and opinions. The content is selected not by an algorithm which looks for whatever you like and confirms your pre-existing beliefs, but by a responsible editorial staff who is trying the best they can to expose you to different perspectives and to fulfill their role as a «fourth estate» («fjerde statsmakt»).
One interesting aspect of working for a quality newspaper is that profit maximization is not its main objective – which of course has interesting implications for me as its marketing manager. Editor-in-chief Svein Gjerdåker explains this in more detail:
So what implications will this have on my role? Whereas most marketing managers have a marketing mix of 4 P’s to work with, I gladly hand over the responsibility for the Product – the content of the newspaper – to the editor in chief.
Working with those restrictions is a meaningful challenge that I am very much looking forward to. With fewer P’s, we will simply have to make smarter choices. And that will come down to a well-structured and data-driven approach to marketing. We will make large efforts to truly understand our readers and employ the latest technologies in marketing automation and AI.
