Digital technology has enabled consumers to access products and services for free, sometimes legally and sometimes illegally. That access teaches consumers to expect things for free ... all the time. As a result, a 'free" mantra has swept through many marketing projects. The latest iterations of the free mantra fall into two general categories: New & Improved "Free," which updates former versions of the marketing giveaway, and Brand-New "Free, " which uses new approaches. The first category includes three variations: The Kindness of Strangers and Fans; Loss Leaders in Extremis; and Shift the Payer. The second category of the new free mantra includes two variations: Shift the Value and Future Sale.
For the most part, the "Free" World exists where supply is not in question. Any company hoping to avoid the pressures of this emerging "Free" World will need to find ways to engage and retain customers without the giveaway approach. That may be difficult, because the 'free" mantra continues to spread.