Marketing and modern technologies

As everybody knows, ICT and modern technologies are present everywhere. Brands use fancy websites to build strong brands and use the internet to sell products. Companies that are very good at using the internet to sell products, are tour operators, mobile phone companies and companies for fast moving consumer goods. Who hasn't bought a cell phone or booked a holiday on the internet?

Also dutch event organisers like ID&T and Q Dance build beautiful websites to create a certain feeling for their events. check: http://www.save-exit-planet.org/. If you go to the website, you get the feeling that you're watching a trailer for a science fiction movie, but it's a promotional website for a rave party.

One of my favorite companies that uses modern technologies in their marketing, is Heineken. Their tactics are to not just build a website that promotes their brand, but to create a community with many possibilities. Too late for concert tickets? you can get them at Heineken.nl. Wanna play a game? Go to Heineken.nl. And the website offers many other services for their customers. Check: http://www.heineken.nl

I work for one of the largest health club operators (gyms) in the Netherlands, and our ICT strategies are not as efficient as they should be. The funny thing is our competitors also don't use ICT to attract new members, or keep current members. There is no possibility to buy a membership online, there is no online training program and the websites of healthclubs are mostly unattractive.
Also the software that is used for CRM and customer databases are not efficient in most health clubs. That is why I think if there are good software programmers and website builders out there; the health club industry is great target group to sell your products!