Substance vs Style

Back in the good old days it used to be that substance marketing prevailed - rational middle class people bought goods based on logic and reason. People needed flour (general store), their shoes repaired instead of buying new ones, all while staying in touch with family/friends (Bell Telephone). All logical "decisions" for a normal life.

Back then it was perfectly logical (and reasonable) to expect your wife to douche herself with lysol in order to be "loved", and kept out of the web of indifference. Nobody objected to this rationale. Lysol is still around selling this product - albeit in "spray form" and (now) for household cleaning purposes.

When marketers began to understand how the human brain works specifically on emotion and senses; they acted accordingly on their ads and messages. Now sex is in, lifestyle positioning is Queen, and everybody is looking for the next emotional rush (hello green marketing).

Good marketing doesn't distinguish between these targeting strategies. Good marketing needs both. It needs to capture the emotion and senses of your target audience while providing a rationale that will last way beyond the initial purchase. If you are going to market a green product, it is no good to market the logical (financial savings) reasons but the emotional (helping combat global climate change) in an integrated fashion.

Remember customers buy based on emotion and senses, and then rationalize their purchases afterwards. They need your help and commitment behind what you sell so they have an excuse to buy from you.

Sounds easy? Not likely.

Most marketers and companies only like to take limited responsibility for their marketing side affects. What I just said involves being responsibility's for ALL side effects and responding accordingly. So if your Abercrombie shirts really make people look fat, thats your problem not the customers. If you fail to explain all the terms and condition behind your credit card, you the bank are liable, not the customer.

You're on the right track if you think this sounds like dating. If everyone started marketing like they were talking to a potential companion, we would be in such a better place.