Ease Up on the Mumbo Jumbo

Sometimes, this whole advertising-marketing-branding thing can be a bit overwhelming. It just gets too needlessly complex, and hopelessly off the mark.

For the average consumer, advertising and all its associated activities are often intrusive, irrelevant and unwelcomed.

BlahBlah Billboard
For all the time we spend perfecting our work, this is probably what the average consumer sees

We marketers often forget to keep things simple and tend to treat consumers as idiots, as very eloquently explained in the following letter by a fictitious consumer:

Dear Marketers,

I’m much smarter than your marketing gives me credit for. I don’t like to be sold…I don’t care about your advertising, your free samples, your promotions, your special offers. I don’t like to be told what’s cool, new, improved, last-longer, smells better, tastes better, or is less filling…I don’t care about your brand, it doesn’t matter to me. I avoid your interruptions to my busy day whenever and wherever I can…I don’t have time to pay attention to your sales pitch…You are white noise to me and I have tuned you out. If you want to be a part of my life, here’s what you’ll need to do:

– Be honest with me
– Keep your promises
– Treat me with respect
– Provide me with more use value than you take from me in cash value
– Teach me better ways to grow and expand my life experience
– Help make my day-to-day easier, lighter, more relaxed and enjoyable
– Help me to experience greater connection to what’s important to me

Do these things for me and you will win my trust and devotion. Then I will gladly welcome you into my life, and share the value of our relationship with others who are important to me.

Sincerely,

A. Consumer

Thanks to Brand Strategy Insider for the letter, and I sincerely hope we all can endeavor to treat consumers with the respect they deserve.


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