What’s Changed in Marketing Principles
Absolutely nothing – except more of everything. Word of Mouth marketing has always, by far, remained the number one method for buying almost any product you can think of. Here the marketing principles have remained the same. Create something somehow anyhow to get people talking and sales will come. The old ‘No News is Bad News’ – or even ‘Bad News is Good News’ maxims still hold strong.
What the hell! These days Documentaries are produced on the history of marketing and books have long since expounded on the virtues, but there really is little new in terms of actual marketing principles. Find a way to get people hooked and real them in.
The division between Sales and Marketing is however diverging, Sales is people-led while Marketing is graphics led, almost. Sales are one on one, persuasion, marketing is more subtle, sneaky, behind the scenes. Marketing is constantly in the background, Sales are more blatant and demand your attention. Sales pertain to a specific item or product, Marketing can be applied to virtually any situation.
Marketing Principles
Traditionally, marketing principles comprise of roughly the folloing concepts:
- Create a desire
Appeal to peoples wants not needs - Create an advert or brand
TV, Print, Digital, make it consistent like Coca Cola - Create an opportunity
Clear messaging tells people what action to take
The list is simple. So what’s changed?
Digital Marketing
We can list some of the changes in the last 50 years:
- Volume
The sheer volume of methods available for us to marketing, from Print, TV, Radio, Digital, Social, Mobile, Placement, Branding.
Since when was it trendy to wear clothing that actually promoted what you wear with a logo across the front. - Commodification or Choice
In days gone by there was no need to market a brand of pills or some Government initiative on eco-housing. Now every aspect of life can be marketed even down to the air we breathe.
Since when was it necessary to promote a Vaccine to actually persuade people to protect themselves. - Timing
24/7 365 days of the year. The lights are always on and Times Square is just the tip of the iceberg, but marketing happens even when reaching for a glass of water in the middle of the night.
Since when do lightbulbs require branding or the glass you drink from comes in a particular shape or size.
This article is not about a wistful return to the old days, it’s about looking at the change in Marketing Principles that are happening in every walk of life right now. Taking a trip to Space – will you take the SpaceX or Virgin service and which planet will you visit.
In reality, the biggest change of all is the quantity – it’s one brand of facemask against another and every facemask sold makes a true difference to which type of facemask will prevail in the long run.
Where will it all end?
Prehaps the most interesting aspect of marketing is where this is taking us?
Our view is that in a world of competition and capitalism the bigger and stronger you are the better or more likely to survive you will be. Marketing budgets are known for their deep pockets – the more you invest the bigger the return and without a significant marketing budget, it will be harder and harder to market new products.
With this in mind, we’re heading for fewer organisations more aggressively pushing whatever it is in the market. The small guy will become part of the big guy and this is happening every single day.
Netflix is dominating our screens while small independent cinemas will not reopen in the future. Chains of Fastfood restaurants are open while independent eateries remain closed. Products and commodities from China are flooding in while manufacturing gets smaller in comparison. Big business is ruling.
And this is perhaps the biggest change of all… Deep Pockets seem to be winning the day.