— Why did God create marketers?
— Just so that the meteorologists look a bit more decent in comparison!
There is a section of marketing that deals with advertising, positioning, messaging, and so on. Books on marketing in this field are often filled with examples of successful solutions and insights designed to inspire marketers in their own creative endeavors. There is just one small nuance: no marketing book contains tools that possess predictive power In other words, it’s impossible to create a recipe that dictates how to act in specific circumstances. Successful marketing strategies are often referred to as “classics.” Meanwhile, the exact same strategies that didn’t yield results simply go unnoticed.to strict judgesТекст для перевода: ..
The most important thing is that it creates the impression that any decision that is simply liked is backed by some pseudo-scientific justification. The color red is aggressive (by the way, a “wonderful” thesis), it attracts attention, and therefore our… logo will be depicted on a red background. No, wait. We strive for harmony with nature; all our products are natural, and that’s why our logo will be green Oh! Sales increased But now let Fyodor Dvinyatin answer: did they grow because of the logo redesign or because times are tough and there has been an outflow of customers from more expensive dining establishments? Seriously, is there even one of… companies A company that has invested in rebranding can show a nice uptick in sales growth after changing its logo, and more importantly, the theoretical framework on which it is based.
Here’s another example. It is believed that the logo of a retail bank… must to be. red —. white. It would be great if it had a diagonal screen, or even better, black and yellow . (although, if it’s necessary for political reasons) add blue and white, then — it’s nothing to worry about, we’ll get through it) At the same time, the largest retail bank. In the country, the green color is quite fitting.
How many copies have been broken in disputes over the name of a company or product? Given that it really doesn’t matter. If it did matter, all companies in the same industry would have similar names or follow the same logic. But we have MTS (UMC) — an acronym, Kyivstar — a somewhat obscure name for a nationwide company, Beeline — an associative chain (mobile connection-hive-bees), Golden Telecom — an attempt to convey special value and prestige, and Life with a smiley face — a playful approach to engage with the youth, which hasn’t stopped them from pushing their products. platinum “product. At the same time, two operators are parrot-like red and white and they…”well, it doesn’t interfere at alltheir potential indistinguishability from each other at a distance, one is yellow-black (a classic, damn it), and the most successful one is just blue. Indeed: “Why did the marketer jump off the cliff into the abyss? Because another marketer had jumped off the cliff before him.”
Now about positioning. This is what prompted me to write this post. A quote from a comment on my blog: “I work for a company that sells professional hair cosmetics. It’s been a month. We have a product that offers really effective care and treatment for hair. However, the market is saturated. The idea is this: the most vibrant, beautiful hair a person has is often from childhood. This is usually accompanied by good ecology, natural nutrition… basically, a rural upbringing. How can we best sell a “ticket back to childhood” for our clients’ hair? So far, we haven’t been able to identify the need—our competitors have a lot, practically everything, and they’ve been in the game for a long time and are stable. There’s no interest in switching suppliers. That’s why I’ve decided to sell the “image” of the product, to evoke emotions and stand out from the rest.“Author’s punctuation and spelling.”
On one hand, the idea is beautiful. If this person thinks that way, then others should think the same, and they will be the ones to fall for this pitch. At the same time, you can look at my portrait to understand that I can’t be a consultant for shampoo positioning :-). However, let’s try to critique this idea. Not because I dislike it, but to show that you can nitpick about anything.
First of all, hair is not considered a serious value or a sexually charged tool for most people in childhood. It’s not about sex. Children don’t remember how attractive their hair was. In childhood, hair is a problem. Mom brushes it painfully. It’s boring to wait while braids are being tied. All those bows and ribbons. And lice at summer camp? — a disaster. That’s what comes to mind when you mention the two words “hair” and “childhood.” The words “hair” and “village” will evoke images of a dirty, dusty head and a lack of hot water for any adult. Not very appealing. And the most interesting thing is that anyone who has ever been a parent will confirm that in early childhood, up to about three years old, hair is usually not beautiful. It’s sparse, short, thin, and difficult to care for.
In other words, following my logic, a “ticket to childhood” for hair is a ticket to a lack of sexuality, issues, reflection, and unattractiveness.
Ah, well, since there are various… opinions So let’s ask the consumers, gather a focus group, and check! A. Not so fast. If we “read” the wishes of the mass consumer (and not just come up with an excuse to make a decision), we will end up in the mass, typical FMCG market, where the margins are minimal and survival is only possible through large volumes and constant competition for shelf space. But perhaps we should consider… to rebuild And conversely, should one focus their marketing efforts on a narrow segment of consumers who are guaranteed to buy, regardless of price? But then, with such production volumes, goodbye supermarket shelf space, hello direct sales, distribution through recommendations, online sales, and a move into a “professional” niche (in this case, beauty salons) and all that entails.
In my opinion (which should be respected completely) no need People are more likely to buy shampoo “with a nano-enzyme stem cell growth factor” than a “ticket to childhood.” I haven’t seen women using baby shampoos, although I’ve seen those who use baby creams and lotions, precisely with the idea of a “ticket to childhood.” Why? Because it’s nice to touch a baby’s smooth skin, unlike a bald head, which doesn’t evoke any positive emotions except for the fondness of specific parents for their specific child.
When we climb onto the shelf in a supermarket, our product is not shampoo. And who cares what it actually is. Our product is the fulfillment of the seller’s needs. How can we be better than the rest? What makes our product “buy” the loyalty of the chain or distributor? Certainly not “nano-enzymatic factors.” A person in the supermarket buys from what is already on the shelf, not from what is being made somewhere else. This is something to think about.
If we delve into a professional niche, we need to approach communication in a completely different way. We should connect from professional to professional. We should visit vocational schools that train hairdressers, attend exhibitions, reach out to recognized industry leaders, and go to stores that sell professional equipment. And here, lo and behold, it turns out that the requirements for shampoos are entirely different. It’s important (I’m speculating) that after washing, the hair is easy to style. It’s crucial that it can be cut easily, that the hairstyle lasts longer, and looks more fabulous. Specific measurable guarantees are important, for example, in the form of demonstrations and presentations. And marketing gimmicks don’t matter at all if they are disconnected from the actual needs of hairdressers. “Hair like in childhood” = a cheap haircut for 25 hryvnias, without styling, without cologne, and just a trim at the back for the boy. The hairdresser’s client doesn’t know what shampoo will be used on them. They don’t get to choose.
I brought up this example about shampoo to illustrate that no reasoning or justification in marketing has predictive power. Only winners are judged. And it’s not the consumer who chooses the product. The consumer has no control at all. There is only illusion control.