Who was it that got the teeth whitening industry off the ground, and where did they study marketing? Business isn’t about telling people what you’re selling, it’s about showing people what potential you’re providing. The modern human mind isn’t fueled by needs and rationality, it feeds on desires and imagined futures. Nobody needs their teeth whitened, but we all want our smile enhanced. And nobody needs what you’re selling, but they want what you can give them.
2 Comments
1 Andrew wrote:
I think teeth whitening is a perfect description of both the product and the benefit. There is a reason millions of people type in some variant of “teeth whitening” into Google every month. It is what it says it is, the benefit is clearly stated, and there is obviously demand. Why muck up such a pure transaction with marketing messaging?
2 EF wrote:
interesting. i see your point. but i dont think that marketing is about clearly stating benefits. i think its more about showing and less about telling. teeth whitening is what people are buying, but thats the rational benefit — i think of marketing as more about the emotional benefit. coke isn’t just a drink, it’s about opening happiness. teeth whitening, IMO, isn’t just about whiter teeth, it’s about a better smile and a more confident “you”.
great debate to be having tho. as always, thanks for the thought andrew.