Jaw-Dropping Marketing That You Won't Believe
Tony J. Hughes
Sales Leadership for a Better Business World - Keynote Speaker, Best-selling Author, Management Consultant and Sales Trainer
Have you ever wondered if we will look back at this period in time and shake our heads in disbelief... how did we allow technology to make us dumber and create societal disengagement. If you had a career in sales... how did I allow the product to be the message?
Every bad idea seemed good at the time
Do we now live in the age of digital narcissism? Are we witnessing the destruction of good manners and etiquette? Is written language being butchered by social media shorthand? Is the facade of 'social following' masking the absence of human connection? Is the avalanche of content across our screens driving digital distraction and destroying our ability to ponder and learn?
This short clip from Mad Men is more documentary that entertainment... and the advertisements below it are from the same era. They will make your jaw drop with laughter or anger... yet they are all 100% real. The appalling thing is that these types of ads are still happening today in many third world countries!
How anyone can look themselves in the mirror while they sell a product that kills their customers is beyond me. Advertising reflects the values of society and wow we have changed. I never knew that my dad wore his business shirt and tie to bed so my mother knew who deserved breakfast in bed the next morning!
But at least wives had Pep to get them ready for the evening after a day of house work... I think I am digging a hole I may never escape from...
And for the children in the home who were not satisfied with second-hand cigarette smoke, there was always cocaine gum to stop the whining and get them off to sleep...
Or maybe beer flavoured breast milk to help them sleep through the night... not to mention the nutritional benefits of hops and malt. Who would have ever known that beer is an appetizing and stimulating tonic?
And to get them going in the morning, nothing works better than a massive sugar hit... adding caffein is all the better.
No-one in marketing or sales should push anything they don't believe in. Here is a brilliant example of how marketing and sales can make products attractive to consumers. It highlights how the talent of those who know how to influence can be used for good.
Make sure you believe in what your product, service or solution does for your clients. Be a force for good in world and be clear about the positive difference you make for all stakeholders. Then transfer emotion rather than information.
Click here to see why the power of belief is truly amazing
Join the conversation here. How do you make sure your sales and marketing efforts are completely ethical and that they will remain so after the passage of time?
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Social Innovator l Enterprise Developer
8 年The images you've used here Tony J. Hughes are scary! There are also a number of examples of old marketing engaging in cultural appropriation, then selling those products back to the culture they stole the brand IP from. Terrible all round
Australia's leading Authority on selling to the C-suite. Co-developer of "Selling at C Level" training program & author of "Selling at C Level" eBook. Coach, Devil's Advocate, annoyingly opinionated.
8 年Hi Tony J. Hughes we look back at those and shake our heads but in 20 years time people will look at some of today's marketing - and again 20 years later. Pharmaceutical companies create entire new - bogus - "conditions" to sell their drugs (for example, 95% of statins are prescribed absolutely unnecessarily) and lie through their teeth ("targeted pain relief"). Not to mention politicians. We've progressed in some areas, gone back in others. We "should" be ethical and I believe many people are - but many aren't, sadly.
Community & Online Event Consultant | Social Media Strategist|Community Development|Digital Safety|Mentoring & Training|Co Author Most Amazing Marketing Book Ever
8 年I don't think we have moved on much. We now sell with "infomercials" and "aditorials" - pseudo and non research wrapped up to look like research. It's alive and well everywhere. Early use of certain drugs was based on anecdotal evidence until eventually research was done. Now we have entire industries based on anecdotal evidence with far too many factors in place for adequate research. Disclaimers should be required for much in the health industry for example in my opinion.
Category Development Manager at Nestle India Limited
8 年Awareness of the hazards caused by usage of certain products, changing values and lifestyles along with evolving multiple watch points have lead to sense of responsibility amongst marketing community
Doing more work for same pay? | Micromanaged? | Skills being commoditzed? | Feeling under-utilized? | It's Time To Find Your Calling
8 年Ah the Draper Kodak pitch - TV gold.