What Change Are You Trying to Make?

What change are you trying to make? Ah, the million-dollar question in marketing that sounds like it came straight out of a self-help book with a title like "Unleash Your Inner Marketer" or something equally cringe-worthy.

I heard this story once about engineering freshmen faced with their first project: building a bridge out of toothpicks. It's like one of those tales that gets passed around in university corridors, probably exaggerated, but still a great metaphor for marketing.

You see, if you slap those toothpicks together without a plan, you end up with... well, a mess. Not unlike half the marketing campaigns out there. You know the ones - they look like someone threw a bunch of buzzwords into a blender and hoped for the best.

Now, good marketing – the kind that actually changes things – is like building that toothpick bridge with a bit of thought. It’s not just about getting from point A to point B; it’s about how you get there without your bridge collapsing into a heap of disappointment.

Michael Schrage wrote a book asking, "Who do you want your customers to become?" Frankly, I just want them not to run away screaming from our products. But his point is valid. We’re not just selling stuff; we’re supposedly turning caterpillars into butterflies or some other poetic metamorphosis.

Take Harley Davidson, for example. They sell more than bikes; they sell a dream of freedom, rebellion, and, let's face it, a pretty cool leather jacket aesthetic. They turn the quiet guy from accounting into a weekend road warrior. That’s marketing alchemy at its finest.

But here’s the kicker – as marketers, we're responsible for the change we bring. It's not enough to shrug and say, "Well, that's what the market wanted." No, we’re the puppeteers pulling the strings. We're the ones convincing people they need a toothbrush that’s also a tongue scraper, a cheek polisher, and, who knows, maybe next year's model will make coffee too.

It's easy to fall into the trap of selfish marketing. More market share, more visibility, more, more, more. But at the end of the day, it’s not about stuffing our pockets with cash. It’s about answering that big question: What change are we really trying to make?

So, let's start at square one. What change are you seeking to make? From obscurity to fame? From indifference to devotion? It's about setting the right course, not just for our brands but for the customers who trust us with their time, attention, and yes, their wallets.

In marketing, we're essentially storytellers. We’re the ones whispering in the ears of the masses, "Hey, check this out, you might just like it." And if we do our job right, they don’t just like it; they love it, they share it, and they come back for more.

So, go ahead, be bold in your marketing. Just remember, it's not about being the loudest in the room; it’s about being the most meaningful. Or at least, let’s try not to be the one who glued their fingers together with the toothpicks, right?