When it comes to marketing or being an influencer — going for something shocking, funny, ironic or the all-to-relatable is our go-to way of grabbing the audience's attention. Anyone who knows anything about marketing, understands that this is key to getting noticed. But when you step back and begin thinking about the legacy and world you want to build around you with your business — there's more to it than becoming the next trend.
A recent article I came across really reminded me of the influence your marketing can have and the world you can be a part of creating. For instance, did you know that orange juice wasn't always a part of our morning breakfast routine? And coffee breaks weren’t always a thing. But now it’s protected by law in some places. Or the fact that a diamonds weren’t always used as the ‘choice’ engagement stones and existed only for the wealthy. Or the fact that Marlboro used to be the ‘woman's cigarette’ before the Marlboro man came along and expanded their audience. Then there’s things like the "Friends don't let friends drive drunk" campaign that helped reduce the number of drunk driver deaths by 20%. And last but not least, the Levi Strauss & Co. ‘business casual’ ad that paved the way for people to begin wearing jeans to work — a more comfortable work attire. And the list could go on and on.
Often we think people are developing the next best marketing campaign to make an extra dollar or that it comes from a place of greed. And while that may be true for some, more often than not companies develop campaigns out of necessity — simply because their livelihoods depend on its success. Many of the most memorable ads or commercials that we know and have come to love today came out of a sheer desperation to save face, the jobs of their employees, and ultimately the livelihood of families. Think about K-Marts ‘I Just Shipped My Pants’ commercial. While extremely funny and catchy, this one just didn’t have the power to overturn the downward trajectory of the business.
After the Great Depression, a diamond mining company called ‘De Beers’ were struggling with sales as people were obviously not running to buy gemstones. Out of desperation they created the ‘A Diamond is Forever’ slogan in an effort to appeal to an audience beyond the wealthy. Over time, this tagline alone changed the way people viewed diamonds. No longer was it something out of reach; but rather, an item used to signify love to future spouses. Strategic words crafted into their tagline literally saved this gemstone mining business.
Then there’s Sunkist. Sunkist was harvesting significantly more oranges than they were selling — so their product was simply going to waste. And we all know that waste equals loss of revenue. So then ‘orange juice’ was created as a way to sell more oranges and eliminate waste.
In short, some of our best marketing ideas come out of the sheer necessity to survive. And in that, or in any situation, what legacy do you want your company to leave? And how do you want it to influence the world we live in? Consider the images, words, and even the feeling your content communicates. It could very well be a part of shifting the world long after you are gone.
-Ashley, Co-Owner/Graphic Designer
To read the full article that inspired this post, go to: https://www.businessinsider.com/ads-that-changed-the-world-2014-8
