The Strange Evolution of Suicidal Marketing!
by Stephen Doherty
March 10th, 2024
“If you TRY to fail .. and succeed, which have you done?” -George Carlin
Once upon a time, starting and running a business had one objective – to grow revenues and stay profitable! Sage advice when facing the harsh reality that four out of five start-ups go broke and fail within the first five years. Whether it be a child’s lemonade stand on the corner, or a global business conglomerate – the objective is the same. Project an image of desirability for your product coupled with a likability, appreciation, and respect for your brand. PERIOD!
Any review of historical marketing techniques and campaigns saw two similarities. Rule one, many were corny to the point of being dumb, but in a way that was benign enough not to create any product or corporate animosity. History has shown us ad campaigns so bad and corny – that they actually accomplished the goal of “visibility and familiarity” that drove sales, which is any product’s lifeblood. Think used car salesmen, obnoxiously barking out the details of today’s special deal!
Rule two, and perhaps the CARDINAL rule of business advertising and marketing. Never-EVER devise ads that will piss off your customers by confronting and insulting them on topics and issues that have nothing to do with your company’s products or services! In short, the ONLY meaningful rule in business and marketing is to avoid, ALWAYS, making your customer unnecessarily hostile and ANGRY!
That’s why historically successful ads and marketing campaigns embraced the Hippocratic Oath of, “At first – do no HARM!” We remember great ads for making us smile and feel good, versus making us angry and promoting contempt for the product or service. One of the best (ironically) of many great traditional ads was the Anheuser-Busch spots that featured cute and friendly Clydesdale horses and Golden Retriever puppies! You had near universal love for these ads and they drove near universal loyalty and appreciation for their product.
Those days are gone. (but maybe not forgotten) Many of today’s marketing campaigns seek to drive sales through a contentious lens of social and cultural flash points. As a result, much like today’s politics, the outcome isn’t increased sales or brand appreciation – but the alienation of a huge portion of the buying public! You couldn’t have a more blatant violation of the fundamental principles and product objectives of traditional marketing.
More and more, corporate success seems defined by, “How political can we get and how many consumers can we alienate and lose – via our social and cultural opinions and not the quality and viability of our products?” Imagine driving into your neighborhood and seeing two cute little kids selling lemonade under the banner, “Ice Cold Lemonade! However, we refuse to sell to thirsty neighbors who believe or participate in (fill-in-the-blank).
Someday, Harvard Business School will look back and ask the obvious and fundamental question, “WHY did they do it?” Because common sense and the prevailing wisdom underscores the obvious outcome of politically tainted advertising – both as predictable as they were tragic and senseless. Product demand and viability were greatly diminished and brand reputations massively compromised yet produced virtually no cultural or social change beyond angering their consumers and making them former customers. Martyrdom without meaningful results – is merely suicide. Suicidal business practices achieve commercial martyrdom – using someone else’s money.
I have hope that this relatively brief marketing “reign of error”, will have a very limited lifespan. More and more companies are realizing that their success is not defined by how many of their consumers they infuriate or drive away.
Cooler and more reasonable heads of industry have retaken control of the marketing steering wheel with a simple but firm edict. “Never, Ever, EVER purposely piss of, anger, or alienate ANY of our potential consumers!” As a result? This year’s NFL Super Bowl, one of the chief architects of marketing via cultural and social outrageousness, issued a stern and poignant directive to their advertisers. “Thou shall NOT piss off our consumers and customers!”
As a result? Super Bowl 58 offered us fun and entertaining ads that made us laugh and feel good – not angry. Speaking for myself, the re-introduction of the Anheuser-Busch horses and puppies, was like welcoming home an old friend, while bringing down the curtain on this brief “Dark Ages” of American marketing and advertising. I say, “Well done and welcome home!”
“It’s OK – you just forgot who you were. Welcome back!” -Anonymous
