Marketing campaigns are frequently based on research and a clear strategy before they are executed . Jumping into a marketing campaign without doing your due diligence may result in embarrassment and totally missing the mark . And research extends beyond the boardroom , fantastic statistics , and visual tables .
SME MARKETING
The Art Of Fitting In : Clothes Shopping And Masterful Marketing Campaigns
By Valerie Ambetsa
Clothes shopping can be a daunting task . Whether you ’ re like me , embracing your beautiful curves , or petite and feeling like everything hangs off you , or simply exhausted at the mere thought of sifting through racks of clothes - I understand . We have all been there , and although the output may be excellent , the process may not be as delightful . For many , it is a desperate search to find the perfect fit , while you engage in a head-to-head battle with your self-esteem .
Interestingly , the struggles I experience while clothes shopping often mirror the challenges I experience as a marketer creating modern marketing campaigns . This article explores this parallel , using a real-life tale about the struggle to fit into a too-small top .
The Panic of Being Trapped
Meet our protagonist , Dee , standing in a fitting room highly optimistic about trying on a trendy top she picked from the rack . It boasts a little stretch and will for sure bring out the best of her features . As she slips on the garment and it goes past her shoulders , her heart sinks . It ’ s too small . Her arms are trapped above her head , she cannot move her shoulders and ultimately , she is now immobile . She looks like she is trapped in a tube and her sinking feeling starts to turn to panic .
Much like an underperforming marketing campaign , Dee feels trapped in a situation that seems impossible to escape . Her panic comes from feeling constricted and alone . In marketing , you may feel tempted to ‘ see something through to the end ’ even when you can tell at some point in the beginning that things are not as you expected . The urgency of success becomes pivotal when you have been pushing for an opportunity to execute an idea and finally receive it , only to realize that it ’ s failing . Rather than wiggle your way out of the tight top , you try and make it work , jumping around , working your shoulders , rubbing against the wall - anything to make it fit . The result - Exhaustion , failure , and the need to ask for help .
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Marketing campaigns are frequently based on research and a clear strategy before they are executed . Jumping into a marketing campaign without doing your due diligence may result in embarrassment and totally missing the mark . And research extends beyond the boardroom , fantastic statistics , and visual tables .
The Embarrassment of Miscalculation
Picking a size that is too big is much less embarrassing than selecting a size that is too small . As Dee struggles to free herself from the suffocating top , she becomes more self-conscious and embarrassed . She even questions her judgement , as to why she chose the wrong size to begin with . If only she could escape the confines of this top in the changing room , and walk out looking fresh faced , no one would know .
Marketing campaigns are frequently based on research and a clear strategy before they are executed . Jumping into a marketing campaign without doing your due diligence may result in embarrassment and totally missing the mark . And research extends beyond the boardroom , fantastic statistics , and visual tables .
Research should be experiential as well , so that as a marketer , you have a first-hand experience that can guide your campaign decisions . When your strategy is unclear , consumers will be confused , and your campaign will be harshly judged by the highly critical pool of other marketers around you . An ill-fitting campaign can leave a lasting impression , and cause damage to the brand ’ s reputation .
The Exhausting Workout
As Dee struggles to get out of the top , she realizes that the entire process of trying on and now attempting to take off the top feels like an unexpected ( and unwanted ) workout . She twists , stretches , and contorts her body in various positions just to liberate herself .
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