SELL ME SOMETHING |
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ABOVE
Highlighting the many destinations
British Airways flies to, digital
billboards in key London locations
featured signs that encouraged
passers-by to look up and spot
its aircraft.
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The most important thing when selling
something is to be personable, respectful and
create a game that is fun for both the seller
and the buyer. Take a look at the recent British
Airways Outdoor advertising campaign that
tracks aircraft as they fly over. Or the lovely
Swedish hair care posters (p. 144) that respond
to the arriving trains. They are both great
examples of advertising that is able to have
some fun with its audience.
We need more work like this. It helps
change the still popular perception that we
are evil marketers running around with ‘brand
nets,’ trying to snare unsuspecting consumers.
An image we really need to retire.
A good place to start is to resist using
terms like ‘target market’ and ‘consumers.’
We are not hunting – and people don’t eat ads.
In any case, there is no value in tricking
someone into buying your stuff. That’s what
‘snake oil’ salesmen do, and it only ever attracts
fools and leads to you getting run out of town –
or lynched.
So, I like to start with the assumption
that people are saying, ‘sell me something’ –
meaning, they have some money they’d like
to spend, they want to be seduced, and the
game of determining which particular product
will best court their desires is afoot.