It’s easy to ignore the role marketing plays in shaping nations. Marketing not only affects what people consume, but also what is produced. Marketing, like it or not, shapes our political process. Marketing guides selection of politicians, then impacts the way politicians govern once elected and in office. The truth is marketing can be more impactful than any legislation. Just look at how the financial markets react to a change in consumer confidence.
The government, the economy and the brand they are associated with - the United States itself - have taken a beating recently. What role can, will or should marketing play? In 1678, John Locke wrote: “He, therefore, that would govern the world well had need consider rather what fashions he makes than what laws, and to bring anything into use, he need only give it reputation.”
Consider a recent example that we have seen play out: Congress struggles to get legislation passed for higher MPG standards; meanwhile, celebrities start driving hybrid cars and “An Inconvenient Truth” sweeps across the nation, public perception begins to change, and people take action (even before gas prices went through the roof). And the most obvious recent example is the presidential election – marketing played a large role in influencing voters.
Smart marketing can improve our political process, restore consumer confidence and improve the overall consumer experience. Marketing means a lot more than convincing people of a position. To quote the American Marketing Association, “marketing is the activity, set of institutions and processes for creating communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Directing Response, a resource for direct response marketers, producers and media buyers, is produced by Teddy Parker, Executive Producer for ChopShop Direct. She can be reached at 949-838-0355 or via E-mail at teddy@chopshopdirect.com.
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Posted at 11:31 pm on 10/28/09 | No Response yet | The Editor in
