This is Marketing: Communicating, Messaging, and Advertising

During my career, I have often described “Marketing” as the soft side of selling.   While sales is directly facing the prospect, marketing does not necessarily have direct personal contact.   This cartoon says it all.  This is marketing: communicating, messaging, advertising, and PR.   It is such a great reminder to all of us regarding the mechanics of Marketing, how it is transacted, and the reaction from the audience.

The sign, “Ice COOL Lemonade,” provoked a reaction from a prospect.   It caught the attention of a prospect for a potential sale.  It made the prospect think because no one reacts without first thinking.   The prospect was on a tricycle and could have just passed by, but seeing the sign made her stop, evaluate the message, and then question it.   The sign and its message did what it was meant to do.   Marketing messages are intended to do just that: stop the prospect and get their attention.   This sign and message were a total success. 

The prospect’s response meant she noted and understood the message.    While this may be considered just a question on choice of word to describe the lemonade, it is much more.  It shows interest in the product.    If there was no reaction, it would show no interest at all.  

The prospect’s question gave the seller a chance to “sell” and further promote the benefits of the product.    The lemonade was cold, but more importantly, it was “cool,” a benefit to the prospect and a reason to buy.   It would be “cool” to be drinking this lemonade.   Is your marketing achieving its goal?

This reminds me of Starbucks when they began their business in China, a market that was not accustomed to coffee but more so with tea.   Chinese people drink tea, and there are 1.4 billion Chinese.   Imagine if you could convince every Chinese to change from tea to buy a cup of coffee every day.    For that matter, once a day would be terrific, but even once a week would generate enormous profits.   I am sure that this was thoroughly discussed in the Starbucks boardroom as they contemplated this huge market.

Starbucks was brilliant in their marketing in China.   They promoted their coffee, but more importantly they promoted drinking coffee as a “lifestyle.”   It was drinking coffee sitting down in a living room atmosphere.   They marketed their brand as a lifestyle, as being “cool.” Drinking it in a cup with a Starbucks logo created this much-wanted image of being cool.   Their paper cup took on a totally new image, one of trend and sophistication.   If you held this paper cup, it meant you were cool, modern, in tune with society, and hip.    You heard this every day; it was not let’s go out for coffee, it was “let’s go out for Starbucks.” 

I am not sure that all Chinese enjoyed the coffee, but having a cup with the Starbucks logo in their hands sent out the right signal, one of respect and perhaps even envy.  Having a Starbucks cup in hand told a powerful story about the person holding it.    Tremendous accolades and applause to Starbucks for their success.  Marketing did all this, and the customer did the rest.