Experience Matters

Gone Fishin’

“The proof is in the pudding.”

A fairly common turn of phrase, but one that confused me when I was a child. (Yes… I am easily confused). The context of the statement makes it clear that the speaker intends to communicate that further evidence or personal experience is required before the speaker will be convinced. Although I understood the intent, I remained deeply confused as to how (creamy, delicious) pudding could be a catalyst of understanding. It wasn’t until I was in my teens (and had eaten lots of pudding) that I finally heard the phrase fully, and correctly, spoken.

“The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

Wow! Revelation! When I heard that phrase uttered, it all came clear to me. The implication is crystal clear. Outward appearances can be deceiving. To judge the matter it must be fully examined. The pudding may look beautiful, but until it is tasted, one cannot truly judge its quality. Unlike the bastardized phrase, the full sentence has a subtlety of meaning. It is not dependent upon context to make the statement clear. It stands on its own and communicates a clear, deep meaning.

This realization caused me to internalize an important lesson. I have to think about the language I used to make sure that I do not inadvertently deliver meaning different that what I intend. That lesson has served me well during my professional life (when I managed to recall it). It is a lesson that that most Marketers keep top-of-mind as they create communication for the consumers of their messaging. However, I believe that we as Marketers need to to keep this message in mind as we talk with one another as well.

“You have to fish where the fish are.”

This old saw is one I hear constantly when I talk with clients and other agencies. On its face this would seem a straightforward truth. That apparent clarity of truth is what makes this turn-of-phrase specious. The statement seems to guarantee success. Simply by fishing where the fish are known-to-be one will meet with success. But this is not true dear readers!

After spending many Saturday’s of my childhood watching my baited hook sit amongst a school of Sunfish (while eating pudding) and getting no bites (except from mosquitoes), I can tell you that fishing where the fish are is necessary, but it is NOT sufficient. One must also fish where and when the fish are biting.

I know this is a long way to go to make a point about marketing, so thanks for your patience… But here is the payoff….

It is not sufficient to deliver your marketing message where your consumers are. You have to deliver your message to them where they “are” and where they are “Receptive”. When I think about delivering a marketing experience, I always ask myself the question

“Where and When is my target consumer Receptive to my message?”

So… “What implication does this have in my Brands media planning process?” you might ask. The implication is simple… Truly effective marketers go beyond simple targeting using demographic data regarding where their target buyer is consuming media. Effective Marketers understand their targets MINDSET at each of these contact points to make a judgment about their likely message RECEPTIVITY.

An example of how this can play out is in-store messaging for a Shampoo brand. When a Female Head of Household goes Shampoo shopping at a Grocery store, it is likely that mom is going for a monthly “Big Shop” where she will fill a cart with items and have 2 – 3 children in tow. Mom’s mindset is likely one of “I want to get in, fill the cart before one of my precious tikes has a meltdown, and get the hell out.” Mom will likely be in a hurry and not terribly open to messaging.

It may be a completely different story when mom goes to a Drug store. She may go to a drug store for just a few items, and may be in a much more leisurely mindset. With any luck (from her perspective) she will be “kidless”. Her receptivity to messaging may be much higher.

The ability of messaging to make an impact on mom in each of these two scenarios is likely very different. The same consumer is physically present in both locations, but she may bite on the message in one location and ignore the bait in the other.

The lessons my friends and fellow marketing anglers is simple. Don’t mix your metaphors, keep your bait warm, and get to a deeper understanding of your consumer and her media consumption habits before you invest those precious marketing dollars.