Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Hate ISIL? Blame Market Researchers

Finally I'm over my hypothermic reaction from staying too near the surface outside too much. So I'm thinking much more clearly. SHELOB!

Here.

What was that marketing history summation you researched for me again?

You recorded this: "Around 1900, people began counting what people bought very studiously. Around 1950, companies started trying to figure out what people wanted to buy before manufacturing. By 1960, vendors and stores were attempting to boost sales by placement of items, packaging tactics, better copywriting, etc. By 1980, target marketing was  well underway. Memberships for discounts and exclusivity became common.

The goals of marketing were always: 1. Get people to buy things they would not have bought otherwise. 2. Get people to buy more of an item than they would have otherwise. 3. Get people to start talking to other people about buying what they would not have otherwise. 4 Build curiosity and memorability about brands."

Yeah. So, marketers and market researchers have been figuring out how to convince people, to manipulate people, to get their money, etc.

This is what ISIL has done. They've got financial backers, they've got people joining a cause they know nothing about, they've got people doing what they want . . .

Alternative?

Gee. Use all those researchers to determine how to run businesses better? How to improve the products? How to make the products cheaper without sacrificing quality? How to elevate people in this country? How to improve the lives of everyone in the world?

--And the other side! Teach people never to believe marketers? Teach people to resist indoctrination by people who don't have their best interests at heart? Teach people to judge others more accurately or not at all? Teach people how to notice when people near them are being badly influenced?

Question.

What product or service or organization besides ISIL deserves their marketing staff pulled?

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