This Is Marketing

“Don’t find customers for your products, find products for your customers.” Seth Godin challenges us to rethink marketing by focusing on understanding and serving real human needs.

1. The End of Mass Marketing

Traditional mass marketing is losing relevance in a fragmented media landscape. The 1960s marketing model flourished when mass media connected millions of viewers through a few television networks, enabling broad and effective advertising campaigns. Today, the digital age has created countless niches where people consume customized content.

Instead of reaching millions all at once, brands now have to target tightly knit groups with specific interests. While the internet connects billions of users, it does so in a highly individualized way. People curate their experiences through customized feeds, playlists, and timelines. This shift reduces the reach of mass advertising campaigns.

For example, running an ad during prime-time television in the past could engage millions of viewers. Now, that same ad might reach only a fraction of people since many prefer YouTube, Netflix, or even streaming niche content on smaller platforms. Coca-Cola’s mass messaging, centered on the idea of being part of a shared culture, no longer works the same way.

Examples

• The 1960s success of Coca-Cola ads on major TV channels.
• Decline in the shared audience size for popular shows.
• Modern-day fragmentation of media with platforms like YouTube and Netflix.

2. Limits of Internet Advertising

Online advertising offers incredible targeting capabilities but faces issues with oversaturation. Companies can now pinpoint their ideal audience and advertise directly, but the internet is flooded with ads, diminishing their impact.

While tools like Facebook or Google allow businesses to reach specific demographics anytime and anywhere, these ads often blend into a sea of noise. Similarly, search engine optimization comes with its challenges. Only a few companies manage to rank on the first page of Google results, leaving many in less visible spaces.

For instance, while ads may be visible on potential buyers’ feeds, people often ignore them as background clutter. Search results are another example – with thousands showing up on Google, only the top few results matter to users.

Examples

• Facebook’s detailed targeting options for ads.
• Search engine optimization battles for top rankings on Google.
• Banner blindness where internet users subconsciously ignore ads.

3. Address Real Human Needs

Successful products deliver tangible value by addressing deep human desires. Marketing begins by understanding what people fundamentally want and creating something that solves those needs. Theodore Levitt’s famous quote reminds marketers that customers don’t buy quarter-inch drill bits; they buy the promise of a quarter-inch hole.

This means marketers must dig deeper. Why do people want the hole? For many, it could be about creating order, improving aesthetics, or seeking control over their living spaces. Behind every product is an emotional or functional goal customers are trying to achieve.

For example, SUVs don’t just appeal to drivers interested in off-road adventures. They symbolize freedom and the possibility of exploring uncharted terrains, even if most buyers only drive them in cities.

Examples

• Theodore Levitt’s drill-bit analogy (fulfilling functional goals).
• SUVs pitching the idea of adventure over practicality.
• Companies focusing on comfort, control, or self-esteem in their messaging.

4. Focus on Adopters, Not Adapters

Target audiences should love change and novelty. There are two types of people when it comes to exploring new products: adopters and adapters. Adopters are the early experimenters who seek fresh experiences, while adapters prefer familiar systems and are slower to transition.

Adopters thrive on innovation and excitement. They’ll gladly try new apps, or the latest iPhone released this year. On the other hand, adapters resist change until it becomes inevitable, sticking to older models or traditional ways.

For instance, consider how tech enthusiasts eagerly buy the latest gadgets as soon as they hit shelves, while others take years to warm up to new technology like smartphones.

Examples

• Apple’s iconic line of early adopters camping for the latest iPhones.
• Resistance from flip-phone users to upgrade to smartphones initially.
• The lag in mainstream adoption of streaming services like Netflix in their early years.

5. Use Values to Find Your Audience

Consumers buy based on emotional and cultural values, not just practical needs. Instead of appealing broadly, marketers can find success in staking out niches with specific value alignments. The Grateful Dead band exemplifies this by catering to a specific type of fan – those that value both polished albums and raw, free-spirited live performances.

Brands must define the values connected to their products. For instance, Toyota Prius appeals to eco-conscious buyers, while Lamborghini attracts customers who prize speed and luxury. Positioning within these value extremes helps carve out a distinct, loyal audience base.

By defining values clearly, marketers create stronger connections with passionate fans rather than competing in overcrowded middle-ground markets.

Examples

• Grateful Dead balancing two opposing values: rawness and polish.
• Toyota Prius appealing to environmental sustainability advocates.
• Luxury car brands symbolizing wealth and exclusivity.

6. Speak to Shared Worldviews

Marketing succeeds when it resonates with a group’s shared worldview. A worldview is how individuals see themselves, their values, and the broader world. For a company, connecting to that worldview allows it to build strong tribal loyalty.

JCPenney, valued for its bargain-hunting appeal, disrupted that worldview when it removed coupons. Customers saw this change as abandoning the culture of deal-scoring and left in droves. Marketers must recognize and respect the cultural signals of their target group to keep them engaged.

For example, Harley-Davidson motorcycles foster a community by leaning into the worldview of rugged independence and rebellion.

Examples

• JCPenney losing customers after dropping coupons.
• Harley-Davidson motorcycles focusing on values of freedom.
• Nike’s storytelling targeting athletes with grit and determination worldviews.

7. Create Tension to Drive Action

Good marketing creates tension by challenging people’s desires or fears. Status plays a role in buying decisions, whether customers seek affiliation with a group or dominance within it. For some, buying the latest sneaker means staying trendy; for others, it’s a display of exclusivity.

Uber leaned into tension by declaring itself as the disruptor willing to fight authority, resonating with users seeking bold innovation. Similarly, hype around product launches challenges buyers not to miss out or be left behind.

When fans feel tension, they become more motivated to take action and purchase.

Examples

• Uber's defiant messaging during legal battles.
• Crowds lining up for limited-edition sneakers.
• Slack creating urgency among coworkers to adopt collaborative tools.

8. Bridge the Gap Using Network Effects

Creating network effects can transition a product from niche adoption to mass-market success. Network effects occur when the value of a service increases as more people join, generating a self-reinforcing loop of growth.

Slack succeeded by enabling smaller teams to connect on the platform. As these users evangelized Slack within companies, entire workplaces adopted the tool, making it vital for communication. Network effects can also push adapters to join as staying out results in exclusion.

For example, Facebook’s initial exclusivity within Harvard created demand among other universities, eventually transforming it into a global platform.

Examples

• Slack’s team-focused growth strategy.
• Facebook’s exclusive launch in educational institutions.
• Early adopters encouraging their networks to embrace TikTok.

9. Keep Small Markets Profitable

Small fan bases provide enough support to sustain emerging products. Mass appeal isn’t necessary to break into a market. Instead, focusing on niche audiences and making tailored products creates rabid fans willing to invest deeply in a brand’s vision.

The Grateful Dead thrived by catering to die-hard fans instead of chasing chart-toppers. Likewise, many local brands succeed by developing strong relationships in small communities.

Honing in on a "smallest viable market" can help products remain sustainable while preparing to grow larger.

Examples

• The Grateful Dead’s fan-driven economy.
• Boutique brands appealing to small, loyal audiences.
• Local farm-to-table restaurants prioritizing repeat customers over mass appeal.

Takeaways

1. Identify and align your product with a clear, specific set of customer values to stand apart from competitors.
2. Use network effects to transform initial adopters into advocates for spreading your product to broader audiences.
3. Focus on serving a small but sustainable market first, ensuring profitability before scaling to larger markets.