Is Marketing The Dark Side Of The Force?
Marketing has been around in one form or another since the dawn of time. Whenever somebody recommended a product or a service, it was marketing. It is purely a way of communication which has a goal in mind. Because of that, people would say it’s a way to manipulate others into wanting and buying a product. Creating a feeling (of desire) which they didn’t have beforehand.
This is often not that difficult since we have been conditioned our whole lives. By our parents, by our teachers, by the government, by people around us — and ultimately — by ourselves. Commercials that we cannot escape from are slowly being programmed in our subconsciousness. Even when we don’t give them our attention.
So, is there a positive side to marketing today? Good news is, there is. But it starts from you. From your intentions. From your mission in this world.
The game has changed. People and businesses realized that what truly matters is to connect with each other, to understand the person on the other side. To put themselves in their shoes and help solve their problems.
They realized that a company can’t be just a company. It needs a face, a character, and the empathy that runs deep. Because — a company didn’t start itself. It originated from the idea and inspiration of one or more minds. The moment those minds and faces hide behind a logo, everything falls apart.
We crave for the feeling that somebody understands us. We want to get inspired by the story of the owner, we want to communicate with a real person and have deeper conversations. We want to belong to a community of likeminded people living similar lifestyles. And companies have the power and the influence to help us get there. It’s a power that needs to be used for good.
This is why we will not fall for any company in a split second. There is hardly love at first sight in this context. We need to trust you and it takes time, it takes actions, it takes caring for us. We believe more companies which have a vision, which speak about what they stand for and do steps toward resolving that problem. We seek long-term relationship where what we think, say and do matters. Marketing is then a voice with which you show your support. It’s an act of care, sharing your expertise, teaching, giving the resources to go where we want to go.
Your product or service is then a tool which helps us get there. And we will buy it when we are ready, when it is the logical next step. And we will come back if you’re consistent in everything that matters — quality, message, sharing, being there.
Humans are extraordinary creatures. We care, we love, we laugh, we cry and we need relationships where we are not afraid to do all that — to be human, to be ourselves. We are all on our own missions, searching for our purpose, standing up for what feels right. It is not surprising we want to see or feel the same from anybody we do business with.
