“Change comes from within” is an adage we have heard our whole lives. While that is certainly the case intrinsically – is it always steadfast and true? Philosophically, it makes sense you have to be the one to incite change in your life. However, on a practical basis, are there not many other factors that support and encourage change on a widespread level throughout the population?
Businesses and industries have made it their priority to name both basic and complex wants and needs of the public. Marketers of these products rely heavily on resources of science, psychology, and individual and group behaviors to pinpoint their message, thus attaining their goal. Three key areas where marketing has affected change on a wide scale is through health-related products, leisure marketing, and environmental awareness.
When you think of a food a person needs to eat to maintain healthy levels of vitamin C, most people think oranges. While oranges are an excellent source of the essential vitamin, is it the only source, or even the best one? Kale, bell peppers, and even strawberries contain as much or more vitamin C than oranges. But what do oranges have that these other foods may be lacking? Effective and consistent marketing to promote their healthy nature. Florida was home to most citrus growth since the founding of this country. Now, several hundred years later the multi-billion dollar industry has firmly placed oranges atop the list of vitamin C – rich foods by using effective marketing strategies.
Americans love nice things. We were born to want the nicest cars, biggest homes, and fanciest toys. Or were we? How much of our desire to have the best has come from effective marketing? The famous phrase “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” propelled this jewel above all others. Every woman wanted this treasure because the tv and radio said they must have it. Or, take the SUV market. It was no longer fun to drive sedans or hatchbacks; it was now time for huge 3-rowed vehicles which could fit the team in the back. The cell phone market is perhaps one of the most important changes created by marketing all over the world. There is cell phone usage in almost all corners of this earth, and landline usage has taken a backseat.
Environmentally, littering campaigns started in America shortly after World War II. The lobbying firm, Keep America Beautiful launched a campaign to ramp up efforts to discourage littering (enter the term litterbug), and even worked with the government to dole out fines to those caught littering. It was not until years later that environmentalists realized it wasn’t just about
people littering, but about companies producing too much trash, and not items that could be reused, forming more recently recycle marketing campaigns. Remember the SUVs we loved so much? Because of the negative effect car emissions have on the environment, and the desire to lessen our footprint on the earth; smart cars have taken over. An effective strategy, urging the public to consider the loss of natural resources, has created change in the auto industry.
Effective marketing can affect change in all our lives. It is not always decisions we make, rather the choices presented to us seem to be the best because of their moving strategies. Marketing can drive the perception of almost any good or service, it is up to your business to decide how.