Jun
19
A Dirty Shame
Filed Under Change Management, Influence and Persuasion, Leadership | Leave a Comment
When marketers try to create disgust and embarrassment or any other experience for their audiences.
I usually think Dan and Chip Heath, the authors of Made to Stick, are right on in their analysis. I’m an avid fan. Which is why I was so surprised that they were off the mark in their June 2008 article, and off in such a fundamental way.
It’s a despicable practice, they say, for marketers to create social stigmas to sell products. The problem is that the thesis misconstrues what it is that marketers (or influencers of any stripe) can do.
Marketers, when they’re at their most persuasive, don’t try to create shame, disgust, embarrassment, or social stigma. Nor for that matter do they try to create joy, pride, esteem, acceptance, or any other experience. Read more