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Writing about nuclear proliferation on a marketing blog may seem nutty, insulting and demeaning. But in trying to come to grips with North Korea possessing a nuclear weapon, I took a different path than most....
What if all of the fear mongering is mostly a marketing ploy?
Silly, you say? It wouldn't be the first time marketing built its messaging on a foundation of fear. Who otherwise, for example, would pay any attention to life (re: death) insurance if it wasn't for fear? Insurance isn’t about fear you argue? Of course it is. Take a look at the messaging:
• Cars crashing (Are you covered?)
• Do you care enough about your loved ones after you’re gone?
• Thieves breaking into homes but ADT prevents the inherent danger (home alarm systems—just another kind of insurance
In many ways, insurance and military defense are synonymous. And we can throw in diplomacy, as well. So let’s take a look at the North Korean marketing program.
Without meaning to diminish the danger that a nuclear North Korea poses to the world, suppose for a few moments that the nuclear test, which may or may not have occurred, and the messaging coming out of that desperate country is a cry for respect, recognition and help. What might that marketing campaign look like?
All marketing should begin at the roots of the Company’s Core Purpose. As a reminder, here are some well know Purposes:
• Starbucks does not sell coffee, it sells an experience.
• Progressive does not sell insurance, it sells speed of service.
• Harley does not sell motorcycles, it sells image in the form of a 40-something accountant riding through town and having people terrified of him.
What is North Korea’s Core Purpose: To keep the current regime in power. How might its Marketing Department make this happen?
Let's start with a unique value proposition (UVP). What differentiates North Korea from its competitors (Iran, the Taliban, Hezbollah, etc.), each vying for its spot in the world marketplace and doing everything possible to maintain power? Without products, services, money to invest or a charming personality, if I were offering advice I would recommend fear. North Korea is a scary place and not much else. So, our UVP for North Korea is:
"We guarantee that our promise to change the world is unlike any other. Buy now or pay us later."
Okay, we differentiated ourselves. Now we need an objective. Taking the North Koreans at their word, here is the objective:
"To create fear in everyone's mind that we will turn the world to ash."
Not as alluring as the Third Place Experience, but one that serves its purpose well and gets our attention. Moving ahead, here is a likely strategy and several tactics:
"Unless the US agrees to bilateral talks, we will make the world community an even scarier place."
Tactics:
• Threaten, threaten, and threaten.
• If ignored, carry out the threats.
• Threaten even greater potential for destruction.
• Well, you get the idea.
Now that North Korea has our attention, the ball is in our court, because we are the target audience. Like any buying experience, before I spend my hard-earned money, there are at least two questions I ask myself:
• Do I want, need or desire the product? In this case, promised negotiations and hope for peace?
• Is the price fair? If I purchase this promise, will I get my money’s worth?
• Is their value? How badly do I want peace and will this product provide an adequate amount to create a good to great customer experience?
• Does the seller (North Korea) represent trust and credibility?
• Am I being over-promised, over-sold and then under-delivered on the promise?
• Should we buy or sell?
Good marketing plans achieve their objectives, bad ones don't. If North Korea's strategy works and they get bilateral talks, is the world a better and safer place? Will the consumer (the US and the Free World) have a good customer experience? If North Korea’s marketing plan fails, is that the end of the marketing campaign or is North Korea like Enron and willing to take everyone down with it?
Finally, am I better off with the product? Can I live without it?
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Comments
I'm sorry, but that's a ridiculous treatment of a very significant political problem.
Nuclear weapons are not marketing tools, they're weapons that kill people.
And you treat Fear Appeals like you just discovered them. They've been around as long as marketing's existed...
Posted by: TC | 10.13.06
hi, lewis.
I agree with your post. I would add another example of successful marketing strategy: the president of war.
Problems with these strategies are that most of the time there is no strong product behind (and this is true for my country, too, Italy) and the consensus fell abruptly in a short time. We do probably need to be better consumers, too and not get foolished by the most glittering ad.
Posted by: gianandrea facchini | 10.13.06
T.C. and Gianandrea:
Thank you for your comments.
T.C., I agree. Fear has been around as a marketing message forever, and hence I included the analogies. The nuclear test, which is yet to be confirmed, isn't the marketing tool. It is, I agree very scary and serious. It is the messaging coming from the North Korean regime that represents the marketing , which, in this case, is designed to make us buy what they are selling--fear.
Gianandrea, as always very perceptive. You get the point I was trying to make. Thank you.
Lewis
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.13.06
Thank you Lewis, It takes a lot to get me scared these days because someone is always trying to scare me.
Brave of you to point out this manipulative tactic that ultimately is mean-spirited and so successful because people are easy to scare.
Yes it's been around forever, but that doesn't make it right or good. Unfortunately, it works.
And I agree "the nuclear test, which may or may not have occurred"
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 10.13.06
Gianandrea... I love...
"not get foolished by the most glittering ad"
It's absolutely poetic.
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 10.13.06
Tammy,
I wrote the post knowing it might offend some. But I took the risk because of people like you and so many in my family who are bombarded daily by fear mongering and whose lives are being manipulated by these messages.
I believe we need to look at the marketing of these messages and their purposes so that we can begin to understand the nature of our fear. Remember, propaganda, which is just another word for marketing, is a prevalent tactic to get people to do something. In this case, I believe North Korea wants us scared so we won't think and act clearly.
I served eight years in the military, and learned first-hand the damaging effects of fear and its marketing on the human spirit. Even if the North Koreans exploded a nuclear device underground, we must remember the words of FDR: "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."
Peace and blessings to all. Be brave and be happy!
Lewis
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.13.06
You Rock! And thank you for your service in the military!
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 10.13.06
Lewis -- I'm starting to think there's NOTHING you haven't done. How many careers have you had...seriously?
Posted by: Ann Handley | 10.13.06
Ann,
It all comes down to being old and multi-tasking. In truth, not many but the careers crossed many borders and paths, one career (job) leading to the next. In everything I have done, writing and communicating mostly made up the essentials of the career.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.13.06
When we can all trust each other there will be peace on earth.
Why don't you put your marketing knowhow to better the planet rather than push for chaos merchants. Is that what you want for your kids and future generations? Don't flatter yourself pushing this through marketing.
Posted by: Kathy Smith | 10.13.06
Kathy,
Thank you for your comment. I am not sure what you mean by chaos merchants. But I think I can speak for lots of marketers who do pro bono work. As for me, I took a vow with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace years ago to work for peace and justice, but I don't often share that kind of information, unless accused of being something I am not.
I urge folks to give back quietly and without fanfare but never to sremain quiet when their character is slandered.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.14.06
Bravo Lewis. My respect for you continues to grow in leaps and bounds.
Posted by: Tim Jackson | 10.14.06
ditto
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 10.15.06
A very convincing argument and a very interesting post.
I don't know whether N.Korea has done any test since no proof of the same from different tests conducted.
But what does annoy me is the fact that every nation in the world knows that nuclear weapons is destructive. It kill people and kills badly. If that is the case, why does US, who is infact the holder of the largest cache, decide to destroy each and everyone of them. Why does it expect that no other country should have it and stops every other country from doing so.
Isn't that an attempt to hold on to power of destruction. How can US take the moral high ground?
Posted by: Balaji M | 10.15.06
Blaji,
Excellent questions for which I have only opinions. For now, let me say that we Americans are asking many of the same questions.
The November elections, and the political marketing of candidates leading up to those elections and how voters respond to that marketing at the polls, may hold some of the answers.
Lewis
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.15.06
Lewis,
My writing came across harsh. It was not intended accusatory although it appeared to be attacking your great writing. Not my intentions and I apologize to you personally. To take some degree of responsibility you are not what I called a merchant of chaos. Those are the companies that make money off of keeping people in fear. That is not you. You are writing to get people out of fear. I am one of those people that has a fear of war. It was tough to read the Art of War as applied to marketing but I finally woke up to its analogies. Examples of marketing chaos are the nightly news, they guys that tow car & get $160 cause we're 2 minutes late on Sunset Blvd., anyone who promotes death & fear is chaotic, drugging our school kids for money is chaotic. Not you. I reread your blog and see the product you are putting forth. I did pro bono marketing for the Vets and Make a Wish and Ronald McDonald House. I showed up helping in New Orleans helping the people. I'm on your side. We need to market and enlighten the public that there are ways to get a cause over the fear mongers so....write on!
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy Smith | 10.16.06
Kathy,
Thank you! You are one of the good gals. Keep up the great work. But try to get over your fear. That is what those who push fear want.
Lewis
Posted by: Lewis Green | 10.16.06
Between your leadership and thoroughly
looking at everything on this NY site
I got at more at cause over this.
http://www.camazotz.com/wtc/1.html
Another great site for you to write
about is http://www.number27.org/
Bookmark it as he is a guru like you
helping the planet.
Thanks Bunches...Hope this isn't too out of date to post.
Kathy Smith
Posted by: Kathy Smith | 10.18.06