A rat inspired this post. I know that sounds ludicrous. (Actually, if you’ve read my posts for a while, it may not seem so ludicrous.) While reading The New York Times this weekend I was taken aback by a rat and the interesting findings shared by the author. First, I need to excerpt some of the article to explain the author’s premise. Let’s start with the rat…
“Technically, a Skinner box is an operant conditioning chamber – in other words, a cage that automatically trains a laboratory animal to associate flashing lights and levers with rewards and punishments. A green light flashes, or the animal pushes the right lever, and it is rewarded with a morsel of food.
But some operant conditioning chambers were built with electrified floors: a red light comes on, and zap! It doesn’t take long for a rat to figure out which light goes with the shock and which goes with the food pellet. All animals, including we primates, are good at making these associations. Pretty soon, we don’t even need the light – the mere sight of the cage can send some of us into a state of apoplexy.”
The author, Dr. Gregory Berns, conducted a like experiment on humans. Never fear, the humans consented to the experiment and no one was harmed. The test subjects just experienced some discomfort– but the surprise is what gave them the most discomfort, as Berns explains:
“My colleagues and I conducted a brain-imaging experiment with our version of a Skinner box. Instead of a box, our participants were inside an M.R.I. scanner. Instead of using an electrified floor, we attached electrodes to the tops of their feet. Although not unbearably painful, the shocks were designed to be unpleasant enough that the individual would prefer to avoid them altogether.
The kicker was that they had to wait for the shocks. Every trial began with a statement of how big the shock would be and how long they would have to wait for it: a range of one to almost 30 seconds. For many people, the wait was worse than the shock. Given a choice, almost everyone preferred to expedite the shock rather than wait for it. Nearly a third feared waiting so much that, when given the chance, they preferred getting a bigger shock right away to waiting for a smaller shock later. It sounds illogical, but fear – whether of pain or of losing a job – does strange things to decision-making.”
How do these findings relate to us?
The market’s collapse which has sent shock upon shock across so many sectors combined with the disruption that was already forcing industries to re-think or kill-off old business models (like publishing, as many now get their news on the Web vs. in print, or automakers having to retool from gas-guzzling SUVs to fuel-efficient hybrids) has given us all much pause. And in its wake it’s left a lot of fear.
We’ve been stunned into submission wondering how things will ever get back to normal–and in the meantime, we’re left fearing for the next shock. Thus, uncertainty and jitters seem the “new normal”– with reports signaling there’s only more uncertainty ahead.
So, where to from here?
As marketers we’re responsible for identifying opportunities, strategies and programs that will move our companies and clients ahead. That role has not changed; but it has expanded. Now we’re not only tasked with moving strategies forward but moving executives past their fear.
You’re bound to see a lot of articles exclaiming, “Now is not the time to cut back on marketing!” I agree. However, with so many companies having to cut their workforce, the reality is that they have had to cut their marketing spend, too. Hence, the choice becomes how to invest the budgets and brainpower they still have.
And our first priority is ensuring that fear isn’t guiding those choices. Because, as adeptly reflected by both the rats and the humans, fear of the unknown (or fear of more shocks!) impairs our decision-making. After all, fear usually results in either standing still or running away–yet innovative, sound decisions are the way we climb out of our electric cages.
As I’ve experienced with a few clients over the past couple weeks, there’s a great sense of relief in moving ahead, even with small steps and slim budgets. It replaces the energy one otherwise spends fearing with energy spent on creating. It also helps to make things feel a little bit more normal.
And while the world may feel stalled right now, once we isolate fear from our decision-making process, we are reminded that, indeed, the world only spins forward.
Plus, I don’t want to be a rat.
Well, I stuck with you on this analogy, and it was worth it. Very interesting post. Oh, excuse me, the buzzer just went off…
Very interesting. I hate talking about the recession. It is so depressing. I guess that’s what we usually go into a depression. Wink wink
Excellent insight.
I’m hoping that clients begin to see the value of using social media and other strategies generally shunted to the “experimental” bin.
If Social Media is really just “WOM on streoids” then it’s going to be a wise investment.
The trick (as with all marketing endeavors) is to do so with forethought and not just rush into it because it seems like the thing to do
Fascinating article, thank you. There are lots of marketing opportunities in a recessionary market with your copywriting. I am reminded of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote, “He has not learned the first lesson in life who does not every day surmount a fear.”
Fear is the most powerful of all motivators and emphasizing what bad thing might happen if your prospect fails to buy your product is always stronger than emphasizing the positive. I drink orange juice and take a multi-vitamin pill every morning not because I like the taste or want to be super healthy but because I fear getting sick if I do not. I take my car in to have the oil changed every 6 months not because I want my car to run well but because I fear my car breaking down if I do not.
The reason fear is the most powerful motivator to get people to do what you want stems from the basic need for survival. If you can scare people into buying your product out of fear they will die, you will be guaranteed to increase your sales. “Buy this nicotine patch, this nicotine gum, instead of buying smokes, and live longer” is the basic sales pitch. Nicotine patches and nicotine gum as a solution to breaking a smoking addiction in order to live longer is very powerful sales copy.
People buy a little to gain something, but they buy a lot when they fear losing something important if they do not. If guns were outlawed by Congress and the public was told that, after next Friday, they could never purchase a gun again, gun stores across the country would sell out in short order. Even people who never considered owning a gun would rush out and buy one because of their fear at missing out on a last chance opportunity. Last chance sales copy is always very powerful.
Excellent post, and I think you’re right on with the observation that doing something, even at a minor scale, is healthier than hunkering. We’re in a period of acceptance and adjustment, and I don’t think it’s all bad. Adjusting to the sudden disappearance of extravagance takes a certain amount of creativity, solving problems with a different set of tools. The one quote from the NYT article that seemed like a leap to me was: “The most concrete thing that neuroscience tells us is that when the fear system of the brain is active, exploratory activity and risk-taking are turned off.” That might be true at a clinical level, but I wonder how true it is with consumers, especially during this acceptance phase of an economic tragedy. I think there is risk-taking, just a far different kind. We’ll try generics or value brands. Maybe we’ll risk that our cars are more adequate than we imagine (I know I do.) In any case, true creativity, I think, solves a problem, and while our present unending list of problems might seem depressing at first, good things will likely come from our efforts to solve them — as marketers, consumers, car makers etc.
@Todd: Thanks–zap!
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. And while many opps have disappeared, as marketers, it’s our job to respond to changing markets–it’s our thing. In so doing, we do our part to start solving the problem (and marketing is as much about solving problems as extending benefits).
@BlogExpert: yup, depressing stuff. But far less “heavy on us” when we’re creating instead of fretting.
@Lance: “Fear is the most powerful of all motivators and emphasizing what bad thing might happen if your prospect fails to buy your product is always stronger than emphasizing the positive.”
Yep. People buy peace-of-mind more than anything else because we humans don’t like bad feelings (guilt, fear, insecurity) and we don’t like losing what we already have; all your examples are spot-on (be it good or bad economies). The extreme loss of confidence (fear) that’s taking hold right now is paralyzing a lot of companies, and understandably so. But in order to move out of this–to ‘feel’ better, or feel less bad–the part we marketers can play (as there are roles that gov’t and others need to play) is to make some sound, creative decisions for the brands we’re responsible for on the budgets we’ve got. First step is realizing how much fear can be halting our decisions and staying cognizant of keeping that out of the decision-making process. Otherwise–business won’t move. Thanks for the Emerson quote, that’s a terrific piece of daily advice
@Alan: Social media, and other creative solutions may be an avenue to experiment with for many marketers. It’s also nice to try something “new”. What I’m doing with social media queries (since, like you, I work in old and new/social media), is to educate them on what’s available to them, explain the “rules of the road” with these tools and then to keep them VERY focused on a sound set of goals and strategies. Because we all know what happens with shiny new toys–and the social media space needs far more signal (and a lot less noise). You know about sound strategies better than anyone.
@Captain: “Adjusting to the sudden disappearance of extravagance takes a certain amount of creativity, solving problems with a different set of tools.”
See, right there, you’re in action mode
Yes, it is interesting that the whole edifice we have built is built on confidence. That is, consumer confidence, investor confidence, etc. Fear and, worse, panic are the enemies of the smooth functioning of our system. Restoring confidence is key. It will happen.
On a personal level, I think it is crucial to avoid fear and especially panic no matter what.
I went scuba diving for the first time last week. The two rules are breath and stay calm no matter what. If your primary regulator were to fail, a shark were to show up on the scene, etc., you must stay calm.
The same applies to business and economics: stay calm. Also, I think it is important to not to let others rile you.
Very refreshing take on things and most definitely the winning attitude and mindset!
Interesting stuff – the sad and painful portion of what is going on is that so many have gotten so dependent on their JOB and the BENEFITs they receive (now felt to be entitlements), they are unable to see the opportunity presented to be their own boss and take real charge of their lives.
They prefer the large charge quickly of accepting a new job to the delayed unknown – maybe no-charge – that could set them free from the cycle of pink slips they have.
They are unwilling to take the pain of learning something new for the acceptance of any lower paying job using the skills they have had in the past.
Use the opportunity and accept the pain – the rewards are great.
Whoa, you brought me back to my Psych-major days, big time.
This is an excellent analogy. No one can perform well when they are in fear. It’s better to get “zapped” and start getting over it, than to constantly feel worried that you MIGHT get zapped.