Evolution and marketing

        Evolution and marketing

I recently completed a course on coursera called Evolution today. This is my third on MOOC spree. First one was Buddhism and Modern Psychology and then Introduction to marketing. Being an MBA student and an all time marketing enthusiast, these three courses felt connected to me. I could finally realise my thought that every knowledge/subject has the same genesis. It must have come out of the same womb of knowledge which later diversified as Maths, physics, arts, humanities etc.

So is evolutionary psychology related to marketing, was my next question. Can we apply concepts of one in other? After doing these courses, and kudos to the way it was taught, I could not help myself but thinking about the same. How can present day marketers, strategists can design campaigns based on evolution or mainly evolutionary psychology.

Companies like Amazon, apple, coca cola. Why are they so successful in what they do. What makes their campaign and their product to stand out. Perhaps, some evolution basics they are riding on.

Amazon works best on localising their campaign. When they are in India, their company become Indian. It does not feel that they are branch of some company based in America. This helps in earning the trust of the customer also known as green beard effect in evolution. A person is more likely to help, trust another if they share something similar. And here there advertising(‘apni dukaan’, ‘aur dikhao’), products(wide variety of product line), offers(The great Indian sale), branding, everything is aligned with Indian mindset. People were ‘compelled’ to believe them. In India competing with home grown e-commerce was never easy. Apart from their operational efficiency they also tailored themselves according to the country. This worked and people trust them like any other home grown company and sometimes more than that.

Then what is it with Apple. Apple never design their campaign specific to a region. They also feel more like an American company or global company then Indian. Then why are Indians, or any country for that matter, so much obsessed with their products. Definitely, their product centric approach, cutting edge technology is one aspect but other than that is their brand value.

Over the years, Apple has honed their brand to an extent where people want to associate with them no matter what premium price they are charging. This association gives a person validation to their status in society. Same like selection in evolution. A person who is wealthy(read resourceful) enough to take care of his kin is more likely to pass genes in the next generation. 

Now one should not misinterpret this, that the purpose of buying an iPhone is to mate and pass on the genes. Most of the times our decisions are based on subconscious mind we possess. We don't own free-will. Several choices that we make are culture and evolution dependent. And  evolutionary thinking, will not change in a few decades, it is a rather slow process in certain cases. Most times our culture propagates a thinking with which we later evolve. 

Like, there was a time when hoarding things was necessary to survive. It is not today but still we do. Store things in excess to what we need. Gorge on sweet, fatty or salty food in order to have energy for longer time. In ancestral time this was a requirement, now only an innate wiring. 

Culture differences

A newborn is not a clean slate. He can recognize faces, sense danger(in few cases). Also in the coming years, the culture surrounding him has an effect. That is why a marwari son is more likely to become a business man than join do some job. In the same way few colors are more preferable than others in a culture(like yellow is the color of betrayal in France while prosperity in Africa). 

One should keep in mind, that not only genes, cells, individual but a whole group evolves. People living in India have a different mindset then people elsewhere. This may get propagated or give way for new thinking. Like there was a time when cruelty on women was at extreme like sati practices etc. Now over time, these prejudices are losing its power, decades later we may see ourselves evolving completely out of it.

Culture and marketing

So why are there so many products lined up only for women? Why some brands prefer one color over the other in a geography? Perhaps, culture is the reason. In recent years, a new type of feminism and women empowerment is on surge. In India, the change in mindset towards women is unprecedented. Now products that can accentuate these thoughts are carrying themselves on this bandwagon. Whether its ethnic apparel store Soch or even Bournvita, all are celebrating women empowerment and cashing it in return. The same campaign would not have worked in other locations but it is, in India. Culture evolves and so should marketing.

All the examples that I have given above(Amazon, Apple) have evolved their strategies over time. That is the reason they don't feel like a company of last century. They are much fresh and updated than newbies on the shelf. Whether it is their technology or the way they pitch their products, it's all evolving. One of the biggest reasons for their success.

Evolution defines all of us and our thinking. If marketers can take cues from evolution, they can present their product better. What sort of advertisement pitch is right for a particular audience? Is it culturally aligned? Am I taking hints from the psychology? 

Evolution is a forward process. Its evolves and so should marketing. Century old marketing tactics may not work today. Present day ads may be redundant in the future. People and their minds are evolving much faster than you assume. Are you ready to board this race?