Which Segment Are You?

It was one of those ideal Southern California days--bright sun, cool ocean breeze. Merrie spent a big part of the day in the backyard, reading and watching wildlife. Sophie spent the evening obsessed with one corner of the house where a real or imagined critter was making noise. She had to repeatedly check it out from both inside and outside. Translated: “Let me in.” “Let me out.” Repeat 47 times.

Quote of the day:
“All of us, I'm afraid, tend to shun the work of actually engaging our critical-thinking faculties.  Instead, we prefer to simply be told what to think, what to like and what to buy, as long as we are told in a way that makes it seem like our own idea.”
--Preston Creston

The science of marketing seems to reach higher and higher into the sophistication stratosphere. Yet focus groups and one-on-one interviews consistently indicate that almost everyone considers his or her tastes and preferences as unique--that is, not susceptible to marketing.

However, the real story is that each of us, whether we know it or like it or not, is in a demographic/psychographic segment. And marketing forces are at work on us throughout each day. Marketing has become so microscopically fine-tuned that this happens all the time.

If we think we are not susceptible to advertising it’s because we are not aware we’re affected by advertising, or other forms of marketing. And it is not just products and services that are marketed. It is also ideas, opinions and candidates.

The best favor we can do for ourselves is to be aware that this is happening.