The Good Looking Driver
June 14th, 2005I agree with BusinessPundit, who disagrees with Christopher from The Social Customer Manifesto, who says that Seth Godin, in All Marketers Are Liars, is being disrespectful to consumers. It seems to me that Seth is simply making the observation that the “story” behind a product greatly influences the level of satisfaction that particular people, namely those whose worldview aligns with the story, derive from purchasing it. Does it matter if the story and/or the all-things-being-equal utility of the product is scientifically accurate? I don’t think so. The end result is the same, and is real.
For the past several weeks I’ve been looking to buy a new driver (as in the biggest stick in your golf bag, driver). Paul, my golfing buddy, has stressed to me the importance of getting a club that “fits your eye”. Now obviously, in a void, the “fits your eye”-edness of a club is a property that doesn’t even exist, let alone add value. But as soon as I step up to the tee box and get a kick of confidence because of the way it looks the story is completed and the value is created. However placebo-like the mechanism, the end result, the value, is real.
Tags: sethgodin, allmarketersareliars