The goal of marketing is to achieve influence. At its bare bones, a marketing campaign is a dialogue meant to persuade a person one way or the other. In the Magnetization issue of Unfiltered, we take a closer look at this push and pull of influence to uncover how and why it works.
We were attracted to the idea of magnetism for several different reasons. The first is that a magnet by itself is unremarkable. But when it comes into contact with the right material, it springs into action, coming alive and drawing that material into its pull. A lone magnet is similar to a brand without a unique point of view – there’s nothing for people to embrace or stand behind.
Secondly, if something is magnetizing, it’s also polarizing. The balance between the two is vital. You can’t begin your marketing strategy with the idea that you’ll be able to appeal to everybody. It’s not only a misguided strategy, but it’s also impossible. It’s important to have a unique point of view that attracts your target audience, even if that perspective leaves some people out. If you stand for nothing, you’re not a magnet – you’re just an ordinary piece of metal.
However, one of the most magical elements of magnetism is that you can turn an inert metal into a magnet. It takes work, but with the right strategy, you can magnetize your brand, pulling in an audience and keeping them in your orbit.
In this issue, we study Magnetization from a diverse array of angles and perspectives. We explore the merits of skepticism, and imagine what it would be like if a caveman had a blog. In addition, we chart the success of product launches through time, and make the case for why it’s time for marketers to ditch the demographics.
Thanks for sticking with us. We hope you enjoy this issue of Unfiltered.
