The Persuaders and Love Marks

The Persuaders, a documentary exploring common marketing techniques utilized by US companies, emphasized the importance in "breaking through the clutter." Essentially, advertisements have permeated so deeply into American culture that consumers have developed immunities to certain forms of persuasion. This creates a necessity for companies to find ways to transcend these common tropes and set themselves apart from the crowd. Of course, eventually, these become part of the clutter also and marketing companies have to develop some new way to distinguish themselves from the rest. In the face of this dilemma, American companies have found new ways of approaching their advertisements that hope to grab the attention of consumers already inundated with them. For example, some corporations attempt to create a lifestyle around their products and focus their marketing around that culture associated with their brand instead of the actual product.

Other companies have invested in creating a strong emotional connection between their products and their customers. Called love marks, these products appeal to much more fundamental, affective consumer tendency. This marketing technique makes consumers feel loyalty beyond reason and intimacy with certain products. They come to occupy a special place in customers' heart which makes them more willing to pay for them or buy new products by that brand. After learning of this tactic, the first example that came to my mind was Pokemon. Although I never played or watched very much Pokemon, both the video game and show were very important parts of my brother' childhoods. They had Pokemon-themed birthday parties, Pikachu backpacks, and became immersed in the extensive information and backstory surrounding the little creatures. Pokemon ultimately became inextricably tied to and a part of their childhood. It became more than just an entertainment conglomerate, but a special and integral part of their upbringing. Because the brand established such an intimate and emotional connection with their consumer, they were able to sell more product. Of course their appeal to children became more effective because kids were more likely to buy other goods that were Pokemon-themed. However, the less obvious advantage of love marks is their lifetime. This emotional connection that Pokemon mastered lasted beyond childhood and continued to persuade consumers into adulthood. By becoming an iconic part of many people's childhood, Pokemon is able to appeal to nostalgia and fond memories of adolescence to sell products to adults. Love marks are extremely effective marketing techniques because they shift the appeal away from what is actually being sold. Regardless of the quality, necessity, value, etc of the product, people will buy it because they feel a strong emotional connection to that particular brand.