CAN'T BUY ME LIKE

In January 2012, Garfield and Levy published an article in Ad Age that introduced the idea of “the human element” as the key to marketing success in today’s world. The article received widespread praise and was shared more than 6,000 times—an impressive number for a marketing-industry trade magazine. Now they’ve written a book-length manifesto for their idea.

Every CEO and CMO on the planet has uttered the phrase “the consumer is in control.” But saying it is different from internalizing and adapting to the truth that today’s corporations and their brands must interact with their customers in the same way humans interact with one another. The only way to create, cultivate and sustain these relationships is to discard all the received marketing wisdom of the past 200 years.

According to Garfield and Levy, brands must look inward to embrace an identity and purpose that permeates every aspect of marketing. They explore brands that have successfully increased their influence by creating a connection with their customers, which allows them to thrive with significantly smaller marketing budgets. For example: * Patagonia, a clothing company that has always prided itself on its commitment to the environment, fully solidified its relationship with customers after it ran an ad urging people not to buy one of its jackets unless they really needed it. * Krispy Kreme has managed to maintain a solid fan base for its delicious donuts despite a tumbling stock price, managerial missteps, and a product that’s terrible for you. * Secret, long an average player in the women’s antiperspirant arena, gained a significant increase in market share after a national marketing campaign stressing its commitment to strong women. In addition to such examples, Garfield and Levy introduce what they call the Brand Sustainability Map, a tool for marketers that shows how market share and trust each shape consumer decisions about which brands they choose.
The brands that succeed these days are the ones that have personality, purpose, and values. This powerful book shows how to join that elite club.
Bob Garfield is a prominent commentator and analyst of advertising and marketing. For 25 years, his “Ad Review” column in Ad Age evaluated, vetted, parsed, and deconstructed thousands of ads from hundreds of agencies worldwide, and over the past decade, he has chronicled the digital revolution. He also serves as the co-host of National Public Radio’s On the Media and is the author of The Chaos Scenario. Doug Levy is the founder and CEO of imc?, a relationship-focused marketing firm based in Dallas. He is a self-proclaimed “stubborn optimist” committed to the idea that business can thrive while also making a meaningful contribution to the world.