Consumers are not targets, they are people to build relationships with.

Brands must become more human. Now what…?

By Bob Wheatley

I apologize. This post is a bit soapbox-ish. Can you feel the exhorting wind up? Well. Here goes…

There’s a saying: old habits die hard(er). For some businesses that’s a godsend as consumers come back again and again, if for no other reason than the intractable benefits of habit. It’s also true in default marketing behaviors, but these days with decidedly more frustrating results.

It’s harder than ever to market to consumers. The typical “build a positioning platform, message test and run it out there through every relevant channel” is harder to make stick. Why? Consumers work overtime to avoid contact with attempts at persuasion or anything that resembles it.

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