Image by Niek Verlaan from Pixabay
There are 14 reasons for failures in marketing and for changing public opinion. Humor me as I provide tongue-in-cheek examples — the Left’s socialism protests over climate change and Occupy Wall Street.
Even if they might be right on the merits of their issues, there are 14 marketing reasons why leftists’ protests fail to influence most voting Americans — Independents and Conservatives.
No one is asking, but if today’s leftist-socialism protesters want to know how to win, they need to conduct cohesive major-marketing campaigns.
Otherwise, today’s leftist-socialism protests over climate change won’t work as didn’t those “Occupy Wall Street” protests back in 2011. They have not known how to be influencers, as they fail to heed the lessons from the Vietnam War.
Consider actress Jane Fonda and her Friday arrests for protesting climate change outside the United States Capitol in violation of the law that bans obstructing public building entrances. Leftists might be cheering, but her activities are ignored by Independents and Conservatives.
Her role as a climate-change protester will not change many voters’ minds. She’s the wrong spokesperson for the movement. Why? She is hated by a majority of Middle Americans who have a memory.
Near her protests: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial with the inscribed names of 57,939 Americans — members of U.S. armed forces who died or who have been missing.
“Hanoi Jane,” as she was labeled in 1972, America was in chaos as she engaged in disruptive unpatriotic acts — from going on Radio Hanoi to give several speeches — to having her picture taken wearing a helmet with North Vietnamese soldiers while sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun.
She was widely seen as hurting America’s cause as Henry Kissinger, who in 1969 had been appointed the Nixon Administration’s national security advisor, was trying to negotiate peace with the North Vietnamese. He was finally successful and earned the Nobel Prize for his role in 1973.
Economic conditions prior to Occupy Wall Street protests
The nation needs a new culture – call it economic patriotism. Admittedly, it’s partly an issue of How CEOs, Taxes and Policymakers Failed the U.S.
The corporate and Wall Street entitlement attitudes – certainly not everyone but a significant number – helped cause and exacerbate the Great Recession. The Bush and Obama Administration bailouts made it worse.
The U.S. continued to precariously suffer in its fiscal doldrums during the Obama Administration until Middle Americans were the catalyst for the election of an economic patriot as president and his productive public policies were introduced to improve the pecuniary environment for the creation of jobs.
Many banks and credit card companies behaved in a predatory fashion.
Because they’re domiciled in about six states that allow high interest rates on credit cards and related lines of credit, banks were able to charge exorbitant interest rates on small businesses and consumers – as much as 38 percent for dubious reasons.
And they abruptly cut off lines of credit for countless companies and micro-businesses. (Consequently, many were left with poor credit ratings, and couldn’t even qualify for Small Business Administration loans with real-estate collateral.)
Among the hard-hit domestic automobile manufacturers, only Ford Motor Company didn’t ask taxpayers for help.
But the banks and the other auto companies had the temerity to lobby for bailouts, as countless Americans lost their jobs and homes. Foreclosures were rampant, and the financial institutions were hoarding their cash following the bailouts.
GOP and Democrats’ dysfunction
In part, the blame for the Great Recession also fell on Republicans in Congress. As an Independent, I’m a strong business and free-enterprise advocate and believe the actions by politicians have been problematic.
Republicans looked the other way during all the predatory behavior. You might recall economic conditions worsened and the federal debt exploded under President George Bush who failed to veto countless bills containing pork earmarks during the first six years of his presidency.
Democrats failed to speak out as it was occurring, and they later failed to include small-business protections in passing the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection. Democrats were also to blame for allowing the debt to skyrocket as President Obama didn’t submit budgets to Congress.
Let’s not forget another entity. I wonder: Does the Federal Reserve Understand Small Business? No.
Amid all of this, how could the protests help change the culture of corporate greed for economic patriotism?
Protesters needed more articulation – not just inane ramblings about corporate greed and spreading the wealth – and organization. Merely sticking it to the wealthy with taxes, and closely allying with opportunists, such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, didn’t enable good messaging to help the cause.
Middle America – the chief arbitrator
The movement needed to grow roots with a credible leadership to espouse American values, as in the Vietnam War. Instead of just a bunch of hippies, pacifists and students making a difference, Independent and Conservative American patriots had begun to question the justification for the war.
Remember when President Lyndon Johnson famously said: “If I’ve lost Cronkite, I’ve lost Middle America.” It was February 27, 1968 after Walter Cronkite, known as “the most-trusted man in America,” on CBS News questioned the merits of the war. The next month Mr. Johnson announced his decision not to seek re-election.
In effect, Mr. Cronkite had become the all-important spokesperson.
Despite the lesson, Wall Street protesters failed without a credible spokesperson. That’s also true with Jane Fonda and climate change in understanding how to get things done in America. The Left ostensibly don’t understand there are five value-motivating perceptions in marketing (which are listed in the article, Marketing Checklist – Tips for Growth and Winning).
Again, a classic marketing line of attack is needed. A rag-tag approach doesn’t lead to successful marketing results.
Causes of marketing-campaign failures
In marketing failures, there are 14 salient causes:
- Inadequate analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
- Drawing incorrect conclusions from the analysis (leading to ineffective overall strategic planning)
- Unrealistic budgeting
- Ineffective testing of ideas and messaging
- Arrogance – over confidence
- Poor coordination with centers of influence
- Not developing effective teamwork and communication among stakeholders
- Targeting the wrong market
- Lack of job descriptions – who will do what and when?
- Wrong people in many key positions
- Poor positioning in attributes and benefit statements
- Ineffective allocation of promotional funds – wrong mediums preventing top-of-mind awareness in customers, or voters
- Unproductive evaluation of the campaign and return on investment
- Unsuccessful responses to negative surprises and failure to capitalize on opportunities
Do you see the parallels? Thanks for humoring me.
From the Coach’s Corner, for hundreds of proven solutions in every aspect of marketing, see the marketing section.
Not to digress, how I chose to deal with the turmoil of the Vietnam War
Even though I was opposed to the Vietnam War, and rather than waste time in public protests, I vigorously fought the Selective Service. The draft board didn’t care I was the father of two children. After I complained my private’s pay would only be $224/month, the board chairman told me to have my wife apply for welfare. His arrogance angered me and gave me motivation to continue fighting.
This was in late summer of the 1971 recession, and I needed a job to support my family. Even as a college graduate, there were few available jobs.
A prospective employer called my draft board to inquire about my I-A draft status. I’ll never forget the horror of what he said the board representative told him: “We’re very familiar with Corbell and he’ll be on the next plane to Vietnam.”
Fortunately, the open-minded employer, James Pitto at California Casualty and Life, who I later learned was a staunch Conservative, called me for my response. Desperate for a job, I perspired nervously as I explained my tactics.
He said he was impressed with my perseverance and strategies, and he wanted to hire someone like me for the sales-related job. I was thrilled to be employed the next week. For the next three years, I regret I was a handful at times for him, but I rewarded him with the No. 1 sales in the company’s northern California territory in my third year. (James Pitto, wherever you are, God bless you for your wisdom, compassion and humor.)
“Three great forces rule the world: stupidity, fear and greed.”
-Albert Einstein
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