Arguments and outcomes

The purpose of marketing is to cause change. If we’re trying to build a movement, raise money for a non-profit, sell a product, change lifestyles, build community–these are all marketing activities that exist to change the way people act.

Using these three drivers, you can look at the spread of helmets in the NHL, or electric cars in California or Nike sneakers everywhere. We can see it in the decline in smoking in some communities, or the rise of a popular style of music as well.

And convenience is the hallmark of a semi-lazy decision–it’s just easier.

In general, there are three things that cause people to change their actions:Status rolesAffiliationConvenience

Affiliation is related to status, but more specific. It’s “people like us do things like this.” In the words of the Rolling Stones: He can’t be a man because he doesn’t smoke, the same cigarettes as me.

The originators of these and other ideas didn’t begin with status, affiliation or convenience, but that’s what ended up working.

Status roles involve whether this action will move someone up or down in the estimation of their peers or competitors.