Analogy: An Effective Marcom Strategy

Marketing Communications is a vital cog of the marketing wheel. To the savants of strategy, Marcom is the tactical foot soldier who only asks ‘How High?’ when asked to jump, the hands and feet dedicated to serve the brain. But think again, ye strategists, for Marcom is execution and execution is what the customer sees. And execution requires strategizing of its own. Analogy is a very effective Marcom strategy that can give you an edge.

Let’s take this BMW Used Car Print Ad for example. It shows us how great Marcom can take your brand to an altogether different level.  To some, this may seem sexist, to other –amoral. But let’s think about it for a minute, assuming we are looking at it in a liberal society.

BMW’s position is that of being an ultimate driving machine. It is a man’s car, a driving pleasure giver. And men get turned on by women (at least the straight men do and unless more come out in the open, this is the majority segment). Covered.

A used car always carriers the baggage of the previous user. Would it be worth it? Would it be durable? Would be just as good? At first glance, the woman looks hot and she gives you an inviting look. Would most men care if she’s been with someone else when all they want is pleasure? Probably not. The ad needed to address the most important concern of used goods. Covered.

The call to action is the best part of any Marcom campaign. A simple URL does the trick, when the conquest has been won by the image. Covered.

As John Sculley, the former CEO of Apple said, “The way to motivate people is to get them interested in your product”. 

One of the best methods of evoking interest, of breaking through the clutter, is analogy. It helps straddle categories and takes the customer to places that he/she is comfortable with, connects with emotions that they want to feel. B2B and B2C companies use it effectively.

Let's look at a B2B context. Take a look at this image. Wouldn’t anyone want peaceful sleep? This can be an effective way for any outsourcing company to communicate peace of mind for their customers.

If you look at the buying process of Awareness, Interest, Decision, Action & Satisfaction, analogy-based Marcom can be an effective tool for the first two stages.