Forget Superior — Is Your Product Even Positively Good?
The following quote comes from one of my all-time favorite books, Ogilvy on Advertising, and is attributed to Joel Raphaelson:
In the past, just about every advertiser has assumed that in order to sell his goods he has to convince consumers that his product is superior to his competitor’s.
This may not be necessary. It may be sufficient to convince consumers that your product is positively good. If the consumer feels certain that your product is good and feels uncertain about your competitor’s, he will buy yours.
If you and your competitors all make excellent products, don’t try to imply that you product is better. Just say what’s good about your product — and do a clearer, more honest, more informative job of saying it.
If this theory is right, sales will swing to the marketer who does the best job of creating confidence that his product is positively good.
Ogilvy concludes, “This approach to advertising parity products does not insult the intelligence of consumers. Who can blame you for putting your best foot forward?”
I often wonder how many people in advertising today would still find the scriptures of the King of Madison Avenue relevant, if they have read him at all.
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