Beating Down the Straw Man.
Since the days of Claude Hopkins, one of the primary roles of advertising has been to create a need for the product or service. Used to be that the need was not so much created as simply pointed out.
But as more and more products appeared on the scene, and competition for the public’s attention, time and money intensified, simply pointing out a need no longer became enough. Hence was born The Modern Age of Marketing. Suddenly shoppers had a multitude of options, and the differences between products or brands were minimal.
It was during these time the idea of “Strawman Marketing” came about. Marketers dramatized a negative situation that might occur should the consumer not buy their products. Hence was born campaigns for Glade’s “House-a-tosis”, Scope’s “Morning Breath” and one of the most grating of all (presented here) Wisk’s “Ring Around the Collar.”
Without a doubt the strategy of setting up a straw man worked. Phrases like “The Fear of Being Close”, “Choosy Mothers Choose Jiff” and “It’s Not Nice To Fool With Mother Nature” not only sold product, they became part of the popular lexicon.
But how would these “straw man” tactics work today, in the age of Social Media, where audience skepticism, self-appointed brand watchdogs and the need for transparency rule the day?
One thing that has remained constant in advertising is that we’re not selling products, we’re selling the possibility of a better life. To that end, competitive advertising (whether of the head-to-head variety or against the so-called straw man) continues to have its place. I believe, though, that any such attempt to “create a need” with our audience must come from a place of authenticity. Anything that reeks of being misleading, manipulative, irrelevant or disingenuous risks suffering sever blow back from customers and the blogosphere.
What I’m noticing these days is that successful straw man marketing is tempered with a fair amount of self-effacing humor. A few examples that come to mind are the Axe Anti-Perspirant spot that shows the “perpetual sweating” guy, and this recent “Bacon Neck” spot from Hanes. The tongue-in-cheek humor of these is a lot easier to swallow than, say, the mock exasperation of “Ring Around the Collar.”
Want to set up a straw man to beat down in your marketing? Feel free. Just be smart (and sensitive) about it. Treat it as an inside joke with your followers. And whatever you do, avoid “Ring Around the Collar.”
Posted by Mickey
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