By Marty Cagan · svpg.com · LinkedIn
The author, watching TV ads on a DVR, found that a Palm Pre commercial failed to convey what the phone actually did, while an iPhone ad made the product immediately clear and compelling. She argues that products only feel relevant when marketing is set in the right context, which means understanding the cultural conversation and the competing messages people see. Good marketing also needs a memorable hook and should show a product's value rather than merely tell people about it. Her conclusion is that marketers should study mass and pop culture, since even elite customers respond to it, and that doing so is part of the job.
01Key takeaways
- Products seem relevant only when their marketing fits the context people already live in.
- Study the cultural conversation, including popular media, not just industry news.
- Use a clear, memorable hook to stand out in crowded categories.
- Show what the product does through demonstration rather than telling people how great it is.
- Treat your own media consumption as market research and apply what captures your attention.
02Key sections
- A failed phone commercial
- The author contrasts a Palm Pre ad that hid the product behind vague imagery with an iPhone ad that clearly demonstrated its apps. She feels sorry for the Palm team whose product stayed a mystery.
- Relevance requires context
- Products only capture attention when marketing fits the surrounding cultural conversation, which people seek out for social connection. Marketers who ignore that context make their messages easy to miss.
- Study pop culture
- Reading targeted trade publications alongside celebrity magazines and watching online video shows what is getting attention. Spotting common threads in what works helps marketers tie products to culturally relevant themes.
- Create a hook and show, don't tell
- In crowded categories, marketing needs a quick hook such as a story, feature, or striking visual. Demonstrating the product's value is more persuasive than simply claiming it is amazing.
- Learn from what grabs your attention
- Marketers should use their own attention as a guide, observing what captures them and applying those lessons to their own work. Activities like social media and reality TV count as professional research.
03From the post
“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.