It has been some time since I read Aristotle or should I say forced to read Aristotle in school. But since doing so voluntarily and willingly I have been struck by the lessons he provides to marketers. One of his most interesting discussion threads in Poetics is the notion that cleverness precludes depth. Of course, he was examining poetry but there are clear lessons given the connection between storytelling and brand building. And cleverness trumping depth has been one of the historic criticisms of marketing and advertising. So I thought it would be interesting to relate ten of Aristotle thoughts to current communications practices.

“A friend to all is a friend to none. “
By trying to please everyone, you end up pleasing none says Aristotle and this is certainly true today in business communications. Brands are sorting devices. Their stories must convey to consumers who the brand is meant for in terms of practical application and emotional appeal. A brand runs a significant risk when engaging the masses without first understanding who is the ideal consumer.

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Posted on February 17, 2010 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)