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.

“All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.”
What a terrific checklist for a communications campaign! It calls for marketers to eliminate chance, set the campaign in proper context, and appeal to the wants and needs of the ideal consumer including how and why they buy.

“All men by nature desire knowledge. “
Traditional advertising has given way to meaningful conversations between brand and consumers with the power in the actual relationship. More and more we desire information to help make better decisions as a consumer and we appreciate and value our fellow consumers view on brands (I am influenced by my fellow reviewers on Amazon).

“Character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion.”
Brands that communicate a clear position and character are more successful. Their values match as closely as possible to the values of their desired ideal consumer. And the brand character must consistently and constantly provide the benefits the brand claims. That is the way to persuade consumers to try and remain with your brand.

“Different men seek after happiness in different ways and by different means, and so make for themselves different modes of life.”
Stay with me here but I interpret this one as the huge changes taking place in how consumers like to receive and interact with their brands. Some of us still like TV and magazines while many others prefer receiving a constant stream of information through digital platforms and peer reports. We may be at a crossroads but currently the challenge is to be everywhere your consumer is and that means being in many channels which work together as one.

“In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts of the speech.”
Previously Aristotle stated that character is the best means for persuasion while here he marries that idea with communicating with the consumer in their voice to make an instant and lasting connection. And lastly he is telling us to construct our communications in a tailored, order-of-importance, and meaningful way. Once again, a simple checklist for any campaign.

“It is not once nor twice but times without number that the same ideas make their appearance in the world.”
He is pointing out the fact that there are few truly original ideas in our world. Most successful business books point this out as well. True innovation is a difficult goal. The best strategy may ask how do we improve what we have through many small ideas rather than focusing on large and often elusive goals.

“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
Great marketing and advertising make people think even if they do not purchase BUT it is the marketer’s role to sell more stuff to more people at a higher price forever and ever. This is a longstanding and universal tension that will never go away and in part makes us the job of marketing so challenging.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
What a beautiful quote from Aristotle which carries more than one lesson for marketers. If one were to receive a brief for a brand building campaign that said simply, “convey its inward significance”, it would arguably produce articulate, eloquent and thoughtful results.

“The whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Certainly true today in terms of reaching the consumers a brand most desires. Brand stewards and marketers must have a grasp of all of the moving pieces that bring about a great experience which is no easy feat in a time of great change and choice, increasingly sophisticated consumers, and the need to communicate honesty while delivering value.

So thank you to Aristotle for providing all of us marketers with inspiration and direction.

Jeff Swystun, Chief Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

Posted on February 17, 2010 8:22 PM | Permalink

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