Marketing now combines psychology, data, and storytelling. These are the principles on which you should be studying for the Registered Marketing Professional (RMP) exam or just wishing to be heard in business.
Rather than simply enumerating principles, let’s illustrate them with actual marketing examples that demonstrate why they are crucial.
1. Attention is highly prized today.
The $4,500 Viral Video of Dollar Shave Club.
In 2012, a small subscription shave business named Dollar Shave Club released an inexpensive, offbeat video titled:
“Our Blades Are F**ing Great.”
They spent only $4,500 to make it—but it was funny, surprising, and clear. In 48 hours, the video gained more than 12,000 new subscribers and eventually helped them become a billion-dollar brand.
Lesson: You don’t have to spend a million dollars in advertising to be heard. You need a good hook, good storytelling, and guts to be different.
How do you utilize this?
1. Start your content with a strong statement, fact, or question.
2. Make it simple—simplicity trumps complexity.
3. Get people to stop scrolling through using funny, emotional, or interesting content.
2. Trust > Tactics
The Problems With Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad
Pepsi made a commercial in 2017 featuring Kendall Jenner. She was depicted as a peacemaker at a protest by offering a Pepsi to an officer.
The backlash was immediate. People called it tone-deaf and exploitative, and Pepsi had to pull the ad within 24 hours.
Lesson: Folks can spot when a brand is faking it. Trust isn’t created with artificial social messaging—it’s created through genuine connections.
How can you apply this?
1. Ensure what you do supports what you say. Don’t fake social influence.
2. Listen to your public—what they think matters.
3. Be honest. Own up to your errors, get better, and be yourself.
3. Data Is Your Secret Weapon
Netflix is able to keep you watching.
Have you ever considered how Netflix always has the right show for you?
It’s not fortune—it’s facts. Netflix considers:
1. What you watch 2. When you pause 3. How long you binge 4. When you stop watching
Their algorithm, which is AI-based, assists them in making personalized suggestions, which makes users watch shows for longer. That is why 80% of the shows that individuals watch on Netflix are recommended.
Lesson: If you’re not using data, then you’re selling without solid information.
How do you apply this?
1. Use AI and analytics to track customer activities
2. Conduct A/B tests—experiment with varying content, advertisements, and tactics.
3. Personalize your messaging—one-size-fits-all marketing is done.
4. Social Selling is the Future
How Gary Vee Created a Big Business from Social Media
Gary Vaynerchuk, or Gary Vee, started out as a wine merchant, not an Instagram celebrity.
He grew his family’s liquor business from $3 million to $60 million within 5 years—not with traditional advertisements, but through answering questions that individuals had online.
1. He produced educational wine videos on YouTube.
2. He engaged with customers directly on Twitter.
3. He built his personal brand initially, and subsequently earned money from it.
Now, he heads a $300M marketing agency—all thanks to his expertise in social selling.
Lesson: Individuals do not purchase from businesses; they purchase from individuals.
How can you apply this?
1. Create your own brand on Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
2. First, participate; afterward, sell. Respond to inquiries, provide worth, and remain seen.
3. Share real stories of how customers succeeded—this proof from others is strong.
5. The 4Ps Are Changing
Apple’s Genius Move—Selling an Experience, Not Just a Product
When Apple initially introduced the iPod, they didn’t market it as an MP3 player. Rather than stating:
❌ “1GB of storage!”
They said:
“1,000 songs in your pocket.”
Apple does not just sell products—it sells experiences.
They sell on emotions, not attributes. That is why Apple consumers do not only purchase equipment; they are members of a culture and a way of life.
Lesson: 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) are not sufficient anymore.
What can you do with this?
1. Care more for the feelings of your customers than the product itself.
2. Sell a lifestyle, a transformation, or a collective effort.
3. Make your company more than selling stuff—make it a story.
Last Takeaway: Marketing is All About Adaptation Marketing is not what you are selling but how you make them feel.
- Get attention.
- Establish trust.
- Make use of data to make decisions.
- Master social selling.
- Give experiences, not just the 4Ps.
So, here’s a question: What of these marketing lessons made the biggest impression on you? Leave a comment below!