The Word Wrangler

Regardless of where you come down on the global warming debate there’s no denying that it’s a hugely successful marketing campaign.

Why has it worked so well and what can you learn from it?

Testimonials: The presence of expert testimonials in any marketing campaign gives it the appearance of being authoritative. People are more apt to listen to your message if you include testimonials – especially from experts. People who market global warming employ plenty of expert testimonials to bolster the message they want to get across.

Saturation: Getting your message in front of as many people as you can naturally increases the chances of it having an effect. Even if your target audience is a tiny niche, you should strive to saturate that niche as best you can. Global warming has been put in front of virtually everyone in America. TV, print ads, movies and radio spots ensure that everyone with ears is hearing.

Fear: Using fear to sell is not new. Simply check out any ad for home owner’s insurance and you’ll find them using fear to sell you something. Of course there are other emotional triggers that can be hit with your marketing, but fear ranks as one of the highest. You can employ fear even when selling yourself. For example, you might create the impression that by hiring another freelancer, the client won’t be guaranteed to get their project on time. Or they might risk getting copy that’s full of grammar and spelling mistakes. Global warming employs fear better than any other marketing campaign I’ve seen. After all, we’re talking about the destruction of the entire planet – what’s scarier than that?

Call to action: Marketing and advertising campaigns that employ a strong call to action are sometimes dubbed direct response marketing. However, I think that most advertising campaigns are direct response campaigns. When McDonald’s advertises a new sandwich they want you to run out and buy one – even if it’s not implicitly stated in the ad. Using a call to action involves your target audience in your marketing campaign. You’re asking them to make a decision about something rather than just giving them a message and walking away. The Global warming campaign has many calls to action. Buy carbon offsets, produce less waste, buy hybrid vehicles, use compact fluorescent lighting, etc. When you ask something of your customer they’re either going to say yes or no. But the important thing to do is ask.

My goal here isn’t to take a stand or make a political statement, but rather to show you how some successful marketing campaigns work. And whether you believe global warming is man-made, just a natural cycle, or a bunch of hooey, it IS being marketed to us – and quite successfully I might add.