WIN THE YOUNG
Hidden Marketing Law #1
Marketing is not more complicated, but more complex than quantum physics. That is why there are no laws, just a few “law like” rules available in Marketing. With Causal AI we can match complexity of marketing and find causal mechanisms that have not been discovered yet. Over 15 years of practical research we found five law-like patterns that you can use to your favor.
This is law #1.
A Lottery company wanted to understand how to position to win more customers. They had been communicating to an aged audience because numbers showed clearly – lottery buyers are old. A Causal AI analysis was eye opening. Aged audiences were buying because they habitualized buying and increased loyalty buy occasionally winning. But when prospects are equal – except the age- younger people are more likely to play lottery.
A fundraising non-profit wanted to relaunch the marketing strategy. There is one “wisdom” that the whole industry “knows”. Aged people are much more likely to donate. As a byproduct, however Causal AI busted this myth too. Age has no causal impact on donations. It’s the amount of savings that do. The older people get, the more they have saved thus donate more. But the takeaway contradicts industry beliefs: win young affluent audiences to secure future donations.
A utility brand wanted to refine its brand strategy and commissioned research. What Causal AI revealed was that the more brands a customer considers, the harder it is to win him over. The main determinator of the size of this relevant set? Guess what. Its age. Young prospects now just a few brands and at the moment of their first brand choice in life they typically pick a good enough option.
The Law #1: Customers build relevant sets about a category during their life. The earlier you can get in, the less costly it is and the more dividends you get. Human brains are lazy. Whenever possible they build habits to safe resources. It’s the same with brand choice. It’s a habit too. Help customers to habitualize buying your brand – as early as possible. In short: Win the young.
If you think “Isn’t that obvious” please be reminded: first the examples above showed that it is not obvious for many industries. Second, the 50+ audience is becoming larger and buying power is rising. Just recently an initiative popped up advocating the “lost audience 50+”. It’s a bad habit of the research industry to rely on spurious correlations, instead of causal truth.
Customers are like trees: once roots are set, it’s hard to move them.
Once a river has carved its bed, it rarely changes course.
When the cement is fresh, you can make a clear imprint.
Win customers early and you become their first love, their default choice, their lifelong habit. Miss that moment and you’re forever fighting hardened roots and rivers that won’t change course. Causal AI uncovers these truths.
And once you see them, you’ll never look at marketing the same way again..
This is how you 10x Insights