The Creative Work's Effect on Ads

Mike Bendixen, in a research entitled "Advertising effects and effectiveness", argues that the creative work has no effect on the magnitude of an advertising campaign; as the latter is only affected by the frequency of use of the medium in question.

As I stop to assimilate his research findings, I cannot help but pause thoughtfully. If indeed creativity does not in any way compensate on frequency; how can smaller campaigns, at times, get better response?

I would have to disagree in parts to the way the finding is presented. "Magnitude" by definition refers to the size. Thus obviously we are talking about frequency and reach. However, the way I see it, good creative work helps support the campaign in magnitude too, and is not merely a tool that dictates the efficiency of the campaign, as Bendixen seems to put it.

How? A good creative work stimulates the brain. It can be humor, it can be shock, simply beauty or even creativity. Whatever it is, it increases the magnitude exponentially as it is bound to create word of mouth.

Thus, I would not go against what has been stated by Bendixen. The magnitude within the medium in question is not affected by the creative work. Yes. The same medium will not multiply simply because the work is good. However, the medium will shift to incorporate other mediums which consequently would create a greater magnitude.

There, lies the beauty of marketing, the art of efficiently allocating budgets to maximize return by juggling not only the financials but also the qualitative.

*food for thought*

Rules of SEVEN

Hands-off marketing if you are not a marketer!

You won't see an sportsman working on accounting, or an accountant fixing the television. Why the hell does everyone feels he can get involve when it comes down to marketing?!

Things CAN and DO go wrong! In the name of all those who have to sit quiet and watch their campaigns get smashed by the decision maker:

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1-Make use of white space. It makes the eye more at ease and your ad more attractive.
2-Let the borders breathe. Always leave a margin.
3-Beware misspellings in the text.
4-Beware misinforming the public.
5-What is a beautiful piece of work without an audience? The medium is key.
6-Use integrated marketing communication; convene the same message, with the same soul.
7-Present the logo properly, always follow the guidelines set for its identity

OUTDOOR

1- Outdoor bookings should be done early on. NO you cannot wait for a better price, unless you're ready to deal with the worst locations.
2-Locations are to be chosen wisely, avoid locations in the middle of nowhere, avoid advertising clutter, avoid that tree blocking the view but mostly avoid the panels that are parallel to the road, they need to have a minimum tilted angle.
3- PLEASE outdoor advertising cannot handle a three paragraph text, in fact, it cannot even fit a three sentence text!! You want your ad to reach the audience? Try three to seven words; and that's that.
4-The logo HAS to be big enough. What is visible on your pc is not necessarily visible on the roads. No general rules. It all depends on the logo's font and recognition ratios.
5-Too many items in the picture might seem to offer a better understanding of your goal; do NOT be fooled, too many items in the picture equal no picture at all to the passers by. Keep it clean and simple, use a human character if you can, otherwise make it a very intriguing picture.
6- DO use sans serif fonts. Those like Times New Roman are less readable from distance.
7-Consider the use of eye catching colors like red, orange or yellow for the background. (However, the effectiveness of these colors is highly dependent on the surroundings)

DAILIES

1- When booking in a newspaper, choose your ad location wisely. You don't want a festive ad next to the picture of a mourning woman.
2-A quarter page size is ideal in terms of value. GO for it when possible.
3-Better one ad in the front or back page than three in the middle.
4-Write concisely, and make it informative.
5-Consider the low resolution and bad printing quality, text and logos should be big enough and do not put 2 layers of the same color and expect it to be visible!
6-Use serif fonts, as they are more readable up close.
7-Always include a picture. It makes the ad more attractive.

TELEVISION

1-Some colors look better on TV, like purple and blue. Take this into account.
2-When it comes to animation, go slow enough to make the information graspable but fast enough not to make it boring.
3-Cut, cut and cut. It helps the eye keep its focus.
4-The brand should be mentioned prominently enough to be remembered; especially of the ad includes a lot of fluff and talk. In that case, increase the frequency.
5-Music is core. Make it relevant.
6-The choice of medium is very important. Take a keen look on the viewership ratings and assess your investment accordingly.
7-Choose your timing wisely, for a maximum viewership aim for news-time.

RADIO

1- Balads work greatly
2- Make the information concise so as not to lose the listener
3- Manage frequency effectively for optimum results
4- Music is crucial
5- Beware the pace of the speaker, leave room for breathing
6- Chose the right language to reach your audience
7- For optimum reach aim for rush-hours

Marketing amid Turmoil

Faced with security turmoil, marketing in Lebanon has always been a question of controversy. As I tried to enter the marketing field in this part of the globe, the Middle East, I realized that very few research had been targeted on marketing under hostile conditions. Thus, I took the subject at heart.

First aiming to investigate the "accountability" in marketing; I seeked to read more on marketing measures. Finding it a very subjective case; I thought a practical case might be more interesting... I mean, for learning purposes!

Therefore, after specializing in a master of science in marketing, I decided my dissertation topic will be on the impact of security turmoil on marketing response. My work was to be based on a case study approach based on the Lebanese market.

Throughout my research I noticed the capacity of the Lebanese economy to stand and improve amid the recent global economic turmoil; noting a certain parallelism between security and economic turmoil. There was no question, Lebanon managed to stand undefied because of the precautions it used to face eminent risks. Could this parallelism apply on marketing response?

I'd say yes... *to be continued*

A Tribute to Theodore Levitt

I have known his concepts and teachings for years, but it wasn't until recently that I got to know his name. Theodore Levitt is, to me, a man who made of marketing a respected science. Known for his provocative style and practice-oriented thoughts; he transformed a theory-based subject into a business focal point.
From the product life cycle concept to his marketing myopia article, Levitt never ceased to amaze. Although not always accurate, he often created a rave of thoughts and lead others to analyze and look into things they tend to dismiss.
His numerous articles in the Harvard Business Review showcase his talents for, not only ingenuous thinking, but also conveying a message; a real marketer. He has been known to "market" marketing itself, as he strongly believed in its power and relevance in the business world. He has also been attributed the introduction of the term globalization into a futuristic market outlook...
A genius, in one word.

PR in Action!

I must have been at the right place at the wrong time; but I got to live an important instance in a corporate giant's history. Siemens had announced earlier on this summer that they were planning to fire more than 16,000 employees.

While the story ravaged the business news and made top headlines in financial news; it did not move much the people concerned for it was perceived as a far-off fact that was not directly linked tgo them. It was only after the news had cooled down in the media, that the real action took place. The people in Grenoble were notified yesterday. They were only going to be affected by 17 jobs out of 800, given their good financial performance this year.

The communication strategy was to give the news directly from head down the organization structure, before it could move horizontally and create noise. We were called into a meeting and notified in the afternoon. The news was reassuring, they're doing their best to reintegrate the people concerned in other departments. No one was going to be laid off unwillingly. Right. I was surprised to see that the employees actually believed this, but they did! How gullible can they be, with all the fuss that went around... Having less "per employee profit" than their competitor GE was not reason enough; they truly believed in their good intentions.

Internal communication was perfect. One step down the ladder. One step closer to the truth.

The shock will not be NEWS anymore once the real action will take place. Thus it won't be of anyone's interest to talk about it or revolt against it.

Marrvellously done; and I am left to wonder whether this was spontaneous or planned...

Between Theories and Practice

I am more and more convinced that when it comes to business no one knows what he is doing. I thought it would be different in a multinational. Nonsense.
All the systems, the matrixes and the models seem to be drawn to dilute the idea into a broader sense of control over intangible results.
While I can easily stuff graphs and numbers into the simplest presentation to make it look scientifically correct, I remain the hardest person to fool.

Yet, the other day, I saw a ray of light.

The Product Life Cycle Model might be one of the tools I never resorted to. Despite the stress and importance it was given in my marketing program, somehow I thought they were out of things to teach and had extra hours to fill.
Until the day, I myself was out of matrixes and models to present, I thought I'd fill an extra page. As I graphed the demand of each product over the period of time, never had I imagined I would get this result: 5 perfect curves, as perfect as the theory... and I was not dreaming!
What's more is that the stages of the product life cycle corresponded amazingly well with the actual situation of the product. I was shocked, astonished, bedazzled... no, enchanted!
Out there somewhere, there's a marketer who knew his business and who created a theory out of it. Now, remind me, who was that genius again?

*goes searching for the author*

Measuring Your Marketing Efforts

I have been reading about economics in relation to marketing. In general, the marketing effectiveness is measured as a relation between the marketing budget invested and the sales returns. The formula is simple MR=MC.

Sounds logical? Maybe, but it isn't quite so.

Marketing efficiency depends on the marketing campaign's success. A marketing budget is only relative to the marketing costs (graphic designer, medium, marketing research... etc) which in their turn change under different settings. Meaning? The same marketing budget can be translated in campaigns of different sizes, depending on the market costs. Thus, a marketing budget is irrelevant in the calculation of marketing efficiency.

Moreover, sales in $ is not representative of the response to the marketing efforts. The same amount, let's suppose $3,000 of total sales, can be a sale of 3 products of a value of $1,000 each or 300 goods costing $30 each. Moreover, the profit margin on the products can be different; thus looking at the sales profit makes things even more complicated.

The real criteria that one needs to look into are frequency and reach of the campaign...

Lord of the Wings

...So I am in love with this concept!
A new restaurant opened in Lebanon, a special fast food chain. They called it "Lord of the Wings", sounds like "Lord of the Rings" and it is intended to. Great catchy name created to grasp the young target audience.
First opened in a trendy street in Beirut where pubs abound, now in a mall. The name says it all! They serve chicken wings with different flavors! The only other choice would be a burger... could they have done anything more cost-effective?!... and talk about differentiation and specialization, they're right on track!

But let me tell you what else they did right: a keen attention to details.

• The menu is handed in on a sheet for the customer to fill; definitely makes you want to tick more than one box! i.e. more sales.
• The chicken wings are served with gloves and wet wipes in a well-presented basket. What's more is an additional glove, which you might take for a mistake; but make no assumptions, they're only considering your needs in case yours got ripped.
• You know what else they correctly anticipated? Customer behavior! The first thing a customer seems to ask is which flavor is which plate. Only to notice a small tag on each. well-sought!
• Add to this a friendly staff and free-refill for your soft drinks...

I bow down to the Lord. The Lord of the Wings!

"Underdeveloped" Label

How did the world come to overrate some countries and undermine others? ...better said, how did the nations labeled "underdeveloped" came to accept their tagged inferiority?

Being drained in a multi-cultural environment for quite some time now, I have realized that the people coming from the third world have a beautified image of the west; which clashes very strongly with the actual reality in those countries. Vice versa, the western world has a low regard to the developing nations and an outrageously wrong perception of the rest of the globe. What was once probably due to propaganda came to be assimilated by education. Status is a learned attribute.

It is revolting to see the capabilities of the developing nations being wasted due to limited opportunities and learned low-esteem attitudes. It saddens me to see a defeatist behavioral pattern. Let the rest of the world label you as they please, but once their labels become socially acceptable in your own communities, you create a self-learned helplessness that deepens your defeat and creates roots to your current position blocking your hopes for a better future.

if "made in China" was not perceived to be of inferior quality by the Chinese themselves, wouldn't the world gain a better image of the products?...

I can't help but wonder whether those negative attitudes were self-inflicted and came naturally, or whether they were part of a global well-crafted plan to maintain the west's leadership... Politics and international economy can as well be products of marketing. Maybe I am just imagining that the developed nations can be that shrewd and tactful due to the brainwashing; or then again, maybe not.

Perishable Products

Listen to this old song and enjoy:

Love is Free For All - Gus Farah (edited version, but no download needed)
Love is Free For All - Gus Farah (download the first song from the list)

This is a tune on which anyone in his 20s in Lebanon can easily sing along to... This once was a successful song; perceived as a classic by many. Often placed side by side with songs like Hotel California.. However, finding its singer is a challenge!
...and for good reason!!! To most people's surprise, it was sung by a Lebanese. This is far from being the classic, many misinformed thought it was. I was not short from being shocked and had to see this for myself to believe it.
This song is unknown to the international public! It never got the attention it deserves...

Can it still be turned into the classic it once should have been, and reach the position it upholds today in the Lebanese youngsters eyes? Time changed since it was launched.... the environment evolved. This type of songs may no longer be played on the radios.

This is a case where what once was a good product, is no longer so. It could have been an international hit back then, it had all the potential to be one.

I sadly admit that this opportunity is lost.

Print Advertsing: Critique and Correction

The rules for NGO marketing still conform to the norms. Unfortunately, the people involved fail to recognize the rules as they are often inexperienced in the marketing field.

Here is an advertisement hanged in church targeting teenagers:

It does not take a genius to figure out that it will fail to reach its audience. Here are the flaws:

First of all, it fails to talk to the customers in their own language. Teenagers do not perceive Arabic as the trendiest of languages. They watch American movies, listen to foreign music, and will NOT expect to be targeted by a poster at church… Especially not with that gothic font style; not to mention that it is almost incomprehensible (ineffective for any audience for that matter!!)
Second, the message has to be intriguing. A bulk of words does not come out as the most attractive text to read…
Thirdly, colors SPEAK, they can even shout! …A combination of matching colors is thus crucial. Colors can even identify the person intended for the message, for instance an emphasis on the pink color says “girls only”.
Fourth, the pictures have to match the message. They are not simply decoration tools.
Finally, the message has to highlight the benefits in order to entice a reaction.

Keeping all that in mind, check the renovated posters:


Enjoy!

Marketing Security

Did it ever strike you that in order to market an insurance policy or a security service, you need to first market insecurity?
Is there any ethical issues lying underneath it all? ...and to what extent can this actually be efficient?

I have realized that in order to reach their customers the companies in these type of industries strongly rely on salespeople or brokers. Could this actually have anything to do with it, or is it just the need of knowledge and expertise that makes this strategy the driving force in these industries?

Security remains a basic need (if you refer to Maslow's hierarchy of needs). Would advertising insecurity lead to an increase of sales in the security industry?

In order to send an advertising message and attract consumer interest, agencies tend to link the product to one of the needs, sex being the most popular tool used but it is not the only one. The human need for belonging is often successfully addressed... Why not security?

Play God

All the hype around Web 2.0 and interactive marketing is making me wonder: How good is this in building goodwill? It might generate word-of-mouth, possibly brand awareness... but what happens to the brand name?

If you're already big in the industry then this could be a good solution for you; but can smaller or medium sized companies resort to this marketing means effectively? Contrary to what the experts are saying, I think not.

A brand needs to be seen as an unaccessible superior power of some sort. To create a brand name, you cannot go to the consumer on a one on one basis. You should not come up as "human". Humans make mistakes.

However what the web 2.0 can actually provide is an all-knowing and all-seeing omni-potent presence to the company, that was never there before. Companies can now monitor their environment closely. Knowledge... that's what this information era is all about.

The industry lacks experience with new technologies, and I am afraid that many have gone wrong. Spamming is one offensive and detrimental mean that has previously been used under pretext that it provides measurable results. Pop-ups is another. Those have already been proven to be ineffective.
However, the inclusion of forums on official websites, or the company web logs and personal involvement of the corporation in these are quite demeaning. the brands are being downsized. If such activities are not carefully done, great damage can be caused.

By getting involved, you're making your brand "human"... and thus subject to criticism.

The correct way to deal with interactive marketing is to use it for information gathering, customer monitoring, catering to consumer needs and responding to critics. In two words, play God. Be the good, knowledgeable, capable God who answers prayers not yet formulated.

Evolution in Digital Marketing

It is funny how in order to determine the new trends in the market, you need to look at the teenagers... They tend to decide what's in and what's out.

There came a time, not long ago, when search engines (the likes of google and yahoo) were the search tools of choice. Back then, the new ways were being fought by traditional conventional thinkers. Information gathered from the internet was not a valid reference. Today, this mode seems to be more widely accepted.

Now even search engines are becoming outdated. When you tell a kid to look up information about a topic, the first thing he relies on is Youtube! ...It's catching on. Does it normally qualify as a competitor to Google? I suppose not. Was it intended to fill this place? Again, I guess not. However, what the user decides to do of a website is often out of the company's hands. This time, it's in their favor. There is inherent benefit in Youtube's offerings. Something they can seriously work on. Could it be the future of research, there, right in front of our eyes?

In order to effectively market a product today, companies should rely on several new forms of media. The digital marketing is no longer limited to banners and official websites (of which, by the way, one can seriously criticize the efficiency).

Today, marketeers should have four main considerations: blogs, facebook, wikipedia and youtube... and even those are bound to change in the near future.

The power is the consumers'.

Variations in Medium Sensitivity

Marketing is not global. What applies in one industry does not necessarily work in another. I think I have identified the key for successful marketing when it comes to restaurants and pubs: word of mouth.

You can put a billion dollars advertising on billboards and magazines, if you are not offering an added-value that will eventually generate word of mouth; chances are that you have just literally thrown your money away... and I have news for you, they are not coming back!

Make sure your marketing department has some marketing sense. The only thing you need to do to succeed in this industry is to offer something exclusive to you; create your own identity prominently enough to be marked in the eyes of the consumer and you're in the game... make sure it doesn't become boring, and you're winning.

Are marketing mediums industry specific?

I was staring at some outdoor advertisings the other day... and I spotted some Perfume posters. Who the hell gave that marketeer this position?! The day it becomes a want to wear the same perfume everyone else is wearing, will be the day billboards become an effective tool for perfumes!!! Whoever put an accountant in the marketing department has made a terrible mistake. It might be cheaper to target a broader mass this way, but your damaging your image!

Customers actually search for perfumes in the glamorous magazines, they expect them to be there, so you better give them what they want. If you want to sell, that's where your investment should be. Forcing your product to the mass is neither a good strategy for your brand image nor a smart sales technique; as far as I can tell. I can't think of someone wanting his perfume to be on the streets... consumers want their perfumes to be in fashion editorials and stylish magazine pages... It doesn't take a genius to figure this out. It's common marketing sense!

Unless there has been some benefit gained from overriding the competition, these companies need to seriously consider their profits and redefine their marketing plan.

The 1st phase of Marketing: HR

No matter how hard you try to satisfy a customer, if your employee is not satisfied, you're throwing your money away. Yes, I know you've figured out and implemented thousands of ways to sustain control. But trust me, they'll turn your world around, upside down and about if you do not quench their thirst. They know how to make themselves heard. Deep down inside you know it; and admit it, you fear it!

In my last job, one of the first steps I discovered I needed to implement to respond to the company's MARKETING needs was to establish an employee of the month program ...and I thought I had moved away from my field.

But no.

What's the use of promoting your company to the world if at some point in time you'll have an "insider", one of your own, or so you'd think, disconfirm your image? When the employee no longer associates himself with the company, when it becomes a "they" instead of a "we" ring the alarms, you have a problem.

Isn't Human Resources all about marketing the company to the employees at the end of the day? Marketing functions are rarely ever in the hands of the marketing department.

Isn't the general manager's job in some way strategic marketing? ...and the salesman's duty operational marketing? If even accounting can become creative in order to better market to the investors... one might wonder how much further can marketing go.

Forgive me for calling you STUPID

I look around and all I see is environment friendly products. I go to companies' websites, and their corporate social responsibility is flunked on their homepages. I go down the streets and i see the recycling trash sign everywhere... Take a glimpse at the political agenda... did you see these magical words?

...well excuse me for calling you stupid! This is the new trend in marketing, the more environmental awareness you gain, the better they control you.

Do you think that these environmentally friendly products haven't damaged nature in order to be manufactured? Do you think they were parachuted from a cloud into your supermarket? Look closer.

Did you know that the companies that claim being concerned are the ones causing most of the damage? It is not the small companies who claim to "care about the environment" but the leaders, the ones who can afford it; or more accurately said, the ones who need to cover their misdeeds.

Do you think the governmental body members, that passed that law to reduce car usage, go to work on their bikes? Well, say they did cut down on car use, what about the military weapons and air force.... I'm sure those are less damaging to the environment! Wake up people! They're earning your votes for free.

Next time you participate in a "save the earth" demonstration; think about how many trees have to be cut down to make your signs...

Second Life: Networking and Marketing

In the life we are familiar with, companies go where the consumers are likely to be found to market themselves. In the life we are familiar with, marketing academics study existing trends. However, in Second Life the world operates upside down and it troubles me!

How is it that a company that was established so long ago suddenly gained popularity? It had been launched before, why did its use peak now?

Skip.

I am a graduate student in France, the second most popular location for Second Life, and the first time I heard about this “world” was through a teacher intrigued about this new scope of retail and finance possibilities. No, that’s not my main concern. What puzzles me is that I since heard a lot about Second Life, only it always came through academics! 100% of the Second Life users I know are either teachers or encouraged by their teachers to open an account; and I can’t help but wonder why.

Why is it that so many reputable universities and big renowned companies jumped on board an online application that has yet to prove itself? Why is it that the teachers are studying a “consumer” phenomenon when the consumer is not there yet? Why is it that the most important part of the equation is left out? …Is this part of a marketing strategy scheme?

What is this application that even my brand new Apple cannot support its graphics? How do they expect it to catch on, when it requires so much effort from the part of the user? All the new internet successes focus on ease of use, simplicity, speed and accessibility. The world is moving away from downloads and installation. Video games are now played live online. Movies are viewed directly… Everything is live and requires minimal effort from the user… and while the internet is undergoing such a movement, those big names disregard the possible failure of Second Life. Thus I got curious!

I wanted to know who was behind it. Searched the creator. His history. His life. Could he be part of some network that encompass all those powerful company leaders? I am thinking free masonry…. I don’t know what I am thinking. I found no clues.

However what I did find was the CEO of Second Life on Facebook and LinkedIn; and my thoughts drifted away from my problem: If I was to contact him through a conventional company medium, it would be almost impossible… while in this new world, everyone’s only one click away.

Marketing Madness (Politics in Lebanon)

I live in a country where every family has a political history. Every family has a martyr… or a victim. Every house has been damaged, at least once, by war. I live in a country where you cannot get to power unless you are politically supported by a party of some sort; and this even applies at university levels.

It is in this atmosphere, under this sky, that tensions started building up.

Here, everything is political; and everyday some new event drawing speculations takes place, leaving evidence free for interpretation since no “facts” are ever revealed or proven! Everyone’s an expert and each has a different opinion… even a 5 year old voices his comments confidently and holds his political party at heart.

Democracy at its best!

However, Lebanese are good businessmen… a bit too good for their own sake. They excel in commerce, even when the product is intangible; and so the insanity begins!

Every political party has its color; orange for the Free Patriotic Movement, military green for the Lebanese Forces, yellow for Hezbollah, flashy green for the Marada, darker green for Amal, light blue for the Future Movement, red for the Progressive Socialist Party…and the list goes on. “Beautiful!” you may think…. Well, not so much when you start being judged and labeled by the color of your clothes. Try any of these colors on Election Day or any other day where some leader has called for a political statement (they abound around here), and you’re sure to get hurt.

If this is not enough, what if I tell you that the way you honk your car could get you into trouble? Yes! Honking CAN and IS a political statement…. Since, believe it or not, some parties have their own “combination of notes” that makes them recognizable.

That, aside from the political songs and each party’s anthems and slogans… at some point, when political enthusiasm rises, they get played in night clubs! Not to forget the mobile ringtones…

Not crazy enough? Well check this: every single political party has a single leader they swear by; one, which can never be nor do wrong. Our entire history has been rewritten to fit each and every party’s point of view; now there’s so many versions that no one can guarantee any aspect is true! People argue on contradicting “facts” they feel strongly about. Our history book at school stops before 1975 since, starting that date, we failed to agree on a single version of the truth.

Of course we have each party’s logo, their own website; but one party even has its own product line to finance its activities (everything from pens to umbrellas, to bottled water and fuel!)

Ok, so this is not so bad… Let’s talk about propaganda! Freedom of the press! Every newspaper or television station has its political stand… talk about brainwashing! We’ve reached a time where everything you hear or read is biased and you have to interpret it in accordance to its source… but how did we get here?

Consider this; you had a percentage of neutral individuals in Lebanon. These were your guarantee. These were the reason for all the marketing effort. They were the people who shifted the balance from side to side. And so the fight had begun!

Speeches, poetic and patriotic statements; stereotyping and labeling events and people to promote certain ideas and turn the neutrals to your advantage… That’s sales. Associating adjectives or facts everyone repels to your enemies and you’re winning, it doesn’t matter if you’re mistaken as long as the trend catches on and everyone starts using your expressions.

However, they didn’t stop here, songs and video clips to support political views proliferated; but my favorite marketing tool remains the billboards. The more a political party advertised and showed its presence, the more its partisans and that of the opposing parties got attached to their beliefs. What people didn’t get is a fundamental lesson in marketing; when you already feel strongly about a product, advertising only makes you feel stronger about it.

The jackpot was the neutral cluster. Soon, the first advertisements attracted counter-advertising efforts and the madness took place. Marketing mayhem was a personal enjoyment. The Lebanese economy is barely striving to survive and political marketing is booming!

Shortly afterwards, no one was neutral anymore. For stupid reasons, everyone had unwillingly taken a side in the conflict. As it goes in social psychology it is easier to sell something when the person in question already made a pro-statement or took action to defend it. So the brother turned against his brother and the mother against her son, the husband disagreed with the wife and suddenly watching the news at home or talking about politics became unbearable.

Today, my country is agonizing from democratic overdose and political poison: an attestation to the power of marketing.