You do not learn this in Marketing 101 but you pick it up quickly in the first five years of practicing marketing in a firm where people matter. Marketing, believe it or not, is about bringing people with related needs together for mutually beneficial exchange. It really does not matter what the reasons are, each exchange encourages participants to bond. This happens especially when the marketer models unity.
Take a look at this example I pulled from the Harvard Business Review.
Outdoorseiten offers an extreme example of how the needs of a community can actually give rise to a brand. The European website outdoorseiten.net originated as a venue where hiking and camping enthusiasts could exchange information about their shared lifestyle: Where is a good place to hike with children? Which shoes are best for rocky terrain? Members collaborated in order to gain access to the resources and skills they needed to accomplish their goals. Eventually, the community created its own Outdoorseiten brand of tents and backpacks. The community’s brand grew not from a need to express a shared identity but from a desire to meet members’ specialized needs.
Compare this with the concept of influencers who are a major part of the marketing scene on social media. Influencers are people with social media power and are someone responsible for engaging with and promoting your brand - probably a gig they get payment for. They are usually contracted to post at least three Instagram images and write at least one blog of your company. It comes with instructions on direction you would like them to focus on, brand info, hashtags and other plugs.
Not sure if this is old school versus new school but I kind of like the first model so much more. Maybe if I think about my early days, the social media route could bring me to people faster, but fast might not be on the agenda.
