Applying Advertising to Your Love Life

Step 1: Segmentation. You have billions of people in the world whom you could date. Success lies in realizing that since you obviously can’t date everyone, you need to figure out who you want to prioritize with your time and energy. The first step in doing so lies in segmenting the market: 1. Segment the market geographically. 2. Segment the market demographically. 3. Segment the market pyschographically. 4. Segment the market behaviorally. For each variable, explain why you chose to segment in the way you did. Step 3: Targeting. Now that you’ve segmented the dating pool: 1. Select a target market. 2. Why did you choose this target market? Step 4: Positioning. Now that you have a target market, how would you position yourself for that market? 1. Write a positioning statement detailing howyou plan to position yourself as a potential partner for your target market. 2. Explain why you chose your unique value. 3. Explain how your reasons to believe support your unique value. The key here is not just to say whatever unique value you can think of (even though you are a great person with many good qualities). What unique value will match well with what your target market is looking for? What reasons to believe will provide evidence of your value? That’s the key, and that’s why many people get frustrated during the dating process. You may think you’re funny, but if the other person doesn’t value humor, then it doesn’t matter! It’s important to have a unique value, but it’s more important to have a unique value that your potential lover actually values!Part II – The Date “Wedding dress shopping is basically like dating. You pick the one based on how you feel.” -Brooke Baldwin Now that you’ve decided on your target market and your positioning, we’ll assume that you’re going to have success in courting the person of your dreams. However, we all know that first impressions matter, and so the key to true success lies in a good first date. You’ve created a plan, but how do you now go about executing that plan? Consider the following… Step 5: Planning & Development. Before you go on a date, it wouldn’t hurt to think about how you envision the date going, and specifically, what you want the other person to walk away thinking about you. While you can’t control every variable of a date, you can adjust the playing field so that it tilts in your favor – you can take steps to put yourself in the best possible position to succeed. And one of the best steps you can take is to consider how you want to project yourself to the other individual. So really, in advertising terms, the question becomes: 1. What’s your major selling idea (MSI)? Explain how you arrived at your MSI. 2. Which of the three categories of MSI does it fall in line with? Explain. What is the one thing you want your potential partner to think about you? That you are smart, careeroriented, personable, etc. (tangible differentiation)? Or that you make them feel warm, special, etc. (intangible differentiation)? Coming up with the one central “idea” the other person should have about you is worth some thought. At the end of the day, they will walk away thinking something about you, so you might as well take some time to control the narrative! To avoid any confusion between the positioning statement and MSI – remember that the former often informs the latter. For example, Wendy’s unique value was that it used the best-quality ingredients, and its MSI turned into “Where’s the beef?!” Apple’s unique value was being a disruptor in the computer industry, and its MSI became “Think different.” The MSI is thus a reflection of your positioning, but packaged in a way that consumers can resonate with! Step 6: Implementation & Evaluation. Now that you have your major selling idea, it’s time to think about how to actually communicate it during your date. Obviously, you don’t just go blurting out, “I HOPE YOU FEEL SPECIAL!” Life requires subtlety and tact. As a result, this is where execution comes into play. In class, we discussed five major execution techniques. How can you go about using these techniques to discreetly communicate your major selling idea? 1. Pickthree of the five execution techniques used in class. Explain why you chose them. 2. Explain how you can use each technique to communicate your major selling idea. Ending Thoughts At the end of the day, this final exam is an opportunity for you to think about an important part of your life, through the viewpoint of advertising. You may not all become advertisers, but you all can apply principles of advertising to guide your everyday life. This class was never simply about learning a bunch of facts; instead, it was meant to provide you with a systematic way to think about yourself, others, and the world around you. And if you understand that, then you have mastered this course. Write-Up Instructions 5-8 pages, double-spaced, 1” margins, 12-point Times New Roman. Writing should be clear, articulate, and concise.