Perception is Reality

We have a saying in marketing research that "Perception is Reality".

This means that in the world of marketing, perception is everything, even if it is wrong. People make purchase decisions everyday based upon what they "think" or what they "know" - which is their interpretation of the world around them, through their lens. That it may be factually incorrect is irrelevant, and may be costing YOU their business.

Which is why it is always important to test regularly the perceptions of clients and customers against the reality that you know, and bring the two into reconciliation.

But, as we can see in this video, sometimes the testing process can be a little painful.

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Comments

[ronbailey]

Hilarious! That was my first laugh of the day - I owe you one!

[Karen Swim]

Frank, this is classic! Thanks for the Friday laugh and the reminder about this important marketing principle. Too funny!

[Hunter]

Frank, I found "This means that in the world of marketing, perception is everything, even if it is wrong. People make purchase decisions everyday based upon what they "think" or what they "know" - which is their interpretation of the world around them, through their lens" to be a very thought-provoking idea. I think this introduces an ethical slippery-slope into marketing.

Should a marketer play to perception or reality? If they play to perception are they then trying to meet a perceived need with a product that cannot hope to meet that need?

For example, Cadillac has a new series of ads showing actresses/actors in their vehicles basically implying that driving their cars awards some form of personal worth (not net worth - personal worth ~ human value). Ethical or not? If buying a certain brand of card could infer human value then they wouldn't need marketing.

This is my problem with a lot of marketing today. Products are being marketing with veiled promises that they can never deliver. Such and such a product will give you confidence, make you a better person, make women like you, etc. All of it revolves around perception and rarely reality.

I know this type of, what I would consider bait-and-switch, marketing sells product but aren't there ethical considerations as well?

Anyway, that is just my opinion. I could be completely wrong - and I often am.

Sincerely,
Hunter

[Jeanette]

Frank, thank you for a great belly laugh! And, a perfect way to remember that what we think our clients think may be two different smacks to the brain.

Joy!
Jeanette

[Maria Palma]

Frank,

This is too funny! I must agree that perception is everything when it comes to marketing. Many people buy into labels and brands just because of a name or what celebrity is promoting it. It's a concept that has baffled me for many years...

[Gaby]

I like! Actually, in the same vein, I found this the other day - it's a wonderfully honest collection of tags that sum up what brands stand for in people's minds: http://www.brandtags.net/