Companies have long known that people’s sense of who they are influences their purchase decisions. Even so, the power of that basic premise has yet to be exploited fully. It is not captured by segmentation and targeting based on easily observable and superficial classifications, such as simple demographics. Nor is it usually captured by static, psychographic personality profiles based on broad lifestyle associations linked to product categories. Instead, a person’s “identity” is a complex, often fluctuating, deeply enduring aspect of how that individual sees himself, and the labels that consumers use to define who they are do not necessarily correspond to the variables that marketers typically rely on.
Identity marketing, which recognizes the complex process of how customers become strongly attracted to the brands and products that help them to express who they are, is the next step in the evolution of the field. It is a potential steppingstone to what is now being referred to as “cult marketing.” When performed effectively, it can transform a firm’s brands or offerings from a mere collection of products into a deeper constellation of self-embodied lifestyle symbols. Indeed, identity marketing can enable organizations to build stronger brands and more durable customer relationships. But companies first need to understand the crucial role that identity plays in their customers’ lives.
What Is Identity?
Identity can be defined as the myriad labels that... To read the complete article, login or sign-up using the form below.
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