While this approach has been effective for years, it often oversimplifies human behavior by assuming that people fit neatly into these predefined boxes.
I have a friend who greets me in one of two ways whenever we meet. One way is, “I’m reading this book about …” or “I read this article about …” She reads and is also a spectacular writer. Because of these two qualities, I am constantly being challenged, informed, and, I believe, made better.
Recently, she gave me an article about Alexander Grothendieck, the storied mathematician. Now, neither of us is into math; I like how the British call it maths, but she said this guy sounds wild; read this, and I did.
I didn’t understand much about the subject and what he was famous for. But I was drawn to it. The idea of taking things we already know, algebra and geometry, and not just tweaking the formulas but looking at them in entirely different ways, exploring the spaces between the equations rather than the equations themselves, has stuck with me, and now, I have to say, I’m a bit obsessed.
I have been working in the marketing and branding biz with ThoughtLab for nearly ten years now, and I am still just a visitor in this world. I understand it on some level, but I cannot safely call myself an expert. I am a great support person and write whatever is needed in any voice that is called for, but the nuts and bolts, the hows and whys of marketing, I am still on the outside looking in most days. I get it, but I don’t get it, if that makes sense.
So, with all I don’t know about marketing and branding, I am strangely obsessed with this idea that these giant target audience documents, these ideal customer profiles, may be how we’ve always done it, but something is missing. Somewhere along the line, these things were new, and they gave us the results that covert, and money was made, and all was right with the world.
But as the world changes quickly, all the old ways feel static and cumbersome. Now might be the time to relook how we do what we do. It feels all a jumble, but there’s something here and something worth spending another blog on, don’t ya think?
Well, I do so, off we go!
Tradition!
At the heart of traditional marketing campaigns is audience segmentation. Marketers divide consumers into specific groups based on demographic information like age, gender, income, location, and interests. The goal is to craft a targeted message for each group, ensuring the right people receive the right message at the right time. While this approach has been effective for years, it often oversimplifies human behavior by assuming that people fit neatly into these predefined boxes.
However, human behavior has never been that simple, and today, it's even more fluid and dynamic than ever before. We’re living in an era of constant societal shifts, technological advances, and cultural evolutions that make the traditional ways of segmenting audiences outdated. So why do marketers continue to rely on these old methods despite all the changes around us? And more importantly, what could we achieve if we embraced a more fluid, adaptive approach to marketing—what we call "space between" marketing”
Let’s explore why the old ways of marketing need to be rethought, the potential of a fluid marketing approach, and how embracing "space between" marketing could lead to deeper, more meaningful connections with audiences.
Why Traditional Marketing Still Dominates
There’s no denying that traditional marketing practices, including segmentation, have proven successful in the past. Dividing people into specific groups based on characteristics like age, gender, or income level made sense in a world that was less connected and more homogenous and where consumers fit more predictably into certain categories. It allowed marketers to efficiently allocate resources and deliver relevant messages to specific groups.
However, despite societal evolution, marketing practices have remained somewhat static. There are several reasons for this:
- Comfort in Familiarity: Marketers are used to tried-and-tested methods. They know how to execute segmented campaigns and understand the metrics for success. Traditional segmentation provides a clear structure and measurable outcomes, which can be reassuring in an industry that constantly seeks to justify its value.
- Infrastructure of Marketing Tools: Many of the tools and technologies used in marketing are built around segmentation. From customer relationship management (CRM) systems to advertising platforms, these tools are designed to work with demographic data, making it easier to stick to traditional approaches than to innovate.
- Data-Driven Decisions: The rise of big data has reinforced traditional segmentation by giving marketers more detailed insights into audience behavior. However, this influx of data can create a false sense of security, leading marketers to believe they understand their audience fully, even though they are still working within rigid, predefined categories.
Why Traditional Segmentation No Longer Works
While traditional segmentation has its merits, it fails to account for the complexity and fluidity of modern consumers. Here are a few reasons why these methods are increasingly ineffective:
- People Are Multi-Dimensional: Consumers today don’t fit neatly into boxes. A millennial woman who enjoys outdoor activities might also be a tech enthusiast who loves gaming. Traditional segmentation would place her into a "millennial outdoor enthusiast" category, but this fails to capture her full range of interests and needs. Traditional segmentation risks missing key opportunities for deeper engagement by oversimplifying human behavior.
- Behavior Is Fluid: People’s needs, desires, and emotional states constantly change. A person may feel one way in the morning and another way in the evening. Their preferences may shift based on external factors like stress, mood, or life changes. Segmenting people based on static attributes like age or income doesn’t capture this fluidity, leaving marketers out of touch with the consumer’s current reality.
- Cultural and Societal Shifts: Society is rapidly evolving, and people are more connected than ever before. Cultural norms, social values, and even what it means to belong to certain groups are in constant flux. With its rigid boundaries, traditional segmentation struggles to keep up with these changes and often fails to speak to the nuanced experiences of today’s consumers.
The Case for Fluidity in Marketing
If we accept that people are dynamic, it becomes clear that marketing should be dynamic too. This is where fluidity comes into play. Fluid marketing is about recognizing that people’s needs and behaviors are constantly evolving and that marketing strategies should adapt in real time to reflect this. Here’s why embracing a more fluid approach could be far more effective than sticking to traditional methods:
- Real-Time Engagement: By being fluid, brands can engage with their audiences in the moment. This means using real-time data to understand where the consumer is emotionally, physically, and mentally during interaction. A static campaign aimed at "young professionals" may not resonate with someone who is feeling burnt out at work, but a fluid campaign that adapts its message to offer support or inspiration in that moment could make a lasting connection.
- Personalized Experiences: Fluid marketing allows brands to create highly personalized experiences. By focusing on the individual's current state rather than lumping them into a fixed category, brands can deliver messages that feel more relevant and meaningful. Instead of relying on demographics, fluid marketing could target based on emotional state, behavior, or even situational factors like the weather or the time of day.
- Adaptability to Change: The world is unpredictable, and societal trends can shift overnight. Fluid marketing allows brands to adapt quickly to these changes, ensuring their messaging remains relevant and engaging no matter what’s happening worldwide. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, brands that could quickly pivot to address consumers' emotional needs—such as offering comfort or connection—were able to build stronger relationships.
What We Can Achieve by Embracing "Space Between" Marketing
At its core, "space between" marketing is about recognizing the individuals and experiences that fall outside traditional segmentation. It’s about finding the spaces between categories, the nuanced life stages, and the unique emotional states that people experience but aren’t typically targeted by conventional marketing campaigns. Here’s what brands stand to gain by embracing this approach:
- Deeper Emotional Connections: "Space between" marketing prioritizes understanding the human experience. By focusing on the subtleties of human behavior and engaging with people based on their current realities, brands can foster deeper emotional connections. These connections lead to more authentic relationships, which, in turn, drive long-term loyalty and trust.
- Broader Reach: By focusing on the spaces between traditional segments, brands can reach new, often overlooked audiences. These are the individuals who don’t fit neatly into demographic categories but still have needs, desires, and purchasing power. By tapping into these underserved groups, brands can expand their reach in organic and genuine ways.
- More Meaningful Conversations: A "space between" approach encourages brands to move away from static, one-way communication and instead foster ongoing conversations with their audience. This creates opportunities for brands to listen, respond, and adapt, ensuring that their marketing efforts remain relevant and engaging over time.
- Long-Term Loyalty: Fluid marketing, and particularly "space between" marketing, is about more than just driving immediate conversions. It’s about building long-term relationships with consumers based on trust, empathy, and real engagement. Companies can cultivate loyalty that lasts well beyond a single purchase by creating a brand that feels dynamic and responsive to individual needs.
Summing Up: The Future of Marketing is Fluid
As society continues to evolve, so too must our marketing approaches. Traditional segmentation, while effective in its time, no longer reflects the complexity of modern consumers. By embracing fluid marketing and focusing on the spaces between traditional audience segments, brands can create more meaningful, relevant, and dynamic relationships with their customers.
"Space between" marketing isn’t just a trend—it’s a necessary evolution in a world where people are more multifaceted and connected than ever before. By moving away from rigid categories and embracing the fluid nature of human behavior, brands can tap into new opportunities, build stronger connections, and stay ahead in an ever-changing marketplace.
The "space between" marketing concept feels fresh and exciting, especially today. It’s not just a rehash of existing ideas—it’s a response to the growing complexity of human behavior, the fluidity of identity, and the increasing gaps in traditional segmentation. While personalized marketing and niche targeting have been discussed before, the concept of embracing the nuanced spaces between those traditional audience definitions adds a deeper layer. It challenges the rigid structures of demographic targeting and opens up new opportunities for engagement that many brands haven’t fully tapped into yet.
Focusing on the emotional states, transitional life phases, and real-time experiences of people who don’t fit into conventional categories feels relevant in a world where consumers expect brands to understand them on a more personal, adaptive level. As brands grapple with the rise of AI, social media fragmentation, and the need for authenticity, "space between" marketing aligns well with those trends, offering a more dynamic and human-centered approach.
The key is in how you frame it—by presenting it not just as a way to discover new audience segments but as a rethinking of how brands can build meaningful, adaptable relationships with consumers. That’s where it feels fresh and valuable, offering a solution beyond the tools many companies already use.
