We live in a world where emotions, needs, and desires evolve with circumstances, yet traditional communication strategies often rely on static messaging, particularly in areas like marketing and branding.
“Having a conversation with you is like a Martian talking to a fungo.” - Bull Durham.
Ah, communication. It is never easy, is it? Even when we speak the same language, we can be speaking a different language. People from the same city can be mystified by what others say because they live five blocks east, west, north, or south. Words, simple words can cause a ruckus. Go down south and order a soda, or sit in a diner in Boston and call it a pop; you’ll get the evil eyes, brother. Bostonians call it ‘tonic.’ Down south, they call all soft drinks a coke. It’s all the same, yet one state over, you ask for a pop, and you’ll get a punch in the snoot.
Why? Because language, like people, is fluid. We change from generation to generation, heck, we change from day to day. With technological, scientific, and social evolution, we humans change minute to minute. We have to, or rather, we need to, change our language along with them.
The topic of why we attempt to speak to fluid, ever-evolving human beings with static language offers a deep exploration of the dissonance between dynamic human experiences and the often rigid methods of communication used in marketing, branding, and beyond. Drawing from reflections on marketing strategies, personal experiences, and emerging thoughts on human nature and technology, the following bloggle examines how this disconnect affects our connection with audiences and the broader implications of this gap.
Dive in, the water’s weird.
The Complexity of Human Nature
Humans are inherently fluid in how their identities and preferences shift and how they experience life. We live in a world where emotions, needs, and desires evolve with circumstances, yet traditional communication strategies often rely on static messaging, particularly in areas like marketing and branding. These strategies categorize individuals into broad, oversimplified groups based on demographics, assuming that these groups remain fixed over time.
The problem is clear: speaking to a fluid, complex human being with static language reduces engagement and overlooks the nuances that define their everyday experiences. The language of marketing needs to evolve, much like its audience, to reflect the diverse, ever-changing realities of human existence.
The Problem with Static Language in Marketing
Traditional marketing and branding approaches often rely on segmentation—categorizing audiences by age, gender, income, or location and tailoring messages based on these fixed parameters. While this approach may have worked well in the past, it is increasingly inadequate in a world where people are more than the sum of their demographic labels.
Consider the case of a "millennial mom" who may resonate more with content aimed at solo travelers or creative professionals, depending on her circumstances on any given day. Traditional marketing fails to capture these shifts. It continues to address her in a way that may have been relevant at one point but no longer reflects her current emotional state or interests.
This rigidity in language prevents meaningful connections, as it assumes that people remain static over time. But life is far from predictable, and people constantly transition between different roles, emotional states, and desires. Marketing messages that don't recognize this fluidity risk becoming irrelevant, if not entirely dismissed.
The Rise of Fluid Identities
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of fluid identities. Whether discussing gender, age, career, or life phases, people no longer fit into tidy boxes. For instance, older generations remain engaged with new trends, and younger individuals defy traditional expectations of their age group. These dynamics are evident across various social and cultural spectrums, from shifting gender norms to non-linear career paths.
Marketing has been slow to catch up with this reality. Most campaigns still speak to individuals based on outdated categories, resulting in a disconnect between the brand and its audience. To communicate effectively in today’s world, brands must adapt to this fluidity, using language that evolves with their audience.
Relational Marketing: Conversations Over Conversions
A solution to the static language problem lies in relational marketing—an approach that prioritizes conversation over conversion. Traditional marketing often focuses on pushing messages at the audience, assuming that a well-crafted slogan or campaign can drive immediate sales or engagement. However, this one-way communication is inadequate for an audience that craves interaction and relationship-building.
Relational marketing involves ongoing dialogue with the audience, allowing brands to adjust their tone, messaging, and approach based on real-time feedback and emotional cues. Instead of telling the audience who they are and what they should buy, brands invite the audience to share their experiences, shaping the brand's identity in the process. This two-way interaction fosters a deeper connection, positioning the brand not as a static entity but as an evolving partner in the consumer’s journey.
Embracing Fluidity in Branding
A fluid approach to branding requires the brand itself to evolve. Traditionally, brands have been presented as consistent and unchanging, with fixed logos, slogans, and core messages. While consistency is important for brand recognition, it can limit a brand’s ability to respond to its audience's changing needs.
A more fluid approach to branding involves adjusting messaging based on the context of each interaction. For example, during moments of global crisis, such as a pandemic, brands that showed empathy and support resonated more with their audiences than those that stuck to their typical sales pitches. This adaptability creates a more human connection, making the brand feel more approachable and relevant.
The Role of Technology in Evolving Communication
As technology advances, it offers opportunities to better align marketing language with human fluidity. AI-driven marketing tools can analyze real-time data, such as consumer behavior and emotional cues, to adapt messaging dynamically. This ensures the communication reflects the audience’s current needs, preferences, and mindsets.
For example, AI can track how consumers engage with a brand's social media posts or website, using that information to adjust email marketing campaigns or personalized content on the brand’s website. If a user is experiencing high levels of stress, perhaps due to a personal or global event, the AI can adjust the tone of marketing messages to offer comfort or support rather than pushing a product.
This level of adaptability can only be achieved through fluid, responsive language that aligns with the audience’s dynamic nature. Using technology to enhance communication, brands can speak more effectively to their audience, fostering deeper engagement and connection.
Breaking Free from Audience Segments: The "Space Between" Approach
The "Space Between" theory, introduced in a previous exploration, offers a compelling solution to the limitations of static language in marketing. It advocates for targeting the individuals who exist in the spaces between traditional audience segments—people whose interests, emotions, or life situations defy conventional categorization.
These "in-between" individuals often feel unseen by traditional marketing approaches. They may be in transitional life phases or have niche interests that don’t align with mainstream messaging. The "Space Between" approach seeks to engage these overlooked groups by recognizing their unique experiences and addressing their needs in real time.
This approach doesn’t rely on predefined audience segments but instead focuses on fluid emotional and situational states. By using real-time data and adaptive messaging, brands can connect with individuals on a deeper level, offering relevance in a way that traditional static language cannot achieve.
Conversations in the Space Between
Building on the idea of the "Space Between," relational marketing can serve as the bridge connecting brands to these unclassified individuals. The key to this approach is fostering conversation rather than simply delivering a message.
Conversations offer the flexibility that static language cannot. When brands listen to their audiences and respond based on real-time feedback, they create a dialogue reflecting the fluidity of human experience. These conversations can be about anything from personal stories and emotions to more significant cultural movements. What matters is that the audience feels heard and understood rather than targeted by a predetermined campaign.
The Limitations of Conventional Metrics
In traditional marketing, success is often measured by conversions—sales, clicks, or other tangible outcomes. However, these metrics may not fully capture the value of a relationship-based approach. Conversations and engagement can offer long-term benefits that are not immediately reflected in sales numbers but foster brand loyalty and deeper connections.
A fluid approach to marketing redefines success, focusing on metrics like repeat engagement, customer feedback, and emotional resonance. These metrics are harder to quantify but are crucial for building long-term relationships in a world where consumers expect more than just transactional interactions with brands.
Evolving Our Communication
We live in a world where human experiences are increasingly fluid. From shifting identities and career paths to evolving emotional states, people no longer fit into the predefined categories that traditional marketing relies on. To communicate effectively in this dynamic environment, we must move beyond static language and embrace a more relational, adaptable approach.
By recognizing the complexity of human behavior and prioritizing conversations over conversions, brands can build deeper, more meaningful connections with their audience. Whether through the "Space Between" approach or by using technology to adapt messaging in real-time, the future of marketing lies in fluid communication that reflects the ever-evolving nature of the people we are trying to reach.
Summing Up: Why Fluidity Matters
The choice to communicate with fluid creatures using static language limits the effectiveness of our messaging and disconnects us from the very people we are trying to engage. Fluidity matters because it acknowledges the complexity, the in-betweens, and the evolving experiences of human life. As marketers, writers, and communicators, we aim to evolve with our audience, using language that resonates in real time and builds lasting, authentic relationships.
