These Two Words Can Justify 30% ⬆ Cost
These Two Words Can Justify 30% Higher Cost
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Thanks for subscribing to Work the Funnel, a newsletter by marketer Chantelle Marcelle (me!) that highlights marketing trends and best practices, but occasionally also includes thoughts about career development, mental health, and mom jokes.
In today's issue:
1. Our marketing superpower: words
2. Other interesting stuff from around the web (farewell, Choco Taco!)
I went gluten free before it became a “thing.”
I finally decided a slice of pizza just wasn’t worth my face swelling up like Will Smith in the movie Hitch. But back then, in the days before the GF trend, I struggled to figure out what to eat.
Fast forward less than 10 years.
Suddenly gluten free became a label slapped onto random boxes and menus.
Most people imagine gluten-free eating involves a plate of crisp tree leaves paired with lemon-infused water. Food industry marketers have successfully created the illusion that gluten free is somewhat of a status signal, that the food is .
And despite the fact that we have no definitive idea what gluten really is, we’re still willing to pay a premium to be rid of it.
For example: A DiGiorno frozen cheese pizza rings up for about $7 USD. But if it’s a gluten-free DiGiorno cheese pizza, it’s $10 USD (with 16% fewer ounces of product in the box, too).
Just two words.
If those two words appear on the box, it changes how we view a product's worth. They carry a promise -- of a healthy, clean, Gwyneth Paltrow-approved lifestyle.
I’m oversimplifying this a bit as there are other elements at play, but words are powerful. They’re our marketing superpower.
For example, studies have shown that people are more likely to buy healthy food over junk when “tasty” words are used in descriptions rather than just health-conscious ones. The descriptions create an expectation of a positive experience and more desire to purchase.
The effects of words go beyond just a buyer’s perception. They can also affect the outcome.
Another study compared the physical response of two different groups given the same milkshake, same caloric content. The first group was told the milkshake was “indulgent,” implying it had way more calories than it actually did. A second group was told the milkshake was “nutritious,” and thus lower in calories.
After drinking the entire milkshake, the “indulgent” group measured a lower amount of “hunger hormone” in their stomach. They were actually more full than the group that thought they'd enjoyed a healthier version of the milkshake.
A simple change in description made all the difference in the actual, physical experience of the study’s participants.
Imagine how this could play out in your company's own marketing. Your word choice impacts the way your customers view and experience your products and services.
You can’t be an effective marketer unless you understand the power of the words you use.
I wrote an article about some of the ethical implications of the effects our marketing copy can have on customers. You check that out here.
Other Interesting Things From Around the Web
Ever heard of a social media platform exclusively for college students to friend each other and communicate? No, not Facebook. Apparently there's a new kid on the block named Patio that's taking advantage of decreasing popularity of Facebook among Gen-Z.
You need to check out these tips on audience building from my friend Amanda Natividad. She recently passed 100K followers on Twitter after what felt like only a few months.
Were you devastated by the recent announcement of the discontinuation of the Choco Taco? Here’s a great little read on the origin story of this tasty treat. From a family-owned ice cream truck business to a treat enjoyed by millions every year. (And possibly inspired by a Marty Robbins country song?)
If you live in the US, how close do you live to your mother? If your answer is more than 18 miles, then you are kind of a weirdo. At least according to this New York Times article that says most of us don’t end up venturing too far from our hometown. (Here’s a similar version of the same info if you hit a paywall on that last link.)
Hope you all have a great week!
Appreciate you taking some time to read this again.
Oh, and congrats to Bahati Louis, the winner of the giveaway featured in my last email! Huge thanks again to the team at Drip for sponsoring.
One of the hottest ecommerce marketing platforms, Drip helps DTC brands build next-level customer relationships through email automation and onsite personalization. Turn online shopping experiences into useful data streams, emails into earnings, and see rocket ship growth for your online business. Check them out here.
Until next time <3
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