The unchanging man

Local businesses should not worry about the change

Strategy

Local businesses should not worry about the change

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

The tech world thrives on change. Making things obsolete helps sell more products and services. Things do not change as tech predicts.

According to the advertising agency BBH:

Change is to marketers what lightbulbs are to moths. We fixate upon emerging behaviours, fetishise the latest platforms, and fantasise about ‘new normals’. The world as understood through agency decks is a place of constant upheaval.

There is a simple reason for this obsession. Change sells.

What tech community claims to change:

1. Consumers beliefs and behaviours are always changing (They dislike meeting in person. Thus, social media).

2. The new generation is different (It does not watch TV or advertisements).

3. A new normal (Pandemic will make everything online).

But, William Bernbach, who founded BBH, talked about ‘unchanging man:

It took millions of years for man’s instincts to develop. It will take millions more for them to even vary. It is fashionable to talk about changing man. A communicator must be concerned with unchanging man. With his obsessive drive to survive, to be admired, to succeed, to love, to take care of his own.

As per BBH Labs, some things haven’t changed, while some things have changed.

What didn’t change:

1. Attitudes on future doesn’t change. Equal number of people worry and do not worry about it.

2. Attitudes on brand loyalty hasn’t changed. People stick with a brand, if they like it.

3. Majority dislike debt.

4. More than 50% of the people hate authority.

5. About 75% of the people value family over career and enjoy the family.

6. People want to look young and dislike clutter.

What did change:

1. Attitudes about the money:
   - More people think about shares and sticks as a risk than before.
   - More people look for the lowest price of goods and services than before.
   - More people look for special offers than before.

2. As the economy does better, more people are willing to pay more for the eco products.

3. Due to technology, lesser people are using cash and sticking to the same newspaper.

4. More people think about legalising cannbis than before.

5. More people think that TV ads are annoying than before.

What should we do?

• Bootstrappers and local business should not fear the change-propaganda of the tech startups.

• Instead, focus on the long-term fundamentals or Bernbach’s ‘unchanging man’.

• To succeed: focus on things that do not change — Bezos Link