The Past and Present: Relevance of Galton, Wundt, and James in Media & MARKETING TODAY
In an era where data reigns supreme, post-digital media and marketing are marking a crossroads. The relentless pursuit of algorithmic precision and digital targeting, while powerful, has led to a notable detachment from the rich, humanistic insights that once formed the bedrock of advertising and marketing.
My dad, Eddie Lawton, has always shared thoughts, and knowledge, and challenged ideas to help me learn. Often this made me frustrated and set the scenario for conflict. Over the years I have become extremely grateful to him for this as he has shaped the way I think, my curious mind, and given me the foundations for my profession as a strategist who challenges the status quo and almost everything else.
I´m writing this article because a few weeks ago I was tidying up old boxes from one of my many relocations and I came across a box with three books he gave me back in 1996 when I first started working for P&G at Mediacom in London:
The Affluent Society (John Kenneth Galbraith, 1958)
In The Affluent Society Galbraith asserts that classical economic theory was true for the eras before the present, which were times of "poverty"; now, however, we have moved from an age of poverty to an age of "affluence", and such an age, a completely new economic theory is needed.
Galbraith's main argument is that as society becomes relatively more affluent, private businesses must create consumer demand through advertising, and while this generates artificial affluence through the production of commercial goods and services, the public sector becomes neglected.
Galbraith was a long-time Harvard faculty member and stayed with Harvard University for half a century as a professor of economics
The Status Seekers (Vance Packard, 1960)
Packard explored advertisers' use of consumer motivational research and other psychological techniques, including depth psychology and subliminal tactics, to manipulate expectations and induce a desire for products, particularly in the American postwar era. He identified eight "compelling needs" that advertisers promise products will fulfill (Emotional Security, Reassurance of worth, Ego gratification, Creative outlets, Love objects, Sense of power, Roots, Immortality). He criticized advertisers' unfettered use of private information to create marketing schemes. He compared a recent Great Society initiative by then-president Lyndon B. Johnson, the National Data Bank, to the use of information by advertisers and argued for increased data privacy measures to ensure that information did not find its way into the wrong hands.
Experience and Behaviour (Peter McKeller, 1968)
In what ways can psychology bridge the gap between normal and abnormal mental life? McKellar believes that the words experience and behavior provide an answer: what men and women do, their behavior becomes more understandable when we know more about their experience. This book provides a guide to understanding psychological phenomena that are, or seem to be, abnormal. It also examines the relation of these to subjective experiences of people we regard as normal, emphasizing the continuity between normal and abnormal mental life.
I actually read them back then, when I told Eddie that my job was mainly to spend a lot of time trying to understand "Personas” and going through numbers from surveys, cutting out interesting articles from magazines, sitting in focus groups, and doing competitive reports of the Haircare category across Europe.
To help me out in a time when data was limited, he told me to read these books, which I did - in order to survive the drill the next time I saw him.
The point is that today, 27 years later I have started to read them again, but this time, slowly and reflecting on their content: Because these and other similar books are now more relevant than ever.
The thinking in them is neither right nor wrong, and it conflicts with my views on many levels by the way. Most of it is based on earlier work by the likes of Francis Galton, Wilhelm Wundt, and William James that offer a compelling, albeit controversial, and today underutilized reservoir of thinking, reflection, and biased wisdom.
This article posits that revisiting their foundational ideas (whether we agree with them or not) in scientific psychology can equip today's media strategists with a more nuanced, human-centric approach, enhancing the effectiveness and resonance of their client’s campaigns.
So, it doesn’t matter if I am now finally “becoming a clone of my dad”, the fact is that reading, debating, and thinking, enquiring about philosophy, psychology, sociology, and other humanistic knowledge and approaches to behavior has always been very good advice for anyone working in media and marketing strategy.
Maybe, if you are interested, this could be somewhere to start:
Made using DALL-E and a prompt I have forgotten.
Galton's Composite Portraiture: Understanding Collective Desires
Francis Galton, a polymath known for his work in statistics and psychology, pioneered the concept of composite portraiture. This method involved overlaying multiple photographs to create a 'composite' image representing the average of the combined features. In the context of modern media, Galton's approach symbolizes the importance of understanding the collective desires and attributes of a target audience.
While current digital strategies primarily focus on individualized targeting, Galton's methodology reminds us of the power of commonality. By studying and appealing to the shared values, aspirations, and concerns of a demographic, marketers can craft messages that resonate on a broader, more unifying level. This approach not only fosters a sense of community but also circumvents the fatigue associated with hyper-personalized advertising.
Wundt's Introspection: Delving into Consumer Consciousness
Wilhelm Wundt, often regarded as the father of experimental psychology, emphasized introspection as a means to explore the human mind. His approach involved examining one's own conscious thoughts and feelings. In a marketing world inundated with external data points and behavior tracking, Wundt’s introspective psychology invites a deeper dive into the internal landscapes of consumers.
By encouraging a form of 'marketing introspection', brands can gain insights into the emotional and cognitive processes that drive consumer behavior. This approach necessitates a shift from solely analyzing external actions (clicks, views, purchases) to understanding the internal experiences that lead to these actions. It's about asking why consumers feel and think the way they do, offering a richer, more empathetic understanding of their motivations.
In his search for truth and assorted principles of psychology, William James developed his two-stage model of free will. In his model, he tries to explain how it is people come to the making of a decision and what factors are involved in it. He firstly defines our basic ability to choose as free will. Then he specifies our two factors as chance and choice. "James's two-stage model effectively separates chance (the in-deterministic free element) from choice (an arguably determinate decision that follows causally from one's character, values, and especially feelings and desires at the moment of decision
William James's Pragmatism: Practicality in Communication
William James, an eminent American philosopher and psychologist, introduced pragmatism, a school of thought that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. In the sphere of media and marketing, James’s pragmatism translates into crafting communications that are not only creatively compelling but also practically resonant with the audience.
James's emphasis on practicality in understanding reality challenges modern marketers to assess their strategies based on tangible outcomes and real-world effectiveness. This approach can be a counterbalance to the often abstract and data-driven tactics that dominate the digital marketing landscape. It suggests a return to messaging and campaigns that prioritize clear, practical benefits and real-life applicability, ensuring that the audience's immediate needs and contexts are addressed.
The Forgotten Skills and Techniques of Humanities
Over the last two decades, the advertising and marketing industry has increasingly sidelined the humanistic skills and techniques once considered essential. The industry's focus has shifted towards quantitative data analysis, often at the expense of qualitative insights drawn from psychology, sociology, and other humanities. This shift is reflected in the dwindling investment in consumer ethnography, focus groups, and in-depth interviews, traditionally crucial tools for understanding the human psyche and societal trends.
The consequence is a marketing landscape often disconnected from the deeper, more nuanced aspects of human behavior and culture.
A 2021 survey indicated that while 75% of brands believe they understand their customers' emotional needs, only 47% of consumers felt the same way about these brands. This disconnect underscores the gap that has emerged due to the underutilization of humanistic approaches.
Made with DALL-E: Prompt “confused consumers using media in all kinds of places.”
Integrating Historical Psychological Insights into Modern Media Strategies
Creating Composite Personas: Following Galton's composite approach, media strategists can develop 'composite personas' that represent the average of key characteristics of a target demographic. This technique helps in creating more relatable and broadly appealing campaign narratives.
Consumer Introspection Studies: Borrowing from Wundt's introspective psychology, agencies can conduct studies focusing on the internal experiences of consumers. This could involve in-depth interviews and psychological profiling to complement data-driven behavioral insights.
Pragmatic Messaging: Inspired by James's pragmatism, marketing communications should emphasize practicality. This involves focusing on clear, straightforward messaging that speaks to the immediate needs and contexts of the audience, offering tangible solutions
So, this is a very brief reflection of some useful ideas of Galton, Wundt, and James. But if you are curious maybe you should read more about the subject matter as it offers timeless insights that are increasingly relevant in today's post-digital marketing era.
By integrating these “neither right nor wrong historical psychological perspectives” into Post-Digital brand thinking and strategy, marketers can achieve a more balanced, human-centric, sustainable approach to their business. This integration promises not only greater resonance with audiences but also a return to the foundational elements of effective communication — understanding, empathy, and practicality.
As the industry continues to evolve, it is these humanistic insights that will likely distinguish the most successful and impactful brands and campaigns, because they will allow agencies such as Re:Motive to Make Different Happen.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Thanks for reading, and thanks Dad for the patience!
cComments/contributions/additions are very welcome.
