What Modern Dating Can Teach Modern Marketers
Sarah Willersdorf, now CMO of Diane Von Furstenburg, recently argued that brands can learn much from the successes of dating apps.
Willersdorf’s three pillars to successful online dating are:
· Be clear — those looking for happily ever after have different profiles from those looking for fun in the here and now
· Be data driven — algorithms enable the circa. 26MM daily matches on apps like Tinder and should also inform brand decision making
· Be concise — be able to distill what your brand’s vision into 5 images and a couple of sentences
These seem like great directives for any marketer operating in today’s media and behavioral landscape. An environment where Facebook has its three second audition, every digital action is tracked and where competition for attention is more fierce than ever.
I’d argue that attracting customers to your brand is actually tougher than matching on a dating app. On a dating app both parties are actively seeking that someone. However, few consumers are in-market for soda, a new car or a new cable package when brands message them. The fact that most customers seldom seek branded communications reinforces Willersdorf’s point that brands need to rely upon clarity, data and being concise to win the battle of attracting customers.
