I’m currently reflecting on the idea that it is easier to market something to a person when you convince them that they want the thing rather than need it. This calls to mind a case we talked about in my Social Entrepreneurship class, that of marketing toilets in India.
A breakdown of health effects from insufficient sanitation.
Lack of sanitation is a serious issue, leading to diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid being spread, or urinary tract infections and kidney and liver problems. The absence of toilets can also sometimes prohibit girls from attending school, and means that many women must get up hours before dawn to find a discreet place to “go”. Only 11% of families have a toilet connected to a public sewer system. There have been many campaigns to increase the number of toilets being built in India, especially in rural areas, but all have failed until the “No Toilet, No Bride” movement. Once the toilet is linked to romance it becomes desirable, and some Indian brides have begun refusing to marry a man unless there is a toilet in his house. These topics that were once culturally taboo are now advertised on the radio with slogans like, “No loo? No I do!” Since the campaign was started, more than 1.4 million toilets were built in the state of Haryana alone. Apart from the massive health benefits, the campaign has also increased the power of women in India.
I think we can agree that this seems like an enormous success; inventing a cultural desire for sanitation has been described as a “bloodless coup” by cheap and eco-friendly toilet developer Bindeshwar Pathak. The creation of this want has improved many lives in India. However, similar tactics seems disingenuous when applied to other products, like cars, clothes, etc. For example, this Dove ad similarly invents the desire for beautiful underarms. If it didn’t exist, I doubt we would know that we are all supposed to be insecure about “ugly” underarms! I can embrace slight marketing manipulations when they’re done for the greater good, but I continue to dislike such ploys when they aim to shake our confidence in order to merely sell a product. Perhaps it’s because the want for toilets in India is accompanied by a real need for sanitation and the accompanying health benefits, while the only need accompanying the Dove ads is the company’s “need” for money.
Marketing can be so helpful in creating social movements and effecting positive change in people’s behaviour. In development, I think we should be using aspirational marketing more than campaigns based on evasion, because they might be more effective. Positivity is simply more attractive than negativity However, it’s only a tool and can be used for the dark side as well. When Dove invents a desire it can still be effective marketing, but it doesn’t improve the world.
Unhinge the Ouroboros 