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People Don�t Buy Products, But Better Versions of Themselves


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This is a really interesting article. People Don't Buy Products, But Better Versions of Themselves.. I'd never really thought about how this particular type of manipulation works, but it sure rings true. After reading this, whenever I see an ad, it falls into either the "here's why it's a better product" or "here's why you're a better person if you have this product" category.
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In 1969, I saw an advertisement for the Panasonic RQ-232S radio/cassette player and recorder. It was more expensive than the average player - I don't remember it's price. However, I knew that owning one would make me the complete version of myself. There was so much music happening and I wanted to take the music with me - EVERYWHERE. But I wanted a good radio/cassette player, not junk. I was only 15 and working part time so I saved my money, eventually bought one and it delivered on its promise.

 

Back then WNEW-FM broadcast wonderful rock music and I was able to tape the radio onto a cassette. The night the Fillmore East closed was a radio broadcast and I recorded the whole night of concerts (stayed up late) on numerous cassettes.

 

That product made me the music nerd I always wanted to be.

Steve Coscia

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So instead of listening to the original release of ME, or the late 90's/early 200's remastered version of MYSELF, I should definitely get the boxed set, 16 disc collector's version with Steven Wilson 5.1 remix ME? Danzilla 5.1 - yeah, that's the ticket!

"Am I enough of a freak to be worth paying to see?"- Separated Out (Marillion)

NEW band Old band

 

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Have to agree. Some ads focus too much on abstract parameters like RAM capacity, bit depth, etc. Even though I'm an engineer who can understand those terms, those parameters do not translate into how they make me a better musician. It's almost as bad as hype.

 

As you may know I create content for manufacturers, like techniques articles. I'm hoping that what I'm seeing is a trend and not just a blip, but companies want material that is truthful. I always had to fight with magazines for editorial control, but manufacturers just give it to me.

 

My theory is that traditional advertising as a way to sell people on something is obsolete. The purpose of advertising is shifting solely to creating awareness. What actually matters to people nowadays is word of mouth, user reviews on Amazon, and of course, what people say in MusicPlayer.com :).

 

So, companies want people who buy their products to know exactly what to expect. If I say in an article that a plug-in really sucks a lot of CPU, then it won't come as a nasty surprise to someone who buys a plug-in and finds they can run only a couple instances...so they won't go online and say "This draws way too much power, thumbs down."

 

At least the manufacturers I'm dealing with seem more interested in matching people to products, and that means talking frankly about limitations as well as strengths.

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My theory is that traditional advertising as a way to sell people on something is obsolete. The purpose of advertising is shifting solely to creating awareness. What actually matters to people nowadays is word of mouth, user reviews on Amazon, and of course, what people say in MusicPlayer.com :).

 

So, companies want people who buy their products to know exactly what to expect. If I say in an article that a plug-in really sucks a lot of CPU, then it won't come as a nasty surprise to someone who buys a plug-in and finds they can run only a couple instances...so they won't go online and say "This draws way too much power, thumbs down."

 

At least the manufacturers I'm dealing with seem more interested in matching people to products, and that means talking frankly about limitations as well as strengths.

 

Here's a perspective for you... I WANT soft-synths that take up more CPU. Why do I want artifacts, aliasing, etc? If someone is offering a higher quality instrument, with demonstrably better outcomes and it buries my machine.... GREAT! That's what it is for. Now if it is just bloated that is a different story. But there are starting to be spectral and other digital synths that really do a lot of complex math. This is very good news. I don't expect a light footprint. I think those days are over. CPUs are great. RAM is cheap. SSD is crazy cheap.

 

And yes, I am a big fan of the walkthrough type of demo's that Spitfire Audio and others are using with the big orchestral sample libraries. You get to see the UI and hear the timbral shifts involved in manipulating things. Generally, you also learn the intended use by how and what they chose to demo (they are after all, out to show it off well). There are lots of third party sound libraries that effectively play every patch of an expansion set (like The Unfinished). Very helpful. No one can copy all those patches, but if there's only three sounds that are of interest, then at least you know. (and I have bought just for those three sounds and been happy).

 

I generally find out about new products here or on Synthtopia before any retailer or manufacturer content is seen. Their websites are hardly every first. The world has changed.

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Here's a perspective for you... I WANT soft-synths that take up more CPU. Why do I want artifacts, aliasing, etc? If someone is offering a higher quality instrument, with demonstrably better outcomes and it buries my machine.... GREAT! That's what it is for.

 

...which basically supports what the manufacturers are telling me they want! They'd rather let people know something draws a lot of CPU because...well, because they draw a lot of CPU. If you want something with really sophisticated algorithms, that offsets the person with the 8-year-old computer who wants something that doesn't draw much CPU. Really, it's becoming more and more about matching the right customer to the right product, so they'll have a good experience, and come back to the same manufacturer for more. To me, that takes a longer view of how to sell products.

 

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