2. Moskow 2
Zach Moskow
10 March 2016
Abstract
Marketing is not an easy feat. Consumers welcome advertisements that are simplistic, and
therefor easy to comprehend and digest. The question that sparked this research paper was, “what
marketing tactics have companies deployed to get their businesses to be viewed as elite and their
products/services consistently high quality?” Elite companies focus on how buyers perceive their
company and how to excite customers by their brand and or product. Several anecdotes
exemplify the qualified team necessary to build an elite brand as well as the tactics vital to being
memorable in the public’s eye. There are a few key components that help companies stand out as
dominant players in their respective industries: those will be examined in the proceeding pages.
3. Moskow 3
The Elite Echelon of Marketing - Introduction
Promotion. Selling. Publicizing. Presentation. These four words make up the category called
marketing. Few companies have the required, effective marketing which transitions a business
from run-of-the-mill to elite. When a company is elite, consumers view the product or services
offered by that company as top quality. Industry leading companies have specific marketing
teams that target public perception and drive sales. Companies like Apple, Geico, Snapple, Coke,
and more are leaders in their respective sectors; when one hears these names they cannot help but
recognize them. Certain corporations like Tesla do not always follow the traditionally successful
marketing route yet can experience wildly great success if their plans work. Widespread,
effective marketing tactics of businesses involve appealing, straightforward content, few words,
resilient leadership, and consistency; consumers primarily love content that is easy to follow and
take action on.
Simplicity in Ad Design is Key Whether in Print, Online, Words or Media
Very few companies get the concept of marketing right and too often overcomplicate their
advertising; simplicity is key. According to expert research by Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g),
“only 16% of website visitors [read the entire page they are on]” (Nielsen, 1). Instead “79%” of
users skim for visual content (Nielsen, 1). The most proactive forms of marketing consist of
concise content supplemented with bulleted lists, clearly defined keywords and non-exaggerating
claims about a specific product and or firm. The most effective ads are the most crude because
“perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add but when there is nothing left to
take away” (Saint-Exupéry 60). The essential aspect to marketing is creating a presentation that
4. Moskow 4
seems more worthwhile to pay attention to than distracting. Geico stands out in this category.
Since inception, Geico has been engraving the simple saying into the public’s mind, “15 minutes
could save you 15% or more on car insurance” (Geico). Everyone remembers Geico’s ads.
Simple phrases or even one word can resonant in someone’s mind. Steve Tobak, an author for
CBS News, wrote an article on businesses with amazing marketing and mentioned “Apple
(AAPL) stands as the one technology company that truly gets marketing. It defines the next big
thing and creates game-changers in existing markets before people themselves even know what
they want” (Tobak 1). What Steve Tobak is saying is that an elite company forms the concept of
what the consumer wants before the people actually buy the product itself. In order to market
effectively, marketers must make strong statements and point out where their service or product
is the best. Now in order to market in an elite manner, a marketing team must simplify all aspects
of an advertisement to the point where the consumer enjoys the ad itself.
Equal Importance of Product and Marketing
Marketing is crucial to success and that does not simply entail the layout of pages or
advertisements. Other marketing tactics that make companies industry frontrunners are slogans,
establishing loyalty among users, and targeting specific types of people. According to US Fed
News Service, Including US State News, Apple markets the products they make in such an
amazing way that the marketing is as great as the product itself (US Fed News Service, Including
US State News 1). Apple creates the feeling that every product it releases is innovational and out
of the box. Apple has a loyal brand and many people are dedicated to having Apple products and
promoting the brand. This “intense brand loyalty" (Appendix A) has allowed Apple to grow and
5. Moskow 5
become one of the strongest marketed brands in the world (US Fed News Service, Including US
State News 1). This graph visualizes the culmination of research by Morgan Stanley and
AlphaWise. The bar graphs shows brand loyalty by comparing various years and brand retention
or the continuing of consumer to support Apple. Apple destroys the competition almost making
certain companies feel time and worthless much like a momma bear asserting its dominance over
its enemies. Think about an Apple product you may have purchased and if you haven’t then
consider someone you know who has bought one. The experience of unwrapping the technology
is as beautiful and sensational as using the laptop, iPhone, or iPad itself. The mere touching of
the matte finish of the box and sliding open the prestigiously wrapped item exemplifies the
greatness of Apple’s marketing team; it shows how focused they are on the user’s perception of
the brand, making the high-class feeling of owning one of their products. Companies like Apple
have changed the game by changing how the user and even potential buyer view the company
and are able to make the exclusive, elite feeling of owning an Apple product possible. Since
Apple has been leading the marketing space across all industries and has the most elite brand
established in history, they have paved the way for brands to “justify [their] price” (Hangen, 1).
Key elements to successful marketing are not just simplified ads, and a great experience, but
justifying the price that customers pay to be a part of something select. In addition, companies
like Apple, and other leading brands have set a precedent. “You don’t buy tissues, you buy
Kleenex. You don’t buy MP3 players, you buy an iPod. You don’t buy a smartphone, you buy an
iPhone” (Hangen, 1). Nathan Hangen, author for Kissmetrics Blogs, reveals an interested point
that in order to know when your company has become the industry leader, that is has “become
‘The Name”’ (Hangen, 1). Elite companies must learn from what Apple has done. There are
6. Moskow 6
ways to market effectively and to show that a company is doing so. Companies must take their
criticism with a grain of salt in order to learn, improve, and lead the way in an industry.
Climbing to Obtain an Elite Status and Staying on Top
Dominance is difficult to achieve. Being number 2, 3, 4, 5 all the way to the bottom of the
list is easy in market leadership. The most strenuous task that needs to be conquered by a power
hungry, cash-thirsty company, is obtaining the uppermost spot in the sector they are in. “No
competitor is content with being No. 2 in the industry” (Schmidt 1). Some companies buy out
and merge with similar firms, but this often creates financial troubles as seen in the case of the
Quaker Oats and Snapple merge of 1994. According to Megan Ruesink, author for Rasmussen
College, School of Business Blog, “Quaker Oats acquired the new-kid-on-the-block, Snapple, for
$1.7 billion. Despite criticisms from Wall Street that they paid $1 billion too much for the fruity
drink company, Quaker Oats dove head-first into a new marketing campaign and set out to bring
Snapple to every grocery store and chain restaurant they could. However, their efforts failed
miserably. Quaker Oats didn’t seem to grasp the Snapple identity and after just 27 months, sold
Snapple for $300 million” (Ruesink 1) or a loss of $1.4 billion. Ruesink articulates how
significant marketing is and how their team failed miserably since they botched the “quirky and
fun advertising” (Ruesink 1) tactic Snapple previously ran. A successful marketing team will
bring back and always keep marketing at the forefront of their business in order to assert
authority and to be seen as a potential, industry groundbreaker. The Snapple anecdote shows the
drastic consequences of poor advertising and a weak marketing team.
7. Moskow 7
Leadership
Industry leading corporations can be daunting to mom and pop stores or even to less well-
known national brands. To continue with Tobak’s piece, even smaller companies can flourish
and Adobe did just that. As Microsoft grew in prominence, it began developing applications and
especially apps similar to the ones entire companies were based on such as Adobe. Adobe is well
known for Photoshop, Acrobat, Design, etc., and Microsoft tried to run them out of business.
Adobe did not let Microsoft defeat their company and thrives knowing that every “knowledge
worker” needs to use one of their products almost every day in order to work efficiently and
effectively (Tobak 2). Adobe’s present chief of marketing, “Ann Lewnes, launched Intel's
vaunted Pentium product brand and managed the ‘Intel Inside’ program” (Tobak 2). To have
great marketing, there must be great people leading the way such as marketing chiefs and
founders. Management is key for tech giants, food enterprises, and others alike. Average
organizations will create mediocre advertisements while above-average companies will
revolutionize the ad industry and will be renowned. Michael Schmidt, writer for Investopedia,
argues that “experienced managers can not only lead a company through market cycles, but they
can also provide mentorship for the next generation of managers” (Schmidt 1). This idea changes
the scope of marketing and having a thriving company. Not only does a company need a high
quality product and fantastic marketing, but also it needs a team of highly skilled personnel to
continue to produce highly acclaimed work. These businesses need those professionals to teach
“the next generation of managers” how to be dominant in an industry (Schmidt 1).
Consistency
8. Moskow 8
A marketing team is responsible for taking a company to the next level, but in order to get
there, companies like Chipotle and Geico focus on having a consistent product and message.
Consistency allows customers to latch onto the company message and product/service. Product
consistency comes first: without a consistently great product or knowingly fantastic experience,
businesses can put their customer loyalty in jeopardy. Remaining consistent and making sure
customers know they will always have a high quality product and amazing experience leads
directly to the capacity of the advertisements they make; with a weak foundation and inconsistent
brand, marketing ploys collapse. Their downfall is much like that of a tower during a Jenga game
when the wrong piece is pulled out. Just like a reliable product, dependable marketing is a huge
contributor to continued success and memorability of ads and one’s company’s message. In
addition to the specific words companies say and the goals they have for customers’ experiences,
companies like to present the actual advertisements in a memorable fashion. One brand may use
a color, constantly making that one color associated with it. Another business may use a jingle or
theme to always bring the consumer’s focus back to the company’s identity. As previously
mentioned, Geico does a great job reiterating its message and having it branded into the
audience’s mind, like a song getting stuck in someone’s head – they cannot forget the lyrics or
tune. As I’m sure you have already said in your head reading this research paper, no one forgets
Geico’s message “15 minutes could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance” (Geico). This
has been engraved into our minds over and over again. We have no forgotten it, we have not
been confused by what the saying meant, and we have never questioned Geico’s sincerity.
Through this simple saying, the insurer guarantees the insuree of their ability to save money, and
Geico maintains its reputation as a reliable company in terms of their message and services
provided.
9. Moskow 9
The Culmination of Consistency and Quality
High quality products and services are two of the underlying principals for a successful
company, but marketing is the main reason why companies generate sells. Apple has taught other
companies time and time again that you must make your worth clear, product always industry
leading, and have a loyal base of users. Snapple has shown that specific marketing scenes attract
buyers. Geico has proven that a consistent message provides unequivocal memorability within a
company’s ads. The marketing team is the basis for this success; you could have 1000
incompetent workers or a team of five brilliant marketers and the latter could accomplish much
more. One brand that has been utilizing the key components for elite advertising is Coca-Cola: a
commonly recognized brand, supported worldwide, by a network of customers, relying on
consistency. These teams create the consistent elements of various corporations like Coke. The
consumers pay attention to the traditional marketing tactics, message, and more related specially
to Coca-Cola, the physical product flavor and experience. Coke has had a consistent logo and
tastes for their sodas for over a century. They have made their packaging, bottle shape, and every
item related to their corporation consistent, but not dull. North Star marketing, a reputable
marketing firm based in North Carolina, says “from the name to the logo, from the product to the
[message], everyone knows Coca-Cola (Lynch, 1). Try to imagine Coke’s logo. Mostly likely
you could picture it perfectly, and if not 100 percent than at least you remembered the color
scheme correctly (Appendix B). But for Coke the key to being one of the most respected and
highly regarded brands is its “brand consistency” and “strategic commitment that is…just as vital
to their success as their secret formula” (Lynch, 1). Not all brands are memorable and not all
brands follow the proven techniques in the marketing industry that have lead to success.
10. Moskow 10
Outliers
Tesla is one of the least conventional companies in the United States in regards to their
marketing approach. Tesla teaches the advertising industry that not all marketing needs to be
explicit. By that they mean they have shook-up the customer experience, and in turn driving
sales. Tesla has never aired a single commercial and traditional car salespeople cannot keep up.
Elon Musk, CEO, has gotten rid of the dealerships and instead implemented one-of-a kind
showrooms, most of which are only big enough to fit one or at most two vehicles (Reynolds, 1).
Musk then goes and purchases spaces in various malls around the country in order to gain
maximum traffic to his showrooms (Reynolds, 1). “This radical departure from car marketing
norms completely changes the traditional customer math” (Reynolds, 1). Reynolds, author of
Why You Should Copy Tesla's Way of Marketing, and writer for Forbes magazine, is saying that
Tesla has prospered by imagining and implementing a new type of marketing whereby cars
basically sell themselves. Envision a normal car dealership and the process of people specifically
showing up to look at and hopeful purchase vehicles; Tesla has done away with this business
model. Tesla fuses together business strategy and marketing to allow tens of thousands of
individuals to walk by its presentation rooms everyday, at no cost to them. “Getting physically
closer to your potential customers, so that they are more likely to consider your product or
service” is a revolutionary philosophy (Reynolds, 1). Although there are means commonly
practiced to gain brand traction, Tesla focuses on having the highest quality product in the
industry, developing the community and experience, and using free media. Since Tesla’s strategy
is unique, news stations want to report on their marketing strategies, therefor bringing Tesla’s
name up in everyday life, therefor making Tesla a household name. Tesla is an elite company not
11. Moskow 11
just because it has the best product, but also because their cars sell themselves with zero dollars
having been spent on ads since inception. Tesla is okay with taking risks and trying taking new
approaches even if they wander into uncharted territory. Proven methods can lead to vast
prosperity, but novel ideas can lead to foreseeably, infinite industry influence.
The Elite Echelon of Marketing - Conclusion
Few companies are elite, because the majority of firms do not have the aptitude to market
simply, consistently, and in a manner focused on consumers’ experiences. The culmination of
data analytics, professional opinion, and clear and conclusive evidence has led directly to my
findings. Elite companies can achieve success only by means of traditional, proven concepts, or
unproven, but innovative thinking; simply wishing or paying for advertising that is not
intriguing, will make people unaware of a companies message. The key concepts are:
1. Simplicity in ad design and overall company presentation
2. Stressing product quality and marketing strategy equally
3. Climbing to obtain elite status and having the audacity and endurance to maintain
such a high level of company operation.
4. Having a team, unparalleled to any other in a given industry
5. Product, message, and overall design consistency
6. Be different even if it means working harder, or sometimes in the dark
12. Moskow 12
The question that sparked this research paper was, “what marketing tactics have companies
deployed to get their businesses to be viewed as elite and their product/services consistently high
quality?” The most important tactic for a company to utilize and the answer to the essential
research question is three words: be consistently unique.
13. Moskow 13
Works Cited
CEB Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2016.
Feloni, Richard. "7 Brilliant Strategies Coca-Cola Used to Become One of the World's Most
Recognizable Brands." Business Insider. N.p., 12 June 2015. Web. 13 Mar. 2016.
Hangen, Nathan. "7 Key Strategies That You Must Learn From Apple’s Marketing." Web log
post. Kissmetrics Blog. N.p., Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
Lynch, Andy, Bryan Ickes, Clark Morgan, Micah Fox, North Star Marketing, Rob McDorman,
and Ryan Cardwell. "The Difference Between a Good Brand and a Great Brand?
Consistency." North Star Marketing. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.
Neilsen, Jakob. "How Users Read on the Web." Nngroup. Nielsen Norman Group, 1 Oct. 1997.
Web. 8 Mar. 2016.
Ruesink, Megan. "Top Corporate Mergers: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly." Web log post.
Rasmussen. Rasmussen College School of Business, 28 Sept. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2016.
Schmidt, Michael. "3 Secrets Of Successful Companies." Investopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar.
2016.
Statistica. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2016.
Tobak, Steve. "Ten Companies with Insanely Great Marketing." CBS News. N.p., 17 Feb. 2012.
Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
Saint-Exupéry, Antoine De, Lewis Galantière, and John O'Hara Cosgrave. "Three." Wind, Sand
and Stars. New York: Reynal & Hitchcock, 1939. N. pag. Print.
