Infusing Traditional Value to Your Marketing
When you think of โtraditional values,โ what comes to mind? Maybe itโs the idea of family gathered together, sharing traditions. Perhaps itโs showing respect to oneโs elders, or maybe itโs more individualโ courage in the face of adversity, acting honorably, or speaking the truth. Traditional values are a foundation for how individuals navigate their lives and contribute to their communities, shaping behaviors and decision-making in meaningful ways.
And that can include consumer behavior, too! When you integrate traditional values into your modern marketing strategies, you create a powerful connection with your audience by tapping into what matters most to them. Today, weโre going to explore how infusing traditional values can enhance your marketing efforts across the board.
Understanding Traditional Values
Traditional values are the deeply rooted customs and moral codes of a societyโ theyโre the glue that holds a community together. These values often emphasize family, community, honesty, respect, and a sense of duty, serving as a moral compass that guides the way people behave. For example, in Indigenous cultures across the Americas, a deep connection to community and the environment informs values of stewardship and reciprocity. In many Mediterranean cultures, hospitality is a deeply held value, manifesting in the warm and generous treatment of guests. Though traditional values vary widely across cultures, they share a common thread of fostering social cohesion and our sense of identity.
Itโs also important to remember that traditional values in one culture might conflict with traditional values from another. For example, in Japan, collectivism is an important traditional value. Behaving in a way that promotes group harmony at the expense of the individual is seen as the correct thing to do. But in the United States, we prize individualismโ which can sometimes lead to conflict between cultural groupsย during business exchanges. Knowing what the traditional values are in the community youโre serving is important if you want your campaign to be successful.
Importance of Traditional Values
Traditional values matter because they offer stability in a rapidly changing world. Aligning your -brand with these deeply-held values can create loyalty and build deeper relationships with consumers who see your products or services as more than just transactional. This approach lets you bridge the gap between timeless ideals and contemporary needs, making your messaging both relatable and impactful.
The Benefits of Infusing Traditional Values in Marketing
Infusing traditional values into your marketing strategy helps your brand stand out as authentic, relatable, and deeply connected to the communities it serves. Letโs take a look at how several major brands have seen these benefits in action.
Building Trust
Far and away one of the biggest benefits of traditional values in your marketing strategy is how easily they let you build trust. Traditional values, by definition, arenโt new. If they were a food, theyโd be chicken soup or apple pieโ the things consumers grew up with. They remind them of home and safety, and that creates a sense of deep respect and relatability. Consumers tend to view these brands as more authentic and reliable, which in turn makes them feel more confident in that brandโs products or services.
One great example of a campaign that built consumer trust through invoking traditional values was Nike’s “Dream Crazy” Campaign. Featuring Colin Kaepernick, this campaign highlighted social justice, equality, courage, and standing up for your beliefs, which deeply resonate with cultural values of honor and integrity. Nike saw an increase in both brand loyalty and sales, showcasing the power of building trust through aligning with traditional values.
Cultural Relevance
Marketing works best when itโs specific to a target audience, so paying attention to cultural values is important. Cultural relevance lets brands connect with diverse audiences on a deeper level, enhancing engagement and attracting new customers.
To see this in action, letโs take a look at Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign. In this campaign, Coca-Cola replaced its iconic logo with popular names and terms of endearment, emphasizing community and connection. This campaign perfectly illustrated how Coca-Colaโs products fit in with family and friendship, and the brand enjoyed a significant increase in sales and engagement, especially with younger consumers. By positioning itself as a facilitator of community interaction, Coca-Cola was able to connect with all kinds of people in different communities.
Creating Emotional Connections
Traditional values are deeply tied to emotions. Whether itโs pride, nostalgia, joy, belonging, or other positive emotions, our traditional values make us feel comfort and happiness. These values create a sense of stability and continuity, reminding us of what is familiar and meaningful, which in turn strengthens our emotional attachment brands that reflect these ideals.
One campaign that played on nostalgia and humor successfully was Heinzโs โWiener Stampede.โ This campaign involved wiener dogs chasing after Heinz products, evoking memories of summer barbecues and family gatherings. People connected with the idea of shared experiences and family memoriesโ and in the US, you canโt go wrong with cute dogs, too! The campaign led to enhanced brand visibility and positive consumer responses, reinforcing the joy of shared moments.
Strategies for Infusing Traditional Values in Marketing
So how do you bring traditional values to your marketing strategy? The answer lies in figuring out how to invoke authenticity and make a genuine connection through your marketing efforts.
Storytelling
People love a good story. A narrative resonates with us far better than anything else; weโre naturally drawn to storytelling. And when that storytelling features the values that resonate with us, we canโt help but empathize with the message. To craft a narrative that resonates with consumers, focus on incorporating values like authenticity, trust, and shared experiences, while ensuring the story is relatable and emotionally engaging. By weaving these elements into your brand’s message, you create a lasting connection that goes beyond products or services.
Community Engagement
A great way to show your customers that your brand is an authentic part of the community is to beย part of that community! Participate in community events and support local initiativesโ like sponsoring youth sports teams or community activities. Have a table or booth at local festivals, and commission local artists for campaign artwork. By engaging with the community, you demonstrate that your brand genuinely cares about the well-being of the area it serves.
Content Marketing
Once youโve embraced the principles of storytelling and community engagement, you can apply them to your content marketing. For example, a blog could feature personal stories of local families or traditions, while videos might showcase community events or interviews with elders sharing wisdom. This works on the local level, and it can work on a larger scale, too, like how Nike uses culturally significant symbols and stories in campaigns like the “Just Do It” campaign featuring athletes from diverse backgrounds.
Challenges and Considerations
However, not all campaigns that attempt to use traditional values work. You have to be careful and thoughtful, because if you come off as inauthentic or disconnected, consumers wonโt feel connected to the values youโre implying; instead, theyโll feel angry. Nobody likes a phony!
Authenticity
Consumers are highly perceptive and can quickly detect when a company is simply using cultural or ethical values as a marketing tactic. When traditional values are authentically woven into a brand’s identity, it demonstrates a genuine commitment to the community and its heritage, rather than just capitalizing on trends. You need to be very careful to avoid cultural appropriation and misrepresentation, as Balenciaga learned with the disastrous launch of its collection inspired by religious themes, including a reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinciโs “The Last Supper.” While they intended to evoke themes of tradition and reverence, they faced significant backlash for what was seen as disrespect towards a sacred image, leading to consumer outrage and diminished brand reputation.
Balancing Modernity and Tradition
Maintaining relevance while honoring tradition is also a challenge. Brands have to navigate evolving consumer preferences without compromising on the values that make them authentic. The key is to find a balance where traditional values are integrated into contemporary contexts, making them feel fresh and relatable. One way to do this is to blend time-honored principles with innovative storytellingโ but you must stay mindful of cultural shifts. For example, Pepsi attempted to do an ad that spoke to values of peace and solidarity. But instead, the ad featuring Kendall Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer during a protest, was widely criticized for trivializing social justice movements. In the end, the campaign had to be pulled due to consumer backlash.
Turning Values into Loyalty: Your Brandโs Next Step
Every culture has its own traditional values, and tapping into these can be a powerful marketing strategy. These values help individuals navigate challenges with a clear sense of purpose and connection, so they hold a great deal of power and importance. You just have to make sure that you do so authentically and in a way that honors the community. These values help create a loyal customer base that makes meaningful connections to your brand. A brand that leverages traditional values is a brand that goes beyond selling products or services. It becomes a part of the customerโs identity and lifestyle. Itโs worth it to reflect on your own marketing practicesโ how can you incorporate traditional values? What can you do to show your consumer base that youโre an authentic part of the community?
Weโd love to hear your thoughts on the topic as you explore your brandโs own cultural heritage and find ways to infuse your traditional values into your marketing strategy!
