During my tenure working with an ad agency in Los Angeles I had the opportunity to work on a lot of different projects. This studio handled brands of all sizes, and one of them was a tech-centered exercise equipment brand that capitalized on the at-home training craze that struck the world during the COVID-19 lockdown. 

Many brands and businesses inadvertently sabotage their marketing campaigns by placing excessive emphasis on the features of their products or services, rather than adequately highlighting the benefits they provide to consumers. This common mistake can significantly hinder the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and result in missed opportunities to connect with their target audience.

Many businesses make the mistake by assuming that customers inherently understand how product features translate into meaningful benefits for them. This is often not the case. Consumers are primarily concerned with how a product or service will solve their problems, address their needs, or enhance their lives. By neglecting to communicate these benefits clearly, businesses fail to establish a compelling value proposition that resonates with their audience.

To overcome this issue, I delivered a powerpoint presentation to explain how the exercise brand in question must shift their perspective and emphasize the benefits of their technology. They should focus on how their products improve the lives of their customers, save them time or money, enhance their well-being, or provide unique experiences. Ultimately this powerpoint presented a proposal for a TV commercial that would focus on building affective appeal and making the product look fun and interesting. My presentation was a drive to place the product in the consumer’s mind as something attainable and easy to work with, something that would contribute to customer wellbeing, instead of some tech-heavy piece of equipment with all types of bells and whistles.

In more technical terms, this meant presenting the exercise technology with creative that considered low customer involvement, a push to create brand awareness, and a top-of-funnel offer to get people excited about the brand.

In conclusion, brands and businesses should avoid the pitfall of solely focusing on product features and instead prioritize communicating the benefits that their offerings bring to the customers. By adopting a customer-centric approach, using storytelling techniques, and understanding their audience, businesses can create more impactful marketing campaigns that resonate with consumers and drive engagement and sales.