Marketing is like a game of chess. Marketers control us, the consumer, as pawns on a board. They anticipate our behaviour and moves. We (as consumers) see ourselves making individual decisions across the board. However, the reality is that we are pawns in the marketer’s hand. They influence us and direct ourdecisions. The most successful marketers are those that understand and anticipate the consumers’ needs and wants. In this sense, the consumer is tricked into a checkmate position and is forced to buy the product.
I had a personal ‘checkmate’ experience whilst trying a free hand cream. The sales women squeezed some of the cream into my hand and began to explain her product enthusiastically. I (only wanting the free tester) listened politely. With her words, she slowly began to move me in a direction i had not intended on heading towards. Within minutes, she had managed to convince me that moisturiser is more important than clothing because people look at your face before they see what you are wearing. I objected to her sale offer with the notorious statement: “I have no money, i’m a student”. Nevertheless, she swayed me further with an offer of a 60% discount. At this stage, it was checkmate! Not wanting to disappoint this level of commitment to the product or to give up on an almost ‘free’ purchase, i felt trapped into spending much more than i normally would on a moisturiser. With great difficulty, I decided to leave the game altogether. I left feeling as if I had made a mistake for passing on such a great deal. I realised, however, that this game of chess is more strategically powerful than it is credited for.
She was the best ‘chess player’ I have ever come across!
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