There’s an episode of the cartoon, Bob’s Burgers, that centers around a trash can. People in the town decorate it to make it look like a pirate, lion, etc. A local realtor feels like this is lowering the value of the rental space next to the trash can and convinces the city council to vote on a resolution to make it illegal to decorate.
Linda, the mom of the family in Bob’s Burgers, decides to fight this by trying to drum up support for the creative vandalism. She stands next to the decorated trash can and she asks everyone who passes by to come to the city council meeting. She tries explaining how it’s fun and brightens people’s days, but no one will so much as stop and listen to her.
Meanwhile, her daughter Louise, notices on Next Door that there is a trend of people asking for moving boxes. No one in the family understands why everyone is so interested in boxes. But she posts on the website that there will be boxes being handed out at the city council meeting. A small crowd shows up, seemingly in support of Linda, and the councilors vote against the resolution.
There’s a lot of truth in fiction.
In terms of marketing and the products that underpin it, there are two maxims that I aspire to:
1) Meet people where there at.
2) Give them what they want.
In Bob’s Burgers, people were on Next Door looking for boxes. Addressable markets are the same way- there is a group of customers looking for something. What they’re looking for may not make sense from your point of view. However, you’ll get better results faster by aligning with how they are, rather than trying to persuade them to be different.
Featured image is of the Tower of Bable, By Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1563). Used under public domain.