The First Grade Runs Girl and The Apple Dynamic

There are those who are in the dark corners of the roads in lower class neighbourhoods, putting in the work with creative marketing, reaching out to the target audience and offering significant discounts regularly.

The second tier of paid companions take a different approach to marketing, in that they are not obvious in their marketing. They are there, but they’re subtle. They hardly ever have to solicit, their strategy is positioning. Their target audience is the middle class, and those trying hard to appear upper class. They simply popup in the places where their target audience is most likely to be; the fairly expensive clubs and lounges, the supermarkets, the restaurants, church even. They know where the client is and they make those places home. What should be noted about their form of marketing is that it mostly integrates engagement, rather than direct marketing. They look like they belong there, you see them there all the time and admire their “vibe”, and you want to hang with them. So when you get close and they give you a price list, you really don’t mind so much.

The third and highest tier doesn’t do any marketing, and barely any engagement. Their market is of course the ultra-wealthy, and they don’t have to say that for you to know you’re not their target audience. Regardless of the fact that they are for sale, to put it crudely, they don’t act like it. If they happen to talk to you, you consider it a privilege and you make sure everyone knows. They do not solicit, they are solicited.

In the world of paid companionship, there’s a clear hierarchy. It is the same in the world of product marketing.

The reason the concept of a marketing strategy exists is because it works. It helps you figure out just who you’re selling to. The cost of your product mostly determines this and it is based on what you’re working with. The buyer does not wonder why one paid companion charges 1000 US dollars per night while the other charges 10,000 Naira. The buyer of the former understands that he is not simply paying for sex, he is paying for an experience; silk sheets, aged wine, and a wig that doesn’t fall off mid-action. Anyone who would query this is not in her target market.

Whether your product comes packaged in a branded plastic bag or in a box that smells like flowers, you have to know who you’re selling to and you can’t do this without developing a strategy.

Marketing without a strategy will lead a person who sells thrift shirts to try to sell at Eko Hotels, simply because some other fashion store does. However, a majority of the people who spend time at Eko hotels do not buy thrifted clothing.

Developing a clear marketing strategy makes you understand your target market, and knowing your target market helps you know where to find them and how to talk to them. 

Let’s look at Bang & Olufsen, Dior, and of course, Apple.

“You make it, make it and make it again, then you get a Bang & Olufsen.” - This is a copy on an ad announcing that Bang & Olufsen is now in Abuja. The people who would find this derogatory are the people who cannot afford a Bang & Olufsen product, and the company’s marketing department knows that. They know that their buyers are not going to get upset over a copy that in fact massages their ego. They’re not at risk of losing their market by posting this. Actually, with this copy, they have made their product become something to aspire to.

I took a look at the Dior Instagram bio today and all it had on it was a quote by Christian Dior. It doesn’t say who they are, what their unique offer is, where to find them, how to order, or any of the other stuff that business owners are constantly being advised to put on their instagram bios. Why? They don’t need to convince you of anything. “Always put your price in the caption does not apply to Dior, because their target audience does not care about the price.

Apple is the product version of the “girlfriend”. Apple does not advertise, does not try to go viral, they don’t even have cookies on their website because if you want something from them, you’ll find them. Just like the paid girlfriend, they’re just out here living life, sharing stories and talking about charity. They don’t have to post consistently or track their insights, they don’t even need to be on the world wide web.

These brands have created a notion about their brands that simply says, we do not f**k with you. Their brand style says, “you wish you had me.” 

The absence of a marketing strategy would have you thinking that simply copying a successful brand will take your product to the highest level, it will not. 

Lately, I’ve been harassed with videos from micro-influencers about the new Samsung phone, the Samsung A13. Imagine if Samsung tried to market this phone the way that Apple does. Would it sell? It wouldn’t. Why? The people who need this phone are scrolling through TikTok looking for recommendations. They’re on google typing affordable phone with strong battery and good camera. The language in their advertising has revolved around affordable, convenient, and just as good as the expensive phones. It has been called “the king of affordable phones” in more than one influencer ad. 

What does this say? Samsung’s target market for this device is the average Emeka, middle class workers, and students. Therefore, regardless of the fact that Samsung is usually considered an expensive brand, the marketing strategy for this product recognizes the target market and their main needs, which is why the marketing screams, “It’s great, and cheap!”

To sell luxury items, you must sell luxury; the feeling of it, the lifestyle, the laid back and stress free experience. Your marketing does not necessarily have to be aloof, but it should definitely not be aggressive.

With both the lower class and the middle class, one of the most important things in your strategy should be engagement and this should be built on relatability. If your target audience can relate to a meme about sweating in a bus, then that’s what you should share, not a picture of a bottle of old whiskey or a reel of a model at the louvre. 

Take your time to study marketing strategy, develop yours, and don’t be afraid to say “I’m cheap” if that’s what your target audience needs to hear.

Leave a comment to let me know what you think.