Marketing with Lisa Wexler

I was on Lisa Wexler's talk radio show last week, in an interview about branding. You may know Lisa from The Real Housewives of New York, she is Jill Zarin's sister and has been filmed quite a bit. The two of them, along with their mother, have a book out called "Secrets of a Jewish Mother."

Lisa and I had a great time on her show. She clearly knows a lot about marketing, witnessed by her quick banter and insightful point of view. To hear HER perspective on things like wrapping subway cars, emotional benefits, disruptive marketing, and even Louis Vuitton was a lot of fun.

It got me thinking -- not all marketing tactics work for all people. And truthfully they are not supposed to either. A carefully targeted marketing message in a carefully selected marketing vehicle should only "work" for those it was planned for.

So the fact that Lisa now has a negative impression of the brand that wrapped a subway car she noticed on the way to work is actually just fine. She is probably not the target but hopefully the intended target audience saw it and was motivated by it.

It was also interesting to talk about the emotional benefit of bargain hunting. Realizing that you paid significantly less for something at one store that is much more expensive elsewhere is actually a real, motivating emotional benefit. Hadn't really thought about it, yet it is part of my own shopping behavior.

Hence the emotional benefit of brands like TJMaxx and HomeGoods, and clearly not the benefit of shopping at Louis Vuitton.

That's what I love about marketing, we learn from each other, every day. Even on a radio show talking about wrapped subway cars and purses.

BTW -- I told Lisa afterwards that although I'm a boy and I'm not Jewish, I do have two kids and I am totally a Jewish mother! Thanks for everything, Lisa!

What's your experience? Jim.