The problem with taking offense is that it's really hard to figure out what to do with it after you're done using it. Better to just leave it on the table and walk away. Umbrage untaken quietly disappears.
Seth GodinRead
People rarely buy what they need. They buy what they want.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Consumers are driven more by their desires than by their necessities.
This quote by Seth Godin highlights the fundamental truth of consumer behavior: individuals often prioritize their wants over their actual needs when making purchasing decisions. This insight emphasizes the importance of understanding emotions, aspirations, and desires in marketing strategies, demonstrating that appeal to these elements can be more effective than merely addressing practical requirements.
Themes
ConsumersWantsNeedsMarketingBehavior
In practice
Example use cases
During a marketing presentation, this quote can be used to illustrate the importance of emotional appeal in advertisements.
More from Seth Godin
All quotes →Not adding value is the same as taking it away.
Seth GodinRead
Excellence isn’t about meeting the spec, it’s about setting the spec. It defines what the consumer sees as quality right this minute, and tomorrow, if you’re good, you’ll reset that expectation again
Seth GodinRead
Living with doubt ... is almost always more profitable than living with certainty. _x000D_ People don't like doubt, so they pay money and give up opportunities to avoid it. _x000D_ Entrepreneurshi p is largely about living with doubt. If you need reassurance, you're giving up quite a bit to get it. On the other hand, if you can get in the habit of seeking out uncertainty, you'll have developed a great instinct.
Seth GodinRead
The danger of the Web is that you can go from idea to public announcement in under ten minutes.
Seth GodinRead
Art isn't only a painting. Art is anything that is creative, passionate and personal. Art is the unique work of a human being created to touch another. Art is created to have an impact, to change someone else.
Seth GodinRead
Similar quotes
Some manufacturers illustrate their advertisements with abstract paintings. I would only do this if I wished to conceal from the reader what I was advertising.
David OgilvyRead
Advertising doesn't create a product advantage. It can only convey it.
William BernbachRead
There is no such thing as a good or bad ad in isolation. What is good at one moment is bad at another. Research can trap you into the past.
William BernbachRead
If your stories are all about your products and services, that's not storytelling. It's a brochure. Give yourself permission to make the story bigger.
Jay BaerRead
You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial. If you grab attention in the first frame with a visual surprise, you stand a better chance of holding the viewer. People screen out a lot of commercials because they open with something dull. When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire.
David OgilvyRead
Free publicity and word of mouth is probably the best and cheapest form of advertising. Learn to use it to your advantage.
Richard BransonRead