More Education and What That Means For Marketing

Leadership and capitalism aside, our population is consistently becoming more educated. I know that it’s hard to believe especially if you do use social media but it’s true. Every year the number of adults completing high school and college increases and marketing to an educated population requires a lot of consideration.

Education promotes critical thinking, introduces individuals to a variety of perspectives, and encourages research, making it essential for marketing strategies to evolve for success. Traditional methods like deceiving consumers, infomercials, and emotionally manipulative ads—think “In the arms of the angels fly awayyyyyyyy”—are no longer effective. Educated individuals possess a higher digital IQ and are more inclined to conduct their own research, compelling companies to be honest and transparent or risk being canceled. With the ease of information sharing, hard sell tactics in infomercials are also ineffective. Consumers are more informed than ever and less likely to be pressured into immediate purchases.

Marketers also must adjust specifically what they use to market their products to what a more educated consumer looks for. Things like quality, origin, and brand integrity are front of mind for more informed consumers. They must also adopt to marketing on social media and attempt to be engaging enough to stand out in the age of Amazon.