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In todays world we know that we consciously market ourselves in order to attain goals such as securing employment, meaningful social and romantic relationships, or the dissemination of our ideas. In fact, we are in a constant state of marketing what we have to offer to social groups, family, friends and potential mates. With this insight, we might define the origin of marketing as the point in time when humans began to interact within markets for ideas or other social currency. But personal marketing didnt begin with the human species. We need to look at our ancestors to begin to understand the true origin of marketing.
Darwin argued that animals choose mates to endow their offspring with good genes, thus creating a market for genes (1859). Animal species have specific marketing tactics hard-wired into their behavior and physical development in order to successfully compete in this market for good genes and ensure the propagation of their genes into future generations. A flashy example of marketing genes can be found in the plumage of the male peacock. These birds are burdened with elaborate plumes that they must display in order to attract mates (Miller, 1999). This inconvenient and heavy plume actually reduces a peacocks individual chances of survival, so its presence on mature males suggests to females that the male possesses exemplary skills and genes (Barber, 1995). In other words, the peacocks plume serves as an advertisement of having resources to burn and this is attractive to the peahen who finds available resources attractive in a mate. Interestingly, many evolutionary psychologists argue that humans market themselves in a similar way when they flaunt extravagant consumer products (Tierney, 2009). Another colorful example of natural marketing tactics can be found in the jungle of Papua New Guinea. Male birds of paradise also have glamorous plumage that they display in elaborate mating dances to find a partner:
We dont need to travel to Papua New Guinea or Darwins Galapagos Islands to find more illustrations of gene marketing. Examples like these can also be witnessed in our own backyard in the form a bird as common as a house finch. Male house finches may range in color from pale yellow to bright red, and females prefer their brightly colored counterparts. The brighter coloring indicates genetic quality and a stronger degree of parental investment, which are valuable traits in this monogamous species (Miller, 1991). Birds that lack these glamorous features are much less likely to reproduce.THE HUMAN MATE SELECTION MARKET Of course this phenotypic version of marketing also appears in the human species. According to the Theory of Resource Exchange, humans market themselves in order to gain valuable social interactions (Hirschman, 1987). Exchange in social interactions is not limited to goods and moneyit can also involve items and concepts that fall into the categories of services, love, status, and information. Thus we have market for the dissemination of our ideas as well as the dissemination of our genes. The human mate selection market thrives of the necessary marketing forces as people market, develop preferences and match up with other individuals having equally desirable traits (Hirschman, 1987). Women and men each choose romantic partners according to specific traits that suggest superior survival and reproductive assets relative to the choice set that is available to them. Todays hyper-politically-correct environment has made discussion and debate around basic male/female differences difficult outside of the most objective academic circles. But research continues to reveal fundamental differences between the sexes that are difficult to dispute. Preeminent evolutionary theory claims that women prefer men who can invest in children because human children require a significant amount of care, including 9 months of gestation and many years of protection and resource demand before they are functionally independent. The ability to invest in children is a male trait that can be represented by social dominance behavior, material or economic resources and other social status indicators (Barber, 1995; Buss, 1988). While many might find this human truth hard to swallow, the research continues to support the theory. In a vast cross-cultural study, women in 36 out of 37 examined cultures revealed that they value good financial prospect in a romantic partner, demonstrating the female desire for security (Buss, 1989). Physical characteristics of male suitors also offer cues to women on the likely success of any offspring from the relationship. Women search for men who are taller than average and have specific facial features, because these traits suggest higher social status, maturity, masculinity, and industriousness. Prominent cheekbones and a large chin imply social domination, while large eyes and a large smile indicate sociability Along with body symmetry, these features also indicate disease resistance, a lack of illness during development, and good physical health (Geary, 2009). All of this non-verbal communication serves as information for the woman choosing between options in the market for genes, and as such constitutes a fundamental form of marketing. Men are attracted to women who display youthful facial features such as large eyes, small nose, small chin and full lips. (Geary 2009) Similarly, men have specific cues that provide information on mate value in the market for good genes. Men concentrate on physical attractiveness in women; preferring women with a youthful appearance, because this indicates a greater degree of fertility and suggests reproductive success (Barber, 1995). In the same cross-cultural study mentioned above, the results showed that men value physical attractiveness and youth more than do women across all 37 cultures studied (Buss, 1989). As a result, women bear the burden of physical advertisement, unlike other species (e.g. the peacock), in which the males exhibit burdensome desirable features (Barber, 1995). Men are attracted to women who display an hourglass figure (a low waist-hip ratio), body symmetry, and youthful facial features such as large eyes, small nose, small chin, and full lips (Barber, 1995; Geary, 2009). There is good reason why collagen injections and Botox are so wildly successful as beauty products. The application of makeup, the choice of flattering clothes or the enrollment in a weight loss program are all conscious or subconscious attempts to emphasize the traits necessary to attract a mate. Consequently, men and women who find romantic partners have done it as the results of successful advertisement of their most desired traits during the courtship process. Of course, all marketing is not happening at the subconscious level. In addition to the automatic display of desirable physical traits during courtship interactions, men and women explicitly advertise themselves through personal ads or participation in dating programs to find compatible partners. In these deliberate marketing attempts, men and women pay to advertise their desirable traits so that potential partners have the opportunity to select them (Hirschman, 1987). Successful personal marketing requires the same kind of differentiation from the field of choices by matching product traits with the specific market segment that values those traits highly. While difficult for some to admit, these are some of the same marketing principles that are at play in the market for consumer goods and services: essentially, we are communicating something of value to a target audience. Click below to read the rest of this white paper.
Founder & CEO, Sentient Decision Science, Inc. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=Tag cloud _builder_version=3.25.3? _i=2? _address=1.1.0.2?] [/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=1? _builder_version=3.24.1? custom_padding=1px||0px||| global_module=2819? saved_tabs=all collapsed=off fb_built=1? _i=4? _address=4?][et_pb_row _builder_version=3.25? _i=0? _address=2.0?][et_pb_column type=4_4? _builder_version=3.25? custom_padding=||| _i=0? _address=2.0.0? custom_padding__hover=|||][et_pb_text _builder_version=3.29.2? _i=0? _address=2.0.0.0?]
That’s not what you mean, and the silence that ensues when you consider being delicate but ultimately decide against it in favor of directness is disappointing.
In Pakistan I thrived on one meal. Nihari, naan and dhai. Safia served me tiny naan navalas encased in chunks of succulent, freshly harvested goat meat marinated in a delectable curry and coated with plain yogurt to soothe the heat. Years passed before I finally learned how to properly make these adorable little handmade teepees by hand, skillfully shaping each mouthful with my thumb, pointer, and middle finger. For me, it was akin to mastering the art of applying eyeliner. A well-educated Pakistani can eat most meals elegantly without utensils, so knowing that I hadn’t completely abandoned my cultural education while taking advantage of the advantages of growing up in the United States gave me a sense of relief.
When you see grainy video, you probably picture militants holding assault rifles and terrorists wearing balaclavas. Even though you can only see the sand dunes and caves, there are bearded men and their submissive wives hiding there. Perhaps you become perplexed and imagine Slumdog Millionaire and Bollywood, Sanskrit signs, colored powder shooting out of windows, and cows ambling through the streets. Maybe you remember a strange classmate who refused to fit into your anthropology diorama because they smelled foreign, had a wrong accent, and were neither black nor white.
When I say, “I am Pakistani,” what comes to mind are the little things, like my eating habits. I do not see the country you might, the one that constantly floats farther into my recollections. I smell the jasmine my mother brought to life in her garden to remind her of home. I see the tubes of henna I use to decorate my sisters’ hands for weddings. I hear the jangling glass churiya that we hide in the newest “arm candy” craze.
I think about things that never occurred to me when I was younger and that give me a twinge of guilt by association when I think about Pakistan now, so far removed from my last visit colored by the innocence of childhood. Like the fact that Safia most likely dropped out of middle school, that her pay was significantly less than the minimum wage in the United States, that she treated me like her daughter when she had her own children at home, and that after leaving my grandparents’ house, she moved on to the next one, where she would once again take care of the house and its occupants. My memories have been altered by fresh insights gained from life experiences and a more comprehensive comprehension of the world, which results in the uneasy feeling that accompanies holding opposing views. I cringe at the thought that there are things about my family that make me feel ashamed and prevent me from identifying as Pakistani, but there are
More examples of gene marketing can be found without going to Darwin’s Galapagos Islands or Papua New Guinea. Instances such as these can also be observed in our backyard, where a common bird like the house finch resides. Female house finches prefer their brightly colored counterparts, while males can have colors ranging from pale yellow to bright red. Brighter coloring denotes higher parental investment and higher genetic qualityboth important characteristics in this monogamous species (Miller, 1991). Birds with these glitzy characteristics have substantially lower reproduction rates. THE HUMAN MATE SELECTION MARKET Naturally, the human species also exhibits this phenotypic form of marketing. Humans market themselves to obtain beneficial social interactions, according to the Theory of Resource Exchange (Hirschman, 1987). In social interactions, exchanges can involve things and ideas that fall under the categories of services, love, status, and information in addition to goods and money. Consequently, there is a market for both the spread of our genes and our ideas. As people shop, form preferences, and pair up with others who possess similarly desirable qualities, the market for human mate selection flourishes due to the essential marketing forces (Hirschman, 1987). Individuals, both males and females, select romantic partners based on distinct characteristics that indicate greater chances of survival and procreation in comparison to their available options. Outside of the most objective academic circles, discussion and debate about fundamental male/female differences have become challenging due to today’s extremely politically correct atmosphere. However, research keeps surfacing hard-to-dispute fundamental differences between the sexes. According to the dominant evolutionary theory, women prefer men who can devote themselves to raising children because human children need a lot of care before they can function independently, including nine months of gestation and many years of protection and resource consumption. Male traits such as material or economic resources, social dominance behavior, and other indicators of social status can be used to symbolize the ability to invest in children (Barber, 1995; Buss, 1988). Even though many people may find it difficult to accept this human reality, the theory is still supported by research. According to women in 36 of the 37 cultures that were studied, they place a high value on a romantic partner’s “good financial prospect,” indicating that women seek security (Buss, 1989). Male suitors’ physical attributes can also give women indications about the likelihood that any children born from the union will succeed. Men with particular facial features and height above average are more desirable to women because they are perceived as having greater social standing, maturity, masculinity, and work ethic. Large eyes and a broad smile denote sociability, while prominent cheekbones and a large chin suggest social dominance. In addition to body symmetry, these characteristics also suggest disease resistance, a lack of illness during development, and good physical health (Geary, 2009). As a result, all of this nonverbal communication is a basic form of marketing since it provides the woman deciding between options in the gene market with information. “Women with youthful facial features, like big eyes, a small nose, a small chin, and full lips, are attractive to men.” In a similar vein, men have unique cues that reveal mate value in the market for good genes (Geary, 2009). Males focus on a woman’s physical attractiveness, favoring younger-looking women as this suggests higher levels of fertility and successful reproduction (Barber, 1995). According to the same cross-cultural study that was previously mentioned, men value youth and physical attractiveness more than women do in each of the 37 cultures that were examined (Buss, 1989). Women therefore “bear the burden of physical advertisement,” in contrast to other species (e.g., g. the peacock), where the males display a lot of attractive traits (Barber, 1995) Women with a low waist-hip ratio, symmetry in their bodies, and youthful facial features like big eyes, a small nose, a small chin, and full lips are attractive to men (Barber, 1995; Geary, 2009). Botox and collagen injections are extremely popular “beauty” products for a good reason. Whether intentional or inadvertent, the use of cosmetics, dressing in attractive ways, or starting a diet are all ways to highlight the qualities that make a partner desirable. As a result, those who find love do so as a consequence of effectively marketing their most desirable qualities to potential partners during the courtship phase. Naturally, not all marketing operates on a subconscious level. Men and women actively market themselves through personal ads or involvement in dating apps in addition to naturally exhibiting attractive physical attributes during courtship encounters in an effort to find compatible partners. Men and women pay to promote their desirable qualities in these conscious marketing efforts, giving prospective partners the chance to choose them (Hirschman, 1987). The same type of differentiation from the field of options is necessary for successful personal marketing, and it involves matching “product” attributes with the particular market segment that places a high value on those traits. These are some of the same marketing concepts that apply to the consumer goods and services market, despite the fact that some find it hard to acknowledge. In essence, we are informing a target audience about something valuable. Click below to read the rest of this white paper.
We are aware that in the modern world, we actively promote ourselves to achieve objectives like finding work, developing deep social and romantic connections, or spreading our ideas. Actually, we are always trying to sell ourselves to family, friends, social groups, and possible partners. With this understanding, we could say that the beginning of marketing occurred when people started interacting in markets for concepts or other forms of social currency. But personal marketing didnt begin with the human species. To begin to comprehend the true origins of marketing, we must turn to our ancestors.
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According to Darwin’s theory, animals select partners in order to provide their progeny favorable genes, which creates a market for genes (1859) To successfully compete in this market for good genes and ensure the propagation of their genes into future generations, animal species have certain marketing strategies hardwired into their behavior and physical development. The male peacock’s plumage is an ostentatious example of marketing genes. These birds have to flaunt their intricate plumes in order to draw in potential mates (Miller, 1999). The presence of this heavy and inconvenient plume on mature males indicates to females that the male has exceptional skills and genes, as it actually lowers a peacock’s individual chances of survival (Barber, 1995). Put another way, the peahen finds a mate who has “available resources” appealing, and the peacock’s plume acts as an advertisement of having “resources to burn.” It’s interesting to note that a lot of evolutionary psychologists contend that when people display ostentatious consumer goods, humans are marketing themselves similarly (Tierney, 2009). A vibrant instance of natural marketing strategies can be observed in the Papua New Guinean rainforest. In order to attract a mate, male birds of paradise also flaunt their dazzling plumage in intricate mating dances.
Founder & CEO, Sentient Decision Science, Inc. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=Tag cloud _builder_version=3. 25. 3? _i=2? _address=1. 1. 0. 2?] [/et_pb_code][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=1? _builder_version=3. 24. 1? custom_padding=1px||0px||| global_module=2819? saved_tabs=all collapsed=off fb_built=1? _i=4? _address=4?][et_pb_row _builder_version=3. 25? _i=0? _address=2. 0?][et_pb_column type=4_4? _builder_version=3. 25? custom_padding=||| _i=0? _address=2. 0. 0? custom_padding__hover=|||][et_pb_text _builder_version=3. 29. 2? _i=0? _address=2. 0. 0. 0?].