Marketing may seem like a modern field, but its basic principles are as old as human history. Famous leaders, thinkers, and public figures have always sought new ways to engage with followers using the available resources. Here are some of the essential historical marketing lessons we can still apply today.
Aristotle – Leverage Rhetoric to Persuade Customers
Aristotle was one of the premier philosophers behind Western civilization, widely recognized for his contributions to linguistics, politics, and even biology. One of his most famous subjects was rhetoric, the art of persuasion-based discourse. Much like marketing itself, rhetoric is about convincing someone of a new point of view. Aristotle broke this concept down into three corresponding elements:
- Logos: Convincing someone using logic. Reasoned arguments are a standard rhetorical device rooted in agreed-upon facts and evidence.
- Pathos: Convincing someone using emotions. Common rhetorical devices include stories and anecdotes that evoke specific feelings in the listener.
- Ethos: Convincing someone based on one’s own character. In these cases, an individual may take any rational and emotional arguments more seriously because the presenter is renowned for strong personal ethics, wisdom, or integrity.
A good marketer relies on these techniques every time they display ad creative. They might list facts (“top product in its class”), try to elicit an emotional response, or highlight a brand’s expertise in a given field. Fulfilling all three elements at once, however, is challenging. Many marketers find that branded messaging is most effective when it’s strategically designed around logos, pathos, or ethos before being delivered to targeted audiences.
Aristotle might not have predicted the advanced technologies we use for marketing in the 21st century, but if he were alive today, he’d likely use them in similar ways.
Hannibal – Use the Right Tool for the Right Job
Military history is filled with examples of small armies using tactics and wits to overcome larger opponents. One notable example is the Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE. Hannibal led the Carthage army against a much larger Roman force in what would emerge as one of the worst defeats in the history of the Roman Empire.
Hannibal was an unparalleled military strategist of his time, but in hindsight, many of his decisions seem deceptively simple. For example, he equipped his soldiers with the gladius short sword, a weapon deemed inferior by Roman forces. Unfortunately for them, its size and weight made it far more effective at slashing and thrusting than standard longswords. When Hannibal’s gladius-equipped forces surrounded a grand Roman army during the Battle of Cannae, the Romans were soundly defeated after losing approximately 71,000 soldiers.
Modern marketers don’t need to be quite so vicious in today’s workplace, but there is a lesson here. While it’s tempting to believe any marketing product can be used for general purposes, the better approach is painstakingly choosing the right tool for the right job. For marketers, that might mean knowing the difference between a CDP or a CRM and leveraging them accordingly. While the Romans learned this lesson the hard way, your brand can learn it from a 2,200-year-old war story.
Ray Kroc – Always Be Consistent
Ray Kroc’s name isn’t as recognizable as others on this list, but he nonetheless had a huge impact on global fast food trends. Kroc was the person who helped make McDonald’s the brand it is today, which means marketers can learn many lessons from him.
When McDonald’s was first established, it didn’t have a negative health reputation. Quite the opposite: it was recognized as a clean, family-friendly burger joint that emphasized wholesome food, good taste, and high-quality customer service. Kroc’s truly visionary input wasn’t in establishing these McDonald’s features; it was in pushing to make them consistent across the brand. Every customer who visited a McDonald’s anywhere in the United States could expect the same level of quality—a concept unheard of at the time.
Though not all modern marketers work in fast food, the lesson of brand consistency is one we continue to learn from today. Customer expectations have only risen since Kroc’s time, especially in a world where smartphone technology creates instant touchpoints. The good news is that by offering a consistent level of quality in your product and client expectations, not only will your brand appeal to customers, but they’ll spread their positive experiences by word-of-mouth.
Abraham Lincoln – Success Requires Adequate Preparation
President Abraham Lincoln is renowned for his leadership during a crucial turning point in America’s history. His challenge was not merely holding America together during a crisis, but convincing the American people that abolition’s time had finally arrived. Lincoln was also a gifted orator capable of summarizing the nation’s current state while painting a vivid image of a better future.
Contrary to popular belief, these oratory abilities did not come naturally to the president. Lincoln emphasized preparation in all things, taking great care to choose the right words in advance. This preparatory instinct extended well beyond Lincoln’s speeches: he once joked that if asked to cut down a tree in six hours, he would spend the first four sharpening the ax.
As marketers, we can take many lessons from Lincoln’s life, from his clear vision to his consistent messaging. Of all his traits, his practice of preparation may be the most important. Lincoln not only propelled himself from a one-term congressman to a successful presidential candidate, but his persuasive speeches helped unify a deeply divided country. Lincoln took his time to say the right thing instead of settling for the quickest message—and the effort paid off.
Most brand marketers won’t need to produce content that resonates like the Gettysburg address, but the practices that created it have meaning. That’s because marketing is just another word for communicating with an audience—and history shows that these rules of engagement are almost always universal.