In times of emergency, quick, rational thought and action are key to overcoming adverse situations and restoring a reasonable semblance of order. Questions of what do I need, how do I get it and what kinds of tools are available to me in this moment jump into your head, almost subconsciously, as the adrenaline flows freely.
So today, what did I need as I found myself sitting on the curb next to my mangled bicycle on a busy Philadelphia street, after having crashed landed and slid across the gritty gravel? After checking to make sure my helmet had functioned properly, and having tested all my limbs, I made a list in roughly 2 seconds.
Effective marketing strategies helped me chose and purchase the brands that I knew and trusted, so that I would get my scrapes and body back into shape. And all this only took about half an hour, from purchase to being back in the street, clean and ready to go. I didn't need to think--Should I go for Safeguard or Dial, or what are the other antibiotic soaps out there? What's the difference between Polysporin and Neosporin (not much) and which is more useful to me right now? Why do I need to get two t-shirts to replace just the one I ruined? All these questions already had "right" and "useful" answers. Sure, we may not all recognize the same brands or think CVS instead of Rite Aid. The point is that generic products already have trusted branded names and those names are what people remember and know.
Marketing isn't just about getting people to buy your product. It's about having the foresight to educate people about why they need your product, even if they don't need it right now. The established empathetic trust engages in these "emergency" moments; you do know exactly what to do to prevent an infection: CVS, Safeguard, Polysporin and so forth.
And as I lay here icing the bruise on my hip, all I can think about is how I can get the City of Philadelphia to actually take care of their road system, so that a freak ripple in the street doesn't send every bike rider over the handle bars. What do I need now?