Inisght, Foresight, and Hindsight

Dr. Rapaille

Dr. Rapaille’s research is centered on finding the “buying code” that triggers people to buy certain types of product over another type of product. The specific “code” for a type of product is found by digging deep into the consumer’s most basic and core driving instincts- or what Dr. Rapaille calls the reptile.

Dr. Rapaille’s method for discovering the reptile is a three stage process. Stage one involves questioning for reason. This first stage involves exploring the cortex and acts on a simple level to stimulate brain activity and thinking about the product. Despite the fact that most marketing research heavily involves stage one and no other stage (in other words- most marketing research only asks people to tell their reason for things rather than explore deeper for true untold answers) Dr. Rapaille does not care at all about the answers given in stage one. Stage two involves searching for the emotion behind the answers in stage one. The subjects in stage two are asked to think more abstractly and explain their answers more indirectly than in stage one. Finally, stage three reaches the core of the consumer thought process and the driving force behind purchases. For stage three, Dr. Rappaille attempts to remove distractions from the room and create a relaxing environment for the subjects to create free flowing ideas.

An example of Dr. Rapaille’s findings would be the code involved with buying SUVs. Dr. Rapaille found that the buying code for SUVs is “domination” so he instructed SUV manufacturer’s to make their models taller and tint the windows. A simple change in the product design can help lead to improved sales if the change triggers the buying code in consumers.

Song Airlines

Song Airlines took an absolutely amazing idea and crashed it into the ground (plane imagery) with poor execution. The idea of changing the whole idea of flying is almost revolutionary, but Song fell short with its implementation and promotion of its ideas.

Song’s good ideas mostly came right up front. Change the way that air travel is viewed- sell air travel less as transportation and more as an experience. That whole idea is simply brilliant, and honestly not very hard to sell. Think about air travel for a minute and how cool it is. You start in one place sitting down, you and the other passengers are accelerated and lifted into the air through forces of physics that most people don’t understand, you travel at speeds over 500 miles per hour at an altitude miles over the surface of the earth, you are physically flying through the air, and you eventually end up very far away from your starting point in a relatively short amount of time all while sitting comfortably (well semi-comfortably) and sipping a drink. Flying is a cool experience.

For some reason no airline has ever sold the entire flying experience though. For most people flying is a stressful chore. It seems that most people do not enjoy airports or even flying. Flying has become more about simply being transportation than an experience by itself. The fact that air travel is viewed by many to be a somewhat negative experience when it is naturally an extremely unique and positive experience tells me that people are unhappy with the way that normal airlines do business, which shows me why Song’s idea of changing the whole experience was so good.

But Song’s execution could not have been worse. After watching their initial ad campaign I was left confused and dumbfounded. How could their first set of ads only show clips from old movies and not mention anything about the company, their idea, or even air travel? No planes? No travelers? No airlines? More importantly, how could a whole group of business people watch their ads and approve the spending? Their ad belonged in an independent film festival, not in a business. They tried to introduce a new product idea without telling anyone what their idea was. Song got so caught up in being “artsy” and generating emotion that they failed to tie any of the art or emotion to their actual product. The emotion that Song so desperately generated was wasted.

Song’s idea was great, but their execution was absolutely abysmal. Of course, I am proven right by the fact that Song airlines no longer exist. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I am surprised no one at Song had the foresight to see their mistakes coming.