Is The Gold Real? And Why Does That Matter?

Two years ago, I bought a gold Casio digital watch on Amazon. Of course, it’s a Casio, so it’s not real gold, but it’s shiny, designed well, and gets a lot of compliments. One year ago, I bought a gold necklace. It’s not real gold, but it glimmers and feels high quality enough. Two weeks ago, I got married, and my wife gave me a real 14 karat gold ring. This one is real gold, and I know it will last me forever. When I wear this, it feels so much different than my necklace and my watch, because I know it’s real gold. 

But if it wasn’t, no one would really know the difference. 

Of course, there are ways to tell if something is real gold or not, and given the chance to inspect these three items, most people would be able to tell which were gold and which weren’t. But upon first glance, most people (the ones I’m trying to impress) would simply think, “this guy has a lot of gold on.”

My point is this: If you’re marketing a luxury product, focusing on how it will make the owner feel might be the best strategy. I’ve written advertising copy for a gold jewelry company before, and I mainly focused on the outward perception. “Shine don’t lie” was a backbone tagline I wrote, and it focused on whether or not others could tell if the jewelry was real or not. But if a majority of people can’t tell the difference, and the feeling of wearing real gold is so meaningful for one’s confidence, maybe focusing on that experience is a better strategy. 

This might be getting into generational consumer psyches, and the differences between the consumer motivations of Baby Boomers and millennials. Millennials, notably, are much more focused on experiences, while Boomers are motivated by wealth and assets. 

Take this and use it as you like. Just some Friday advertising musings for you. 

Thanks for reading!