I was watching a Seth Godin video – from visceralbusiness.com (I got it off iTunes).  He’s a marketing guru, and he was talking about selling – and marketing.  It’s been interesting to learn about marketing and advertising.  There is a shift for those that are involved in advertising.  When they “sell” something, they are “explicitly” selling a product, but they are “implicitly” selling a feeling.

According to Seth, Starbucks sells the feeling of being with people that are much like you; that when you are walking around and you’re thinking of a place to get a drink that the feeling of – “oooh Starbucks” is what they’re selling.  That’s why you pay 4 bucks for the coffee.  They’re selling the feeling.

Tiffany & Co sells blue boxes.  Have you ever given someone a blue box from Tiffany’s?  I have.  I gave my wife 2 of them at one Christmas.  I happend to have some awesome jewelry in the boxes, but the feeling that everyone in the room got when she got the blue box – even before she opened them – that was what Tiffany’s was selling and that’s what I bought.  It was good too.

I believe it is the same for a Crate and Barrel box.  It’s the anticipation of walking into Abercrombie & Fitch – anticipating the smell and loudness of the store.

The other thing that I was thinking about was the power of the shared feeling that can be sold.  When a few people are all feeling the same thing – and a ad can tap into that – that’s even more powerful.  I’m just starting to process through these things.  I think I’m going to ask my friend Chato Hazelbaker to shed more light on this.  Come on Chato – you have to leave a comment now and help us all understand this better.