Putting together a successful marketing campaign means making lots of different decisions. 

Not only does the marketer behind the campaign need to decide what message they want to send about the product they’re selling, but they need to determine who the message is for. 

Often, this means creating a different collection of marketing content for each potential audience.

Many modern consumers have come to prefer and expect personalized, differentiated marketing that seems to have been created especially for them.

It helps them establish personal connections with the brands they buy from and promotes ongoing brand loyalty. 

However, undifferentiated marketing that appeals to a universal audience still has its place. 

The question here is: is it right for you and your company? Keep reading to find out.

3. Your Brand Image

Companies looking to reach a highly specific demographic generally need to be more concerned with developing a distinctive brand identity. 

The idea is to associate your brand and the products you sell with a customer’s core values, desired lifestyle, or sense of community with others like themselves. 

Differentiated marketing generally comes alongside carefully chosen imagery and messaging that helps support these goals.

On the other hand, companies that ultimately want to appeal to as many people as possible need to take care not to make any single demographic feel excluded. 

The broad reach of undifferentiated marketing is ideal for this. Think campaigns that focus on selling points that would appeal to every person interested in that product — value pricing, efficiency, availability, and so forth.

It’s also important to note that you don’t need to stick to either of the above approaches permanently. 

Many companies start with one method and eventually transition to the other as their marketing goals change.

You might notice that customers’ preferences can change faster than most businesses expect. One year, everyone’s all about products that feel hyper-personalized, curated just for them; the next, there’s suddenly a wave of nostalgia, and folks want something classic and universal instead. If your brand can stay nimble—without tripping over itself—you’re in a way better position to catch the next trend, wherever it shows up.

Sometimes, even small brands try out a broad approach just to see if their message resonates. It’s a bit of a gamble, but isn’t most marketing? A friend of mine—she runs a tiny startup out of her garage, nothing fancy—once aimed a campaign at “everyone,” and, honestly, it didn’t flop. Sure, it wasn’t world domination, but she picked up customers she never would’ve expected. Not every business needs to stay locked in a box, and the freedom to experiment can actually work out okay.

Great Examples of Undifferentiated Marketing

World-famous manufacturers of everyday products generally aim to mass-market using undifferentiated strategies. 

But, again, the idea is to reach as many people as possible and potentially become a household name. Here are some great examples of brands that have mastered this.

Coca-Cola

Ask just about anyone to name a brand that’s truly a household name, and Coca-Cola is highly likely to be one of the first examples to come to mind. 

Ever since the brand first launched in 1893, Coke has gone above and beyond to help its signature soft drink appeal to as many people as possible on a global basis. 

It does this by associating its brand assets and products with time-honored concepts like togetherness, connection, wholesomeness, and tradition.

M&M’s

M&M’s are simple but delicious candies with the potential to appeal to just about anyone. 

After all, what person with a sweet tooth doesn’t like colorful, bite-sized pieces of silky milk chocolate? 

The minds behind M&M’s create marketing material designed to capitalize on this by appealing to people of all ages, young and old. 

Common themes include the idea of bringing people together and embracing the fun in life at every age.

Colgate

When you think of toothpaste, a few brands probably come immediately to mind, and Colgate is likely one of them. 

Like most brands that take an undifferentiated approach to their marketing, Colgate’s signature product — its toothpaste — isn’t meant to serve one demographic over another. 

That said, their marketing efforts tend to focus on how well the product works, how economical it is, and other selling points with the potential to convert just about any sales prospect.

General Motors

Undifferentiated marketing can be a great approach to promoting products with higher price points, as well — like cars and trucks — and General Motors is an ace at it. 

GM’s entire brand strategy is all about manufacturing safe, reliable vehicles appropriate for anyone and everyone. 

As a result, their marketing campaigns often focus on how well their collective product line fits absolutely any lifestyle or budget.

Wrap Up: Meet Your Sales Goals with the Right Marketing Approach for Your Audience

Whether you’re ultimately looking to reach a massive audience or a tiny one with your next marketing campaign, it’s crucial that you know how to appeal to your ideal customer. 

The idea is to get through to precisely the people who are most interested in what you’re selling, whether that’s a household cleaner designed to make life easier for everyone or a high-end luxury product made for an elite few.

Choosing the right marketing approach is part of getting where you want to be with your sales goals, but so is thorough keyword research to support your content marketing efforts. 

Check out our quick-start guide on how to master the art of niche keyword research, the better to help your audience find and fall in love with your products!

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