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Advertising can be a powerful tool—there’s no denying that. It has the ability to drive awareness, influence consumer behavior, and ultimately grow your business. But as powerful as it can be, advertising is also incredibly easy to get wrong. One wrong move can turn a promising campaign into a financial black hole. In fact, many advertising projects end up being far more expensive than the returns they generate.

One of the biggest mistakes? Trying to change people’s long-established habits. Let’s dig deeper into why this happens and how you can avoid making the same costly errors by applying key marketing principles.

The Pitfall of Trying to Change Consumer Habits

Marketing philosophy teaches us that human behavior is rooted in habits, and breaking those habits requires significant effort, time, and—most importantly—money. Consumers are creatures of habit. They don’t often deviate from their ingrained routines unless there is a compelling reason to do so. That’s why one of the most expensive advertising mistakes is trying to change a long-standing behavior.

Let’s look at an example: Imagine attempting to convince people in Italy—a country where coffee is a cultural staple—to switch from drinking coffee to tea. Could it be done? Technically, yes. But the cost would be astronomical. You’re not just selling tea; you’re selling a lifestyle change, and that’s a much harder sell.

Don’t Fight Habits—Leverage Them

In marketing, the principle of consumer inertia suggests that people are far more likely to maintain their current behaviors than adopt new ones, especially when it comes to deeply ingrained habits. Instead of trying to shift consumer habits, you’re far better off tapping into their existing desires and patterns. The goal is to align your product or service with what customers already want, rather than trying to create new needs from scratch.

Case Study: The Dental Floss Dilemma

Now, consider the case of a company that tried to educate the public about the importance of flossing. Their intention was admirable—flossing is undeniably good for oral health. But here’s where they went wrong: Their ads mostly reached people who were already in the habit of flossing. They spent enormous amounts of money on customer acquisition—up to $30 for every new customer—only to realize that the cost far outweighed the return.

From a marketing perspective, this was a classic case of misalignment between the audience and the message. The targeting principle in marketing tells us that for an ad to be effective, it must reach the right audience at the right time. In this case, the company would have been better off focusing on people who were already interested in dental care but not yet consistent flossers rather than trying to convince people who had no intention of flossing to start.

The Expensive Spice Experiment

In another example, a company tried to increase demand for a relatively unknown spice by educating consumers on how to use it. The campaign was well-intentioned, but they soon realized they were not the only ones benefiting from their efforts. After spending millions to educate consumers, the interest they generated was shared with competitors who offered the same spice. Worse, their return on investment was almost non-existent.

What went wrong here? This is a textbook example of the first-mover disadvantage—a situation where the company that does the heavy lifting in creating awareness doesn’t always capture the market.

The Oatmeal Oversight: Understanding Consumer Desire

Oatmeal is a healthy, time-tested food. However, when an advertiser tried to persuade more people to make oatmeal a breakfast staple, they ran into an issue: People who didn’t already eat oatmeal simply weren’t interested. Despite spending significant sums on marketing, their efforts failed to yield meaningful results. The problem? They were trying to create a demand for something that didn’t resonate with the existing desires of their target audience.

Rather than trying to create entirely new habits, the smart move is to tap into existing desires. For instance, when gluten-free foods became trendy, brands that focused their advertising on people already interested in health-conscious products saw far greater success.

Low-Frequency Products: The Hidden Cost of Customer Acquisition

It’s not just about habits. Some products have very low consumption rates, meaning customers don’t buy them frequently. Imagine spending $5 to acquire each new customer for a kitchen disinfectant that lasts for years. The math just doesn’t add up. These low-frequency purchases often mean advertising isn’t worth the investment.

The challenge of marketing low-frequency products is another concept worth considering. Imagine spending $5 to acquire a new customer for a kitchen disinfectant that lasts for years. The result? You may have gotten that initial sale, but the long lapse before they need to buy again means that the customer’s lifetime value is low, and your marketing dollars are essentially wasted.

Target Existing Desires for Marketing Success

The takeaway from these examples is clear: The most effective marketing doesn’t try to force new habits or change consumer behavior. Instead, it aligns with existing desires, habits, and trends. By tapping into what your audience already wants, you can drastically reduce wasted spend and maximize your return on investment.

Rather than swimming against the current, marketers who succeed are those who ride the wave of consumer desire, targeting trends and behaviors that are already in motion. Want to learn more about how to optimize your marketing efforts and avoid costly mistakes? Subscribe to our channel for more expert insights.