There's always a self-serving aspect to helping others. Photo / Getty Images
There's always a self-serving aspect to helping others. Photo / Getty Images
OPINION:
The key to successful selling, which was what my old day job of advertising was about, is appealing to the self-interest of the individual. The ad industry used to sell things by demonstrating how good they were but gave up when everything more or less worked, and people lostinterest. Consumers now accept that the product does what they're paying for, so now what they're interested in is how it will make them feel. Forget attributes like colour, taste, price, size etc. You need benefits like making you feel smarter, more attractive, richer, anything that lifts you above mediocre in the eyes of others.
There are those who are swayed by the fact that a particular product will help the planet, by perhaps helping hedgehogs cross the road, or encouraging orangutans to give up smoking. However, to be honest, people only care about these factors because by demonstrating to others that they are doing good, it actually makes them feel good themselves. In effect, they're actually just as selfish, only in a different way.
I am revealing no great industry secrets here, as appealing to the self-interest of the purchaser has been the clue to selling since long before money was invented. I mention this because as we head towards encouraging the last bunch of unvaccinated Kiwis we may need to change the messages. Everyone who might be swayed by the argument that getting vaccinated would help protect their family, their friends, their neighbours, or the wider community, has probably already been vaccinated. The remainder need alternative messages and it's probably time to appeal to self-interest rather than altruism.
The essence of civilisation is that if we all suppress our individual primitive urges then everyone will benefit. For example, our base instinct for survival suggests that if anyone poses an existential threat to our well-being by cutting us up in traffic, then we should probably kill them. However, by obeying the law, resisting the instinct to open up with a flame thrower, and instead waving them politely on their way, we will all benefit.
Some people feel that doing whatever the hell they like, whenever the hell they want to, is "Freedom". Actually, it isn't, it's anarchy. This difference is something that most people grasp around the age of 2 and a half. If this hasn't sunk in yet and you really want to experience life without moral restrictions or societal norms, then probably the closest equivalent would be to live in the middle of a war zone. I expect you can find someone in Kabul happy to do a house swap.
It's coming. Be ready
With its sneaky Delta variant, it looks like Covid will make inroads through New Zealand whether we like it or not. Having a fully vaccinated country will minimise the effect and help keep the inevitable deaths down.
The hesitant have heard all the arguments about how by getting vaccinated they will help keep everyone safe and have chosen to disregard the message. We shouldn't really be surprised as we already know how hard it is to get people to stop driving drunk. Politely asking the inebriated to desist because they are endangering everyone only works for some people and further inducements are required such as fines, licence removal or even imprisonment.
Appealing to self-interest could be a way to get more people vaccinated. Photo / Getty Images
So, if we need to offer money, free pizza, or shares in big pharma, then so be it. "No Jab- no Job" should work well with those who see benefit in getting paid for working and "No Jab-No Fun" should be handy for those who like hanging out with other people. Fear also provides a strong appeal to self-interest and the more it hits home to people that the vaccination will help keep them alive the better. Unfortunately, it will probably take more people dying in New Zealand before this message reaches the far corners of acceptance. Understanding that the vaccination is safer, for example, than taking either the contraceptive pill or Viagra may help.
What's in it for me?
Some of you may be wondering why a curmudgeonly, ex-advertising type, is so keen on encouraging his fellow countryfolk to get vaccinated. The answer is, of course, for purely selfish reasons. It's not that big pharma are paying me to push their products (though if they'd like to, I can be reached care of the NZ Herald); it's because I accept that my best hope of being able to travel, hang out with my friends, and live a life of mild hedonism is if everyone else gets vaccinated too.
I'm also selfish enough to wish to avoid dying just yet. And having spent an uncomfortable couple of days in hospital with pneumonia I really wouldn't recommend it. A couple of jabs in the arm are preferable, trust me.
Paul Catmur isn't ashamed of being a little selfish. Photo / Dan Max
• Paul worked in advertising at a quite good level across New Zealand, the UK and Australia including co-founding an agency in Auckland. This is a series of articles about how to make the best out of maybe not being the best.
