For an avid golfer, there is nothing quite like the click of a ball’s perfect contact with the club, the scent exuding from a sweep of freshly cut grass, and the subsequent sight of that white orb soaring towards that perfect spot on the green. While it might surprise some golfers, the right grip has a lot more to do with the perfect swing than many people realize. 

Even though grips are truly important, they are often a forgotten aspect of the game. But golfers know that a slippery grip can impact confidence and results. If a grip is too thick, too thin, or just not comfortable, performance is likely to change. The best situation would be aptly described by Goldilocks herself.

But this article isn’t so much about the game of golf, I am by no means a professional golfer  after all — but about the psychology of those who use and purchase golf equipment. Specifically, it’s about marketing to those consumers. 

I’ve spent decades running all sorts of marketing campaigns — for all sorts of companies. And while working on my master’s thesis, I discovered the placebo effect of brands, or as I coined it in my book, BRANDcebo. One of the many things I have learned in my research is that desire is instrumental in the most influential campaigns. So let’s take a look at my Lamkin Golf Grips’ campaign as a brand perception case study, and let’s explore how desire in marketing can impact a golfer’s game and take brands to the next level. 

Lamkin Grips

Back when I had just started my marketing agency, Ameba, I was hired by a top-notch ad agency in San Diego to work on the campaign of one of the world’s largest grip manufacturers in the golfing industry: Lamkin Grips. The goal was to decrease the market-share gap with Lamkin’s main competitor. To do so, they would need to make sure that Lamkin would become the first brand that comes to mind when golfers think of grips. 

We know that passionate golfers are motivated by a deep desire to hit the perfect shot. And ideally to keep that going through to the last hole! Even though it may not be conscious, grips are a key part of performance. They are the direct line of contact between the club and the golfer. So, in the campaign, we decided to put both of these main ideas to use. 

The idea was a parody of a popular commercial at the time featuring kids repeating the phrase “I Am Tiger Woods”. In our ad, we featured down-on-their-luck golfers hitting balls into trees and fields, while mumbling “I Am in The Woods.”  Then they hit a perfect swing with a Lamkin Grip, with the accompanying tagline: “Change your grip. Change your game.”

The Placebo Effect

This is the BRANDcebo model in action. The humor resonates with golfers, providing relief from the seriousness often associated with the sport. Consumers were primed to trust that the brand understands golfers’ frustrations. “In the Woods” just happened to be the perfect recipe for grabbing attention. An association with Tiger Woods and the common golf term creates the expectation that Lamkin Grips are known for excellent quality and performance. Now, here comes the final element: desire. “Change your grip. Change your game,” taps into the yearning golfers have to experience that perfect swing. 

Desire in Marketing

At the heart of the BRANDcebo effect is how desire and self-image come together. When you actually feel better about yourself the placebo kicks in in full effect. Ultimately, you actually become better. To achieve this requires a delicate yet powerful brand relationship with an intimacy as close as any other. As a person’s self-image becomes reflected in a brand’s image, this intimacy deepens and the person is more likely to buy the product. Not to mention, feeling the results! The emotional uplift that results from this connection to the brand can actually cause an elevation of one’s own identity. And we all know how important confidence can be in someone’s game.

This comes down to the natural motivation we have to see prestigiously branded products to pay out. To justify the higher price we paid, we expect that they have a better quality and will outperform competitors. As a result, we expect, when it comes to sport, that being backed by the brand will mean we can outperform our competitors too. And as the placebo effect of brands demonstrates, the best brands actually do help us be better, feel better, and ultimately perform better.

How to BRANDcebo Desire

This strategy successfully worked with Lamkin Grips, and it can work with your brand too. To BRANDcebo desire, follow these steps:

1. Show how your brand could help customers be better, feel better, and perform better. 
2. Identify and believe in your consumer’s desired destination, both personal and lifestyle. 
3. Align your brand with that desired destination.
4. Make your brand’s promises desirable, aspirational, and tangible.
5. Align your brand’s attributes and values with those of your customers. 
6. Tap into these aspects until they can visualize their new self-image and express themselves through your brand. 

Desire is one integral element of the BRANDcebo equation: Priming + Expectation + Desire = BRANDcebo. To create the placebo effect with your brand, you’ll need to immerse yourself, and your brand, in the entire equation. Buy the book here to find out how.