Utility marketing is refers to a brand’s interaction with consumers at the moment of a non-commercial need, addresses their need, becomes a part of their life, and remains with them for when they’re ultimately ready to make a purchase.

This marketing domain provides the marketers with an opportunity to stay connected with the consumers and then sell their products to them.

Econsultancy’s Nikki Gilliland has published a comprehensive article on utility marketing wherein she has addressed various facets of this type of marketing.

On becoming a part of consumers’ lives, Gilliland says, “Instead of selling a product or a brand story, utility marketing turns the tables and taps into a specific consumer need. In a nutshell: it puts the consumer first.

It also tends to be on-going, providing a service that can benefit consumers over time. The benefits are pretty obvious. Sporadic engagement tends to generate short-term results – e.g. from a one-off social post or an experiential campaign – but utility marketing helps brands become part of consumers’ lives.

Apps are a great way to do this, purely because if they catch on, usage turns into a habit rather than a conscious brand interaction. A lot of sports brands use apps as part of their marketing strategies, capitalising on the fact that sport is often a way of life – and that consumers might form long-term loyalty to a specific brand on this basis”.

What is utility marketing and why is it important?

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