Social Marketing and If You Can't Fix It, Feature It!

IYCFIFI is one of the most powerful marketing axioms we know and it’s too often overlooked in social marketing. The classic corporate example is the glue developed by a 3M researcher that wasn’t quite sticky enough. By featuring the shortcoming, they created a ‘‘sticky note’’ empire. The underlying principle is simple: What you treat as a ‘‘negative’’—a liability—may in fact be your program’s greatest asset. It’s a different way to approach the management of potential barriers. Instead of hiding or minimizing whatever you consider a negative, lead with it. In other words, if you can’t fix it, feature it!