There is a huge difference between these two statements. “I am an excellent tennis player,” and  “The force of my backhand swing pushes the ball into a curve to take my opponent out wide.” 

While the first one merely states it, the second vividly paints a picture showing us how. 

The statement, ‘show, don’t tell,’ is a classic communication tactic. It serves its purpose for marketing as well, especially in a stigmatized product such as hearing aids and a stigmatized identity, as a person with hearing loss.

A research paper, Marketing, Through the Eyes of the Stigmatized, published in the American Marketing Association, highlights the importance of different marketing messages for people worried about being stigmatized. 

Messages can have unintended consequences.

The marketing messages for those who don’t see any issues with buying and wearing hearing aids should be vastly different from those concerned about the social stigma of hearing loss. One message can have unintended consequences for certain groups of potential consumers while it works well for others. A person worried about stigma is taking a lot of the burden from past experiences or negative perceptions of what they think would happen if they were seen with hearing aids in a social setting.

Cues are the signal to take the next step.

Consumers are looking for cues to help them judge whether it’s safe to proceed with any buying decision. The cues can come from a number of different sources. Consumers look at ads for diverse representations, stereotypes, and authenticity to check to see if they feel safe. Subtle aspects of marketing, even when you think they are irrelevant, can be a signal for what one would do next. Consumers need to see the effect of hearing aids not adversely affecting their lives and their worldview.

Steps to improve cues to attract favourable responses

Here are a few tips to increase positive brand perception for all of your marketing materials: 

1. Use identity cues — Show people with hearing aids in your ads, but highlight and show diversity in ages, ethnicities, and genders. Highlight experiences common to people with hearing loss and show people with hearing loss in various professional roles.
2. Limit aspirational marketing — Showing only aspirational pictures can cause someone to disassociate and not see themselves as capable of being that person. People are naturally motivated to take shortcuts, and quick solutions may backfire, leading to dangerous risks or financial setbacks.
3. Avoid ambiguous messages — When marketing, you may attempt to appeal to everyone by communicating in general terms. You may feel that getting to the specifics will prevent someone from booking an appointment. This practice typically backfires for someone worried about stigma. There’s not enough evidence to help them feel accepted if they are to take action.