What is Grit Marketing?
Grit. It’s that persistent determination and passion that pushes us to persevere when faced with challenges. You know, the kind embodied by pioneering women like Amelia Earhart, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Malala Yousafzai. Grit helps them accomplish the extraordinary.
In business, grit drives entrepreneurs to work tirelessly to turn their dreams into reality. But what if companies could inspire grit in customers too? What if brands could motivate people to stick with goals, push through barriers, and achieve more?
That’s the idea behind grit marketing. It’s about creating messaging that sparks tenacity and perseverance in consumers. This emerging strategy is capturing attention for its potential to drive brand loyalty and sales. Let’s dive into what grit marketing is, how it works, and tips for using it effectively.
What is Grit Marketing?
Grit marketing refers to marketing campaigns and messaging designed to encourage grit in consumers. The idea is to motivate your audience to keep striving for their goals and not give up when faced with challenges.
Grit marketing campaigns tap into emotional storytelling and psychological principles to spark a “never give up” mindset. Brands aim to connect with consumers on a deeper level and become partners in their quest for achievement and growth.
For example, an athletic apparel company might highlight inspirational stories of determined amateur athletes who overcame adversity. A financial services provider could showcase people who persisted through economic downturns to build success.
The aim is to inspire tenacity, passion, perseverance and stamina. Grit marketing demonstrates how brands can motivate consumers to be their best selves and accomplish meaningful goals.
The Science Behind Grit
Grit marketing is backed by extensive psychological research on the power of grit for achievement and well-being.
Psychologist Angela Duckworth popularized the concept through her studies of grit. Her research found grit was a significant predictor of success outcomes like graduating from the military academy or achievement in the National Spelling Bee.
Additional studies reveal that grit enables people to maintain focus, persist despite challenges, and achieve long-term goals. People with grit don’t give up easily.
Understanding these principles of human psychology allows marketers to craft campaigns that cultivate grit. Brands can motivate that same steadfastness and perseverance in customers.
Why Grit Marketing?
In our impatient “throw-away” culture, grit is declining. A study found that grit levels decreased by 59% from 2000 to 2018 in a sample of American adolescents. Improvements in life conditions may have inadvertently fostered less resilience.
Moreover, today’s consumers have endless options and short attention spans. Breaking through the noise is difficult. It’s easy for customers to switch brands.
That’s where grit marketing comes in. Brands are realizing that cultivating grit and tenacity in consumers can:
- Drive sales: Grit marketing builds brand loyalty. Customers who connect with your motivational messaging are more likely to stick with you long-term.
- Grow advocacy: Grit marketing forges an emotional bond between customers and brands. Consumers who feel inspired by your message will enthusiastically promote your brand to others.
- Boost engagement: Messaging centered on achievement provides plenty of shareable social media content. A grit marketing campaign gives you no shortage of inspiring stories to engage your audience.
The world needs more grit. People need motivation to persevere. Done right, grit marketing can capture attention while also driving business results.
Examples of Grit Marketing Campaigns
How does grit marketing actually work? Here are some stellar examples of brands running inspiring campaigns:
1. Nike’s “Dream Crazier”
The centerpiece of this 2019 ad campaign was a narrated letter read by Serena Williams:
“If we show emotion, we’re called dramatic. If we want to play against men, we’re nuts. If speak our minds, we’re unhinged. If we dream of equal opportunity, delusional. When we stand for something, we’re unreachable. When we’re too good, there’s something wrong with us…So if they want to call you crazy, fine. Show them what crazy can do.”
The ad embraced grit by calling out barriers women face while motivating them to persist. Nike amplified the message with video profiles of barrier-breaking female athletes. The campaign generated over 130 million views in weeks.
2. Apple’s “The Story Behind the Name”
This 2021 campaign depicted people sharing how they got their names, often inspired by family history and values. One story highlighted Mateo, who was named after his great-grandfather, a migrant farmworker who persevered through adversity to care for his family.
The grit-focused stories of passion and perseverance resonated with viewers. The ad generated over 7 million YouTube views in one month.
3. Samsung’s “I Test My Limits”
This Samsung campaign featured Paralympic sprinter Jarryd Wallace discussing how he overcame an amputated leg as a child to become a world-class athlete. Samsung positioned its products as tools for consumers to test their own limits.
Wallace’s perseverance despite physical challenges encapsulated the grit Samsung wanted to inspire in customers. The details of his emotional story made the message memorable.
6 Tips for Grit Marketing
Want to implement grit marketing for your brand? Here are 6 tips:
1. Spotlight determination
Highlight people who overcame major obstacles through perseverance. Their grit to reach goals against the odds will motivate your audience to do the same.
2. Get specific
Don’t just talk about passion and perseverance. Provide concrete examples through storytelling. Help people visualize grit in action.
3. Celebrate small wins
Persistence is built from many tiny steps. Highlight the power of small daily progress to achieve big dreams.
4. Address setbacks
Grit means moving past failure. Share stories of setbacks overcome through tenacity. This builds resilience in your audience.
5. Consider timing
Look for timely ways your brand can provide motivation. Is your audience tackling annual goals in January? Help them persist.
6. Spark self-reflection
Pose questions allowing customers to ponder their own grit. Encourage them to develop passion and stamina for meaningful goals.
The Future of Grit Marketing
While still an emerging concept, early results suggest grit marketing can deliver impressive ROI compared to traditional campaigns.
Expect more brands to jump on board with messaging that motivates perseverance and determination in consumers. Smart marketers recognize the power of grit for capturing consumer attention and driving sales.
But this strategy must be used carefully. Brands that fail to connect genuine emotional stories with their product risk coming off as exploitative or hokey. Authenticity is key.
Done right though, grit marketing provides a compelling way for brands to build affinity and loyalty. In our fragmented media landscape, marketing that inspires consumers to never give up can truly pay dividends.
Grit marketing taps into our fundamental human need for achievement and progress. That drive to better ourselves is deeply rooted. Brands that can successfully motivate tenacity and passion in customers have found a powerful key to success.
The next time you feel like giving up on a worthy goal, think of the perseverance embodied by pioneering women, barrier-breaking athletes or determined entrepreneurs. Let their grit inspire your own. Because sometimes marketing that motivates us to be our best selves can actually make the world a little better.
