Joah Santos, Founder of Warhol — Psy was a psyop created to make South Korea cool. Soap operas were created to sell soap. And the Grand Ole Opry, the longest running radio show in history, was a marketing play for insurance. Joah Santos, founder of Warhol is a tribalism nerd who consulted for Unilever, ABInBev, Airbnb and others. He explains why people make decisions. “The majority of decisions are made by following other people we trust,” says Santos.
We offload the intellectual hard work of finding new ideas and products that will benefit our lives to various opinion leaders. “We couldn’t survive if we didn’t,” he says. Listen to the interview to understand how founders, CMOs, and inventive people can tap into this to disrupt the big brands.
Opinion Leaders, Not The Masses
Santos digs into a topic most brand communications pros, founders, and marketers overlook. He underscores the significance of engaging opinion leaders within communities as a catalyst for brand growth. Drawing from a success story of Victoria beer in Mexico, “We didn’t target the masses… we targeted the opinion leaders.” That’s key.
Santos challenges the efficacy of conventional marketing, cautioning us on the saturation of various mediums post-2004. It’s imperative for brands to foster trust and community, rather than simply buying visibility. He points to the success of companies like Apple and Tesla, which have thrived by positioning their brands at the intersection of big thinking and community, “They didn’t start by selling products; they started by selling what they believed in.”
The discussion also touches on the parallels between marketing and political campaigning, where the key to success lies in resonating with specific audience beliefs. Santos critiques the outdated focus on product over emotional and social benefit. He advocates for a holistic approach that acknowledges the functional, emotional, and social facets of consumer decision-making, “It’s not just about the product… it’s about how the product fits into their lives.” Founders and marketers hear aspects of this idea often, but rarely can a marketer explain this tactically and strategically. This is where Santos shines.
He further explores the potential of local and niche marketing strategies, highlighting the rapid gains possible by tapping into social benefits through local influencers, “Local heroes can turn a brand into a community staple overnight.” Smaller brands, CMOs and founders have an enormous opportunity over large corporations to forge deeper, more authentic connections with their audiences by focusing on purpose, vision, and mission. But they rarely choose this path.
By aligning brand strategies with the beliefs and needs of target communities is not just beneficial but essential in the contemporary marketplace, “The future of branding is about being a part of people’s lives, not just a transaction.” This interview with Joah Santos seems to encapsulate a shifting paradigm in marketing, but in reality, he explains it’s a return to our roots. The discussion serves as a testament to the power of authenticity, community, and purpose-driven branding in carving a niche in the hearts and minds of consumers.
