When To Keep Your Distance

There is a place called North Sentinel Island off the coast of India that’s home to a tribe of people who are completely isolated, virtually untouched by civilization.

Of course that hasn’t been for lack of other humans trying.

Humans seem to have a deep-seated need to connect. To communicate. To engage. To convert.

A few people have tried to make contact with the people of North Sentinel Island over the last 100 years.

It doesn’t usually end well.

I usually ends with that person being on the pointy end of a spear.

Recently a modern religious missionary, who despite repeated dire warnings was steadfastly convinced that if the tribes people heard his message they would welcome him and be converted.

He spent incredible effort, travelled thousands of miles and spent thousands of dollars to get there.

But they didn’t want to hear his message.

They killed him the moment he set foot on their beach.

As marketers we can locate our target, over-spend our budgets and ignore the analytics warning signs.

But no matter how convinced we are an audience will welcome what we have to offer, no matter how much we want to expand our influence and connect with a certain group…

…Sometimes we must accept that not everyone can be converted.

Find a warmer audience, or your brand might just end up on the pointy end of a spear.