First, this is standard practice in marketing, nothing special here. Second, I find this quite the opposite what you are describing. Instead of just coming up

First, this is standard practice in marketing, nothing special here. Second, I find this quite the opposite what you are describing. Instead of just coming up with too generalistic terms, ideas, the marketing team tries to imagine a potential, REAL customers and trying to prepare ways to talk to them. I find this not only effective, but more polite with everyone's time.