Yesterday I got thinking about how similar our relationships are to brands as our relationships are with human beings. What got me thinking about this though wasn't an emotional connection thing, I was thinking more about messaging and the things we say and why we say them. We all say stuff to each other that we know is appropriate in certain situations and stuff that isn't, but we say the appropriate things we do so that we don't rock the boat. Yesterday someone said to me, knowing that I'd just been to the hairdressers, 'Have you had your hair cut? It's just, it looks the same'. Honest, but most certainly not what I wanted to hear.
Is it the case that this is how brands work too? Sometimes they're completely stripped down honest, no frills or fuss, we may not like it, but at least it is the truth. It might not be for everyone, but that is ok. I'd say that polarising brands are very successful - Marmite, Pot Noodle are examples of brands that know they're not everyone's cup of tea all of the time and they're honest and proud of that and stick to it.
Sometimes brands know what their audience wants to hear - they know them so well and know exactly what they want that crafting a message with general, broad appeal in that situation is the most successful option. It might seem sugar-coated, but it works. Women want to know that their periods are going to be bearable, men want to know that they will have the closest shave. Ok, so these are broad examples, but I am sure you get the picture.
Any views welcome...
We are in an advertising age of reassurance. It's a fact that small school children in America are now being conditioned for fear by what they hear on TV to believe
that global warming is going to destroy their life. Is this right or wrong?
Advertising can play a very important social role in the USA in pacifying the masses that their life of excess is coming to an end but they can still get hold of their favourite brand of whatever to see them through it.
Winning brands will change the way they operate to ensure reassurance to their customers that they can do something about the situation and act where the man in the street cannot. They will say things like "Even when your hair has changed beyond all recognition, the real you shines through'.
Louise Kennedy
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Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 24 Nov 2009
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