(Continued from »I’m Dirty Harry. Who are you?«)
There are occasions when the brand gets in the way of communication. These exceptions depend on how we seek and prioritise information. Ask yourself these three questions:
1. Do I have anything new to disclose?
The world is a chaotic place that is ever changing. We must create a picture of the world that we can live with, one that brings with it a feeling of security. This explains our fundamental need to constantly upgrade our conception of the world, which means that all forms of innovation are given precedence to our attention. We read newspapers and magazines, we watch TV and we listen to the talk in the corridors – everything designed to keep the image intact and preserve a tolerable control. If you have a genuine innovation to disclose and you are certain that no one else can compete with it, just go ahead and tell it exactly as it is – without frills and argumentation.
2. Am I seeking a purely practical function?
There are items that only fill a practical solution. It can either be low-interest products of the most basic nature, like a tin of sardines, or expensive infrastructural products, like a solar-panelled roof. Both have a mutual characteristic; the consumers can’t use the product to reflect their personalities, which means that they can never grow bigger than their actual function. Of course, the consumers do still have options, but the choice, generally, goes to the manufacturer that provides the most practical benefit to the lowest price. The downside to a practical product is that you are constantly subjected to fierce competition and pressure on prices.
3. Am I selling a personality?
When you don’t have an innovative product and when the practical function is not up too much, only one option remains and that is to build a brand. You have to create a personality, that delivers some kind of promise and increased value, presented in a unique and distinctive way, and packaged with style.
Well, enough about what you are selling.
What does it mean to the consumer?
Read the next chapter »Hate me, but don’t ignore me« here, september 8.
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Great insights and good advice as always. However, I totally believe sardines can be branded. Not all brands have to contribute to a persons self image. In the case of solar panels it might be harder to demand a premium based on brand, but I’m not convinced that there aren’t any ‘brand attributes’ that can be applied to enhance the product’s selling points.
Yes, I too believe sardines can be branded. I was trying to say that there are times when you make purchasing decisiones based on pure functionality (or habit), not because the product cannot be branded, but because they aren’t branded for some reason. And these products tend to be in the low involvement category.