blog #2 - Consumer-Created Brands

Consumer-created brands are tricky.

It seems that the most successful consumer-created brands are manifested by brands that are already well-known for their DSI's, and brands that can afford to be flexible with their customer interactions. NikeiD, for example, is at the top of its class in the athletic shoe market; they've established a clear DSI in the consumer's mind. Allowing the consumer to participate in the creation of their products doesn't take away the qualities of Nike that made it a successful brand. They're still actively selling the lifestyle of a Nike-wearer; customizable shoes are a means to help the customer feel more involved in the process. Ultimately, they are still purchasing a Nike product with the Nike logo. Allowing for the customer to change the colors of their shoes isn't changing brand identity because "Leaders can do anything they want to" (Positioning, pg.45)

Consumer-created brands can work negatively if their services of customer-interaction completely take over the brand. For example, a company called Shoes of Prey (http://www.shoesofprey.com) offer a service very similar to NikeiD. The customer can customize and design a pair of shoes down to every little detail: color, pattern, heel size, shoe type, embellishments, etc. This is a great service; however, they haven't branded their services well enough. When a consumer creates their product the company they're buying from holds no weight in their mind. Essentially, the name "Shoes of Prey" could be replaced by "Shoe It Yourself", and nobody would recognize the difference because the brand stands for nothing except a service. If a well-known shoe distributor with a solid DSI, such as Aldo or Nine West, created a customizable shoe service, consumers would switch over to the new service. Aldo and Nine West are leading companies in the shoe market, so adding the consumer-creation specialty wouldn't alter the identity they've already established in their customers minds. Consumers then know and trust who they're buying from, and because of this consumer-created brands without a brand-identity cannot sustain themselves.

"The brand identity toolbox encourages creativity within parameters that always keep the brand immediately recognizable. A carefully designed balance between control and creativity makes it possible to adhere to the identity standards while achieving specific marketing goals" (Designing Brand Identity, pg. 44)

This statement applies to the "Priceless" Mastercard campaign. The consumer customizes the product in their mind; highlighting the immaterial moments in life gives a certain level of customer participation, even though the product isn't being altered in any way. The flexibility of this campaign can also explain why it's been so globally successful. Every nationality has different definitions to what constitutes inner-happiness, and the campaign message can be altered and customized toward the consumer market while still maintaining its DSI.

The Mastercard "Priceless" campaign was also able to successfully reposition itself by repositioning their competition in the minds of the consumers. Mastercard's competition isn't necessarily JUST other credit card brands. Mastercard's product and its materialistic value is in competition with the inner battle of mind versus matter. Objects versus happiness. As Lawrence Flanagan stated in MasterCard - Finding a Compelling Global Positioning: 'Priceless', "Consumers now focus on lifestyle and quality, and on the concept of 'rewarding yourself for what you've earned'" The Priceless campaign was able to relate themselves to this core value all consumers possess, regardless of what nationality they belong to. He goes on to say, "It was unique for a credit card company to say to consumers, "It's not about what you buy; it's about how you take care of yourself."" Bringing light to, and repositioning the competition (inner happiness), Mastercard was able to secure a strong DSI in the minds of their consumers. They also succeeded in creating an emotional attachment with their customers. Highlighting the emotion of joy and happiness is a fantastic method of solidifying their DSI by using "emotionally charged images or word metaphors to tap into the consumer's psyche" (Why Johnny Can't Brand, pg.38).

How has consumer behavior shifted in the past, and will shift because of this recession and during a recovery?

I relate the answer of this question to the "Priceless" articles. The recession has forced society to pull away from luxuries and materials, mostly because loss of funding causes buyers to consider what the truly important aspects of life are: happiness within self. Unfortunately, recovery from recession is only possible through consumption. Mastercard, a platform for consumption, has shifted user-mindset. Society is now withdrawing from the idea that objects equal happiness. Mastercard is establishing their DSI by bringing light to this. Not to mention, use of Mastercard product has an enormous hand in recession recovery.

How does design develop brand truth?

I find this question a little more difficult to answer. It seems that throughout all of our readings very little emphasis is put on the quality of the products, and more on establishing brand-identity in the minds of the consumers through design, naming, advertising, timing, handling competition, etc. Apparently, good branding doesn't necessarily always equal brand truth. Also, physically designing for the brand has also been downplayed in much of the text, but what I do recognize as brand truth behind design is creating a key visual that triggers the DSI in the consumer's mind. "They can also be dramatic visual metaphors that suggest a superlative, important, and memorable idea of the value" (Why Johnny Can't Brand, pg.125). Products can only survive as long as the user experience holds true with the company's DSI, and designing the face of the brand should spark and connect the user to the brand identity. By designing imagery that successfully enforces a connection to the quality and specialty of the product, the consumer connects that emotion to the brand. Designing that trigger develops brand truth if the design holds true with the claims the product makes.

Is there a difference between producing happiness and producing brand loyalty?

When I think of "producing happiness" I think of overall joy in life. Happiness and security should be the outcome of brand loyalty, if that's the brand promise. Successful branding should produce happiness in the mind of the consumer if happiness can be the result of using the product. Marketing a type of orange juice is, to put it bluntly, getting the consumers to purchase that orange juice. If branding is done correctly, the consumer should relate that branding to what the DSI is; in this case, the DSI could be the orange juice's ability to help improve the health of the buyer's children. If the DSI is properly instilled in the minds of the consumer, then happiness should follow given the promises of the brand identity. Believing the DSI and relating it to some form of happiness by using the product should always produce brand loyalty; no other product under a different name is promising me this specific, happy outcome. Bottom line, there should be no difference between producing happiness and producing brand loyalty if the product has been branded successfully with a true DSI.

blog #1 - DSI spotting

What are 4 of your favorite brands? Why?

The first brand on my favorites list definitely has to be Udi's. It's a line of gluten-free food, and is sold at most grocery markets and health food stores. As a gluten-free eater, I love Udi's because they offer gluten-free food that actually tastes good (unlike their competitors Glutino and Annies). Udi's has a variety of foods to offer, ranging from bread, bagels, cookies, croutons, pizza crust, granola, etc. They market themselves as being extremely healthy, 100% gluten-free, as well as creating foods which taste like tradition pastries and baked goods.

My next favorite brand would probably be Stride gum. I love it because it really does last longer than any other gum. I'm a big gum-chewer (I'll buy it by the carton at Costco), and Stride is exactly what I want out of gum that I buy - a great taste that lasts for at least an hour. The fact that it lasts so long means I buy it more infrequently, therefore saving money.

Another brand I'm absolutely obsessed with, and have been for seven years, is Bare Minerals. It's a foundation make up made from minerals, and has a powder application. I first saw ads for this product when I was 15 on a trip visiting America, and I ran to the store to buy it and see if its claims proved true. Bare Minerals held true to everything it advertised: it's healthy for your skin, it feels light and weightless, and it appears natural as if the user isn't even wearing make up. I would stock up every time I took my annual trip to America, and years later I'm still a devoted user.

Last on the list of brands that I love (and I might be biased because I work there) is the Gap. I love the Gap because it is the leading brand in basics, and it represents American style better than any other retailer. The clothes are simple, varying in color, affordable and durable.

UDI'S - site link

Question 1 (the Golden Question)

Udi's is absolutely superlative in being #1 in the gluten-free food market. It surpasses its competitors in all aspects. It is important because it is helping its buyers with the two things that really matter - keeping food safe for those with celiac disease and maintaining a healthy stance. Their message is completely believable; one of their largest claims is that their products are produced in a 100% gluten-free facility. As someone who is allergic to gluten, I can safely say that their products have never given me a reaction.

Question 2 (the Substitution Question)

Udi's passes the substitution question because anyone who eats completely gluten-free knows the difference in taste between various companies who claim to create foods that don't actually taste gluten-free. Glutino and Annie's are Udi's largest competitors, but Glutino and Annies could never replace Udi's and claim to make food that actually tastes like traditional baked goods. Anyone would say they might taste good, but certainly not like gluten-filled food. This is Udi's greatest claim, and it can't be topped by any other company.

Question 3 (the Star Question)

Udi's mainly advertises itself to niche markets, such as ads in health food stores and magazines. In this way, it is memorable in its target demographic: people who care about their health and diet, or people who frequent such stores because they have a disease that limits their diet. Udi communicates its company as personable, heath-conscious and inviting, and advertises its food as gluten-free and delicious. Nothing about it is misleading, and the target demographic of Udi's advertising will find their company and products to memorable for all the right reasons. Their DSI holds true in every aspect.

 

STRIDE - site link

Question 1 (the Golden Question)
Stride is completely superlative in a specialty; it is marketed as gum with extremely long-lasting taste, and that's exactly how the product performs. Stride's specialty is certainly important; the length of time the product lasts is one of the key factors a buyer takes into consideration when purchasing gum. Their DSI is certainly believable, and anyone who uses their product will undoubtedly find Stride's claims to be valid.

Question 2 (the Substitution Question)

Stride passes this test with flying colors! No one could take their competitors, such as Dentyne or Trident, and give them the tagline "the ridiculously long-lasting gum". Other gum companies have other specialties such as intense flavor, calorie count, fruity flavor, or breath-masking abilities. Stride is the number one gum in lasting flavor; no other product can make this claim, and if they did it would be false advertising.

Question 3 (the Star Question)

Stride actually has fantastic advertising; they use humor and varying scenarios to highlight the long-lasting flavor tagline. The product is never bypassed - it is the star of the ad every time, and as a plus their ads are always memorable. The viewer remembers the product and what it stands for, as well as having a chuckle at the commercials. The communication of their DSI is very successful.

BARE MINERALS - site link

Question 1 (the Golden Question)

Bare Minerals has a key superlative characteristic: it is the number one mineral make up company in the world. It brands itself as being healthy for your skin, natural looking, and "so pure you can sleep in it" Their message is very important and their product means something because it delivers two key qualities; the make up is healthy for your skin and it makes the user appear to not be wearing make up at all (two characteristics all women desire). There is a believable and logical reason as to why their product works the way they advertise it. Using minerals as foundation in the form of power application IS healthy, and upon using the product, any user would fully believe their claims.

Question 2 (the Substitution Question)

There is no doubt that Bare Minerals is number one in its specialty. Ever since they entered the market, endless other companies have begun to create mineral foundation dupes to Bare Minerals - even going so far as to claim every single quality Bare Mineral advertises. Maybelline, Revlon and L'Oreal are examples of companies who have delivered mineral make up lines and failed. They don't give the same natural glow, and they don't offer same lasting quality; they can't claim to be the front-runner in mineral make up. Any woman knows (or would know after use) that no mineral make up can match up to the quality of Bare Minerals. They stand out in their specialty, and no other product can steal their tag line or claim.

Question 3 (the Star Question)

Bare Minerals are best known for their infomercials. They feature women going through the steps of application, followed by before/after photographs and user testimonials. Bare Minerals is certainly the focus of the advertisements. They are successful in their demonstration, and more so because they don't offer false advertising; the product works exactly as it is communicated. Above all, the ads are memorable. It didn't take me long to rush to the store to try their product, and given how successful the company is, I assume the same is true for almost every woman who saw the ads.