The Great Madison Avenue Branding Rip-Off: Part II
February 14th, 2006 by Bob Bly
In an earlier post, I quoted top copywriter Richard Armstrong as saying that ?branding is just one of MANY credibility factors that go into an advertisement ? you CAN?T build your whole marketing campaign around it.?
Richard continues: ?The fact is that ?brand loyalty,? which is the Holy Grail of Madison Avenue, is really a mile wide and an inch deep for most customers.
?I have brands that I prefer among just about everything I buy … but virtually ever single one of them is negotiable. Show me that your product is cheaper and/or better than my current brand, and I’ll switch in a heartbeat.?
?I’m a big fan of Allen-Edmonds shoes, for example. For years, I was always telling people about how comfortable and well-made they are.
?A few weeks ago, I was telling this to a friend of mine, and he said, ?You should try Cole-Hahn, they’re better.? I said, ?No way!!? He said, ?Try them.?
?So I tried them. Guess what? I now wear Cole-Hahn shoes. So much for brand loyalty!?
The conclusion: brand loyalty is fleeting. Unless your advertising provides a compelling reason why the consumer should buy your product instead of competing products, you won?t be able to pull consumers away from those competitors. Right?
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 14th, 2006 at 11:46 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
February 14th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
I was watching the superbowl, saw Pizza Hut’s ad, though hmm pizza, and ordered Dominos. These branding campaigns offer huge oppurtunites for other companies in the same catagory.
February 15th, 2006 at 2:36 am
I agree. Take the Super Bowl for example. Days after the Super Bowl, what ads, products, and companies do you remember? Millions of dollars were spent on advertising, what do you remember?
If you’re like most people, you remember a commercial or two, have a vague recollection of the companies that bought ads, but overall have little idea of the who, what, and why of Super Bowl commercials. It’s to be expected.
Most commercials offer little to remember. Some are cute, I especially like the beer commercials, but I don’t think any are effective at growing market share or enticing us to try a product.
None of the commercials make an offer or ask us to do anything. Most of the commercials don’t seem to have a point at all, just cute video that could be used with a number of products and companies. Blah.
I’m sure there are studies that show the Super Bowl commercial-type branding works. But with who? If you don’t drink Bud Lite today, are the commercials about horses playing in an open field going to make you drink it tomorrow? I think not.
I wonder what would happen if more commercials were about the benefits of the product, the difference offered as compared to other products and services, and the reasons you and I can believe the benefits and difference is real.
February 15th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Bob, You’re “99 and 44/100ths percent” right!
But that’s Madison Avenue branding. I prefer to think of a different kind of branding: Number Seven in Lester Wunderman’s “Nineteen Things All Successful Direct Marketing Companies Know” is
“Build the ‘Brand Experience.’ ”
February 16th, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Bob, You’re “99 and 44/100ths percent” right! (see http://tinyurl.com/2f3ob)
But that’s Madison Avenue branding. Remember Number 7 in Lester Wunderman’s “19 Things All Successful Direct Marketing Companies Know”? (http://www.wunderman.com/creative/156.asp)
“Build the ‘Brand Experience.’ ”
“Customers have to know and feel the brand as an experience that serves their individual needs. It has to be a total and ongoing immersion in satisfaction that includes everything from packaging to point of purchase, repurchase, and after-sale service and communications.”
Morty
Wordrider.blogspot.com
February 20th, 2006 at 10:08 am
It seems to me in my travels that the people who bleat loudest about “branding” are the ones who can not (or do not want to) do the work of creating “compelling reason” advertising.
It’s easier to bleat … and (sadly!) they seem to make great money at it.
February 20th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Brand loyalty only works as long as competing products are equal. You thought Allen-Edmonds were better but tried Cole-Hahn and found they had a relative advantage. I doubt if you would have changed if you had found they were only equal to Allen-Edmonds in comfort and quality.
February 22nd, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Scott Thorne said, “Brand loyalty only works if competing products are equal.”
I don’t agree that it works even then. Look how many people hold multiple loyalty cards for competing companies? Businesses can’t even bribe loyalty out of people much less accomplish it with cutsey commercials. Behavioral loyalty research shows only 10% of frequent buyers stay loyal to a brand for one year. And in fact, it revealed such programs “do not fundamentally alter market structure and, instead, increase market expenditures without really creating any extra brand loyalty.”
So why sink millions of dollars into brand-driven commercials and other loyalty gimmicks when all they do is eat into the marketing budget w/out significant return? It just doesn’t make good business sense — for anyone but the ad agencies.
As far as I can see, branding has become a convenient excuse to explain away anemic advertising. There’s no reason in the world why branding and sales should be mutually exclusive. Sales-driven messages go a long way toward building brand because good copy creates a deep impression of the product/company even as it’s making the sale.
Does anyone really think Pepsi’s “brown and bubbly” commercial is going to send people flocking to the grocery for Diet Pepsi — or build brand equity for it — when the first thing that leaps to mind is “EEEEWWWW! Sounds toxic!”
February 28th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
“Brand” is often misunderstood. It isn’t just the identity of a company, but the emotional “hooks” a company sinks into you. For example, Progresso is a superior soup to Campbell’s, but I associate Campbell’s with my childhood, so guess which one I stick with?
You can even buy a shareware Office suite for twenty bucks, but I keep shelling out several hundred because Microsoft, despite its bugs, has an irrational emotional connection for me.
Branding doesn’t bring a customer in, but executed properly, it can keep customers coming back. It isn’t foolproof, though, and it doesn’t stand apart from marketing, but it doesn’t hurt.
January 17th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Cole-Hahn has “better” prices but how did you determine that their product is superior to Allen-Edmonds? Perhaps you must feel like you own the best to wear it? There are better shoes than both but you would not feel inclined to pay it’s premium.
May 19th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Lavoro eccellente! ..ringraziamenti per le informazioni..realmente lo apprezzo: D
May 21st, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Grand emplacement! La conception est merveilleuse!
May 21st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Nice site you have!
May 24th, 2007 at 5:35 am
La buona visione del senso!
May 24th, 2007 at 12:55 pm
I’ll be BACK! 🙂 😉
May 27th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Guter Aufstellungsort, ja!
May 27th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Interesting comments.. 😀
May 29th, 2007 at 12:02 am
Was kann ich sagen? Wirklich gute Arbeit erledigt mit dem Aufstellungsort?
May 31st, 2007 at 9:46 pm
The information I found here was rather helpful. Thank you for this.
June 4th, 2007 at 5:28 am
Great site! Good luck to it’s owner!
August 5th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
[…] The Great Madison Avenue Branding Rip-Off: Part II – bly.com blog … […]
March 26th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
[…] once in a while I hear criticism of “branding” like this from Bob Bly, suggesting that it doesn’t create loyalty. By branding, I believe Bob is mostly […]
July 27th, 2013 at 1:02 pm
Appreciation for almost every other great document. Where otherwise might anybody get that type of information and facts such an excellent a style of composing? I’ve a speech in a few days, that i’m at the search for such information.
July 27th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
This is definitely attention-grabbing, You are an overly professional writer. We’ve registered your give and search forward so that you can from the search for more of your own exceptional write-up. As well, I’ve embraced your website in my web sites
December 15th, 2013 at 8:43 pm
I do agree with Jim Logan’s words!!
To see through the essence of things, to solve the problem
January 16th, 2014 at 9:41 pm
Great list. I am on my way to becoming freelance full-time and some of these will help. Getting on the radio is the next step and isn’t as hard as it may sound.
June 12th, 2021 at 1:54 am
puppies for sale,pug puppies for sale in oregon,pug puppies for sale in az,pug puppies for sale in va,pug puppies near mepugs for sale,pug puppies for sale,pugs for sale near me,cheap pugs for sale,pug puppies for sale near me teacup pug [ We breed with exception. We are engaged in the breeding of Pug puppy for sale, which is the most desired bulky puppy. are raised at home in a family/friendly environment making our Pug puppies completely at ease with other pets.pugs for sale,pugs for sale near me,cheap pugs for sale,pug puppies for sale,pug puppies for sale near me.
https://pugslandbreeder.company.com
June 17th, 2021 at 5:05 am
The match is also a double-header with the M?ori All Blacks playing All Blacks v Tonga live Manu Samoa beforehand.
June 29th, 2021 at 3:30 pm
https://savannahbengal.company.com/
July 22nd, 2021 at 8:14 am
Khaadi Sale
I like your post. It is good to see you verbalize from the heart and clarity on this important subject can be easily observed
August 10th, 2021 at 12:16 pm
Check this babe https://www.updatedcelebrities.com/anna-arilaviee-instagram-star/
August 10th, 2021 at 12:18 pm
Thank you https://www.updatedcelebrities.com/rashel-kolaneci/
February 10th, 2022 at 9:35 am
Having access to the portal offers many benefits to the employees, which will be discussed later in greatpeople me post.
February 10th, 2022 at 9:36 am
Having access to the portal offers many benefits to the employees, which will be discussed later in this post.
https://wwv-greatpeople.me/
February 14th, 2022 at 5:15 pm
You select the best topic for writing. I learn more through this post. You provide informative information.
The Garage Door Repair Services present the best and valuable work under the professional team. For more information click here https://samedaygaragedoorservicesga.com/
May 29th, 2022 at 9:25 am
Guys.. Did yo know that Branding is the most powerful things in the current market. You can check Best Brand Style Guides
June 27th, 2022 at 3:49 am
Chinyere is offering best and fancy party wear dresses. Take a look at latest ladies party wear at chinyere online
July 6th, 2022 at 1:57 am
Metro shoes offers their customers the highest quality ladies slides sandals and sandal designs Get the best available Women Sandals in Pakistan, today So, buy the best sandals for girls online from Metro shoes We bring you only the highest quality sandals for women
August 3rd, 2022 at 3:48 am
Rivaj offers the best cosmetics and related products like Maybelline concealer and similar Concealer products So, grab the best concealer today and enjoy Their concealers are truly unbeatable and offer a high degree of satisfaction Rivaj offers the best concealer in Pakistan to their customers every day
August 20th, 2022 at 3:27 am
I am looking for shoes for hunting in Georgia can anyone suggest?
October 26th, 2022 at 3:03 am
Flormar is one of the best among the new Turkish makeup brands in Pakistan. The best makeup sale on brands is available with ease from Flormar. Their products are highly successful in Turkey and will beat other cosmetics brands in Pakistan. Look your best at all the makeup brands, Flormar is becoming one of the best makeup brands in Pakistan.
October 26th, 2022 at 4:22 am
Rivaj offers stunning cosmetics accessories and related products like the best mascara in Pakistan So, grab their long lasting, high impact, black dense mascara products today. Their waterproof mascara items are truly unbeatable and offer a high degree of satisfaction. Rivaj offers the best mascara to their customers every day.
April 5th, 2023 at 1:58 am
I really like the way that you have expressed yourself. There is a lot to be admired from this post. You might want to click onBiker Boyz Yellow Jacket
April 27th, 2023 at 11:04 pm
An improper connection between the colon And the bladder is known as a colovesical fistula, And its ICD-10 classification serves As a numerical depiction of this disorder.
Visit My Post: Icd 10 Code for Colovesical Fistula
May 26th, 2023 at 1:28 am
A PCB assembly company specializes in the manufacturing and assembly of printed circuit boards (PCBs). These companies typically offer a range of services, including PCB design, fabrication, and assembly. The process of PCB assembly involves the use of specialized equipment and techniques to assemble electronic components onto a printed circuit board, creating a functional electronic device or system.
August 28th, 2023 at 5:57 am
Commemorate the miracle of life with our New Baby Gift Box. Bursting with love and well-wishes, this box is a heartfelt gesture to congratulate the new parents on their bundle of joy. From soft swaddles to charming onesies, each item encapsulates the joyous spirit of welcoming a new baby into the world. Share in the happiness with this thoughtful gift box.
December 6th, 2023 at 12:03 am
Based in Pakistan, BSNS Consulting is a leading Digital Marketing Agency Islamabad. Our talented team of marketers, designers, and strategists collaborates to create impactful digital campaigns that resonate with your target audience. With a focus on innovation and results, we empower your brand to thrive in the digital landscape.
December 28th, 2023 at 12:07 am
A Rückwärtswaschbecken is a backward or reclining hair wash basin used in hair salons. It allows clients to comfortably lean back while having their hair washed, providing a relaxing experience during salon visits.
January 29th, 2024 at 4:33 am
Embark on a quest to discover the nuances that differentiate various types of pink salt and find out which claims the title of the best Himalayan pink salt. Peel back the layers to reveal this pink-hued marvel’s geological origins and natural composition.
October 21st, 2024 at 3:29 am
That’s what I was looking for, what an info present here at this website, thank you admin!