- Posted 2/14/06 at 1:00 PM
- boys, branding, fashion
- Leave a Comment
Five brands to love
Forget conventional methods of romancing your audience, today, strength in advertising most often comes from strength in branding – whether you are a corporate giant or a mom-and-pop shop.
So, what’s to love in branding today?
1) Mercedes Benz: Consistency. Mercedes are known for their quality, performance, service, and great style – from beginning to end. The brand image they project is reflected in every aspect, from the advertising to the dealership to service.
2) The Mondrian Hotel, Los Angeles: Seduction. The Mondrian was a pioneer for far more than boutique hotels. Right from the start, the Mondrian knew to deliver an (brand) experience that seduced and captivated their customer on all levels. They never chased demographics but instead catered to a lifestyle, thereby creating a culture and establishing relevance.
3) Target: Focus and commitment. Who doesn’t love someone that knows where they’re going? Target knows it’s not about trying to be everything to everyone… it’s about customizing your message based on your audience and delivering that message. Target continues to serve up what people want most from them: affordable, efficient and styling options.
4) Apple: Approachability. Apple is always at the right place, at the right time – with the right product, and just so available. Their retail stores replete with theaters, and a bounty of products to test drive the latest technology are safe destinations for all, tech junkie or not. It’s this simple, smart and understated approach that continues to make Apple so irresistible: whether it be the lure of the iPod or the cute Mac Genuises holding court at the bars.
5) Kiehl’s: Trust. Kiehl’s secret for success lies in their generous sampling. They don’t make promises. They rely on their product. Kiehl’s knew the best way to win the customer’s loyalty was to build their trust – and to have them try products on. And that’s why Kiehl’s customers never leave the store empty-handed.
Add them all up – consistency, seduction, focus and commitment, approachability and trust – and they’d make for a pretty good personal ad, or, in the case of the products, a pretty great brand.
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I totally agree. And nothing wrong about being patriotic.
Great insights…I don’t think the audience cares who wins the awards, they just want to see the “show” so they have something to talk about the next day…and BTW- the Chrysler commercial was my favorite! Anything that promotes America building something again is ok with me…I guess I’m just a sucker for patriotism…
Nice article! It makes a great deal of sense. These companies spend so much to attain new clients but rarely put forth the effort to keep their existing ones happy. Everything is an argument or an angle. I guess they think we will forget.
I ask this lovingly Steve: by any chance, are you wearing a tie and nursing a martini?
Looking at Obama’s overall rising star these past years (and especially thinking back to who even knew his name prior to 2004), he is a media genius indeed. Yet at the same time, just as he’s not a Muslim (although 24% of the public still thinks he is), he’s also not the political Messiah his campaign painted him to be. In offering an opinion about this widening disparity between the myth and the man, which any Brand Girl is entitled to do, I simply pointed out some of his media missteps since taking office. Speculating that Obama might be a one-term prez unless he gets his media act and his policy act together—and playing nice with one another—is no more a diss than thinking Derek Jeter was playing kinda dirty when he faked getting hit by a pitch to get on base. That’s not dissing, and it’s not even playing party politics. It’s just stating the obvious.
And ’cause I can’t resist: when out with a girl, especially a bipartisan one, allow her a chance to take a full swing when at bat in a pennant battle of the minds. I’ll bet the house that she’ll get beyond first. And she won’t have to fake a thing either.
Funny piece but a faulty premise.
Obama is still a media genius. He’s controlling the debate and has accomplished more in his first two years than any President since FDR. Sure his approval numbers are down but we are in a the middle of a severe recession. Regan’s numbers were similar in 1982.
He has tried to be bipartisan but what does he get for it? The GOP even filibustered small business tax cuts (until two GOP senators who are retiring broke off yesterday). The public knows this. While they are anti-incumbent, they trust the GOP less than the Dems. And despite the GOP’s concerted efforts to block efforts to stimulate the economy (so they can hope to pick up more seats), the economy will turn around and the the POTUS’s appoval ratings wil improve with the rise in GDP.
And when out with boys, especially thoughtful ones, it’s probably not a good idea to diss Obama; not if you want to get to first base.