Heritage is Subjective
Laura Savard and Mark Gallagher
As consumers, we are passionate about the brands we choose because those brands help us to define ourselves, to make a statement without having to speak. The brands themselves tell a story of our values and often allow us to convey things that are often better left unsaid. Many of these brands rely on authenticity to lend legitimacy to their experience. This story of heritage and origin becomes a key component of brand value as the brand matures and evolves.
However, the actions brands take today influence our perception of the past and manage future expectations. What you do today affects how people perceive what you did yesterday.
Coke
When Coke found that it was losing ground to its arch-rival Pepsi, Coke chose to reformulate and relaunch with a “new and improved” product which turned into, what many have called, the single greatest/worse move in branding history.
The company bent to the will of an outspoken public, bringing back “Classic Coke”. Coke’s new “classic” position was so successful that many believe this was the plan all along. To which Donald R. Keough, then President of Coca-Cola, said: “Some critics will say Coca-Cola has made a marketing mistake. Some cynics say that we planned the whole thing. The truth is, we’re not that dumb, and we’re not that smart.”
The Coke bottle is a world-renowned brand signal. It’s iconic shape and feel are a mental bridge to America’s past. A time when… (you fill in the blank). Today, Coke has further reinforced its rich history with a modern, plastic interpretation of its classic glass bottle. This has helped Coke to establish a position that defines the category, making others look inauthentic.
Oreo
With over 491 billion Oreo cookies sold since they were first introduced in 1912, Oreos are the best-selling cookies of the 20th century. In 1999 they drove their number one competitor Hydrox, out of the market. This wasn’t a question of big vs. small. While Oreos are produced by Nabisco (now a division of Kraft Foods), Hydrox was owned by Sunshine Biscuits (later acquired by Keebler, now owned by Kelloggs).
Families across America “know” that Oreo is the original sandwich cookie and Hydrox was the knock-off. Yet Oreo debuted on store shelves in 1912, four years after Hydrox was introduced (1908).
Regardless of the fact that Hydrox was the better tasting (by blind taste tests), Better engineered (stood up better in milk) or the original creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie, Hydrox is perceived to be the knockoff. Why? The company failed to leverage their brand’s heritage and tell the story of what makes Hydrox different, better and original. So, just as Kleenex, Xerox and iPod have all entered the public lexicon, Oreo is now synonymous with creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies.
“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.”—Napoleon Bonaparte
Heritage isn’t the only path to brand authenticity. Where or how your brand is produced is also a signal of “genuine”. Above are two tales of brands that captured people’s memories with stories of heritage. One true. One false. Both authentic. Brands that tell authentic stories connect with consumers’ values and sense of self. Those that don’t, end up just another Hydrox.
Know of a brand that created authenticity or one that’s failed to leverage it? Share your thoughts.
doing good civically and public benefit will be the heritage of this century for brands. it should be a part of every major (and smaller) companies production and marketing plans.
you are absolutely right on your point of telling authentic stories and developing a sense of self. I couldn't agree more. well said.
if I could also add: Whole Foods is becoming almost like a Kleenex. Can't tell you how many times I've heard "going down to whole foods, oh I mean the other one, what's it called?" ……though that might have just been great brand naming more than anything else.
Great post.
Pabst is my fave story about a brand that evolved from blue collar- to boarder- to student's choice – to Asian premium. http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/21/pabst-blue-ribbon-is-classy-and-expensive-in-china. I suppose culture chooses it's brands as tools of zeit expression.
CPGs are a bit easier to point to, it gets messy as systems get more complex.
Saturn was a great example. It's hard to maintain an authentic set of values when the brand offering is part of a larger, complex networked system that doesn't share it's commitments. The GM system couldn't keep a set of brand promises that conflicted with the mother ship's operating model, or challenged it's expectations of profitability and efficiency during the early stages of it's development.
Keep up the great thinking Mark.
Bennett,
Great point about Pabst Blue Ribbon. It’s interesting how many brands hold a more premium position outside their country of origin. e.g.: Corona – Mexico (low-end now premium), Levis – U.S.A. (function now fashion), Jägermeister (apéritif/digestive now party drink), Kit Kat – U.K. (a sweet snack now good luck, in Japan)…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Cheers,
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®
Another great post. Thanks folks.
The story of heritage and origin can be a strong component of brand value assuming that said story creates an expectation of the value delivered by the brand. For example, Coors being brewed from Rocky Mountain spring water may create expectations of a crisp, cold brew. Said belief will then help form our perceptual interpretation — Wow! What a cold, refreshing brew!" Strangely, we experience what we expect to experience.
And that's why I insist that a brand is an expectation, and brand "management" is about understanding, creating and fulfilling expectations. But hey . . . I could be wrong.
Love the Expectation Manages Experience concept!
Thanks for sharing!
Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®
Laura and Mark, great post, thanks! Best, Grant
Couldn't agree more on this…..great post!!!
Hey Guys,
Since you mentioned Coke, I'll rewind to something we discussed once before… the origin of the modern Santa Claus archetype. Coke didn't invent Santa, and they weren't the first to utilize him as a pitch man, but their campaigns, beginning in 1931, featuring the Santa image created by Hayden Sundblom, are responsible for the contemporary visual representation we've all grown up with.
The “Sundblom Santa” has perfectly paired Coke and Christmas in annual holiday campaigns that have defined the secular yuletide aesthetic for generations. Those campaigns cast the die for Santa Claus to be forever branded in the image of Coca-Cola, and inextricably wove a brand name soft drink into the pop culture mythology of the world’s most financially lucrative holiday. I'd say that's some serious brand heritage at its best.
Lastly, check out Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" for some fascinating background on what lead Coke down the path to New Coke. Great info in there, too, about how great package design influences consumer thinking.
Thanks.
Ken,
Great example! There are probably hundreds of "truths" like these that blur the lines between fabrication and authenticity.
Cheers,
Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®