Superbranding online conversations
10/2 2010
Will there be superbrands also in the future? Will we see the Coca Cola’s, the McDonald’s, the Apple’s or the Google’s in a future where the brand experience will be more personal and digital than ever before?
It’s a reasonable question, I think. The horisontal conversations and the formation of groups are unparallell to anything we have ever seen in human history. Evrything becomes individualised, personalised, diversified, distributed, and disrupted.
Scattered.
At the same time we look upon the giants. Honestly, do we see Apple or Google participating in the so hyped online conversation? One might argue that conversational marketing is nothing but binary cosmetics, and when push comes to shove, that it is all about the products and the services. Others might argue that these supernova brands don’t have to state their case – their ambassadors is doing it for them.
I would argue, that it comes natural for us as a species to state our independence and uniqueness as individual, but when it comes to our everyday lives, we are just creatures of habit.
Google are an amazing company and an amazing superbrand, but what would they be without the millions of people using their search engine? Every single innovation and long-tail line extension of the Google brand is part of an on-going forward motion, but mainly so becuse it reinforces the user’s habits.
Tell me, how often do you google something? How often do you listen to your Ipod?
You and I and everyone – we are creatures of habit since not everything can be a rational decision.That’s why it’s so easy for me to grab lunch at a McDonald’s restaurant I’ve never visited before, even though I’m sure there might be better local fast food around.
And that’s also why we will have superbrands in the future. And that’s why the online converation must add indirectly to the habitual behaviour or emotional triggers that connotes to the brand’s core business.
Jerry Silfwer
Jerry is a PR pro working at Springtime, Stockholm. Interested in PR for your brand? Check out his blog, Doktor Spinn and follow him on Twitter.
[...] First published on the Superbrands Nordic blog. [...]
This is so true, we are made out of habits. Everytime we go into a store we always seem to go in the same way, turn left and so on. When we walk to our office we do without thinking. It is these safe patterns that definitely guides us and are the answer to our loyalty.
But our individuality is also growing and the conscious consumer is growing stronger everyday. More and more are interested by reading about brands to know their values and stand by them. It is a reflection of their identity also. So if a person fins themselves more of a healthy person then before , Mc Donald’s can go on and do salads the habit will not lead them there as it is not part of their identity no more.
People are dum and brands know this and will live on their stupidity like politicians do.
The magic is definitely to be able to assemble the individuality of every person in a brand like Ipod’s and google did. Interesting thought!