In branding theory, authors often refer to three basic functions of brands. First, and most obviously, brands
help us recognize things. Brands function as virtual sign posts in our brain; we know, for example, that Nike and Adidas are lifestyle sporting goods. Second, brands steer our expectations. We assume that branded products and services offer a consistent experience. For example, we expect McDonalds to offer the same quality and service all around the world. Third, brands evoke emotional responses. For example, Rolex triggers associations related to status and ambition.
Creating appealing brands always involves a fundamental understanding of the variables that explain brand
appeal, specifically the third one mentioned above. In a large scale scientific study "23plusone", by Kim Cramer and Alexander Koene, both co-owners of BR-ND, it was investigated why some brands are better able to touch people than other brands. On a broad level, it indicates that brand appeal has everything to do with fundamental human drives. Brands that touch certain combinations of those drives are highly seductive. Knowledge about the relationship between brand appeal and emotional responses significantly improves strategic brand development. The following post is an attempt to further explore this phenomenon -
What brands can do is touch the things people find important in their lives. Human emotions, motivations, and aspirations - also called drive domains - are the foundation upon which thought processes, decisions
and actions are based. Decision making about brands centers on one question: how will this make me feel?
Hence emotional domains activated by the brand and not the so-called brand values should be considered. It is not just about what the brand represents (e.g. sexiness), but about what is internalized as a desired feeling linked to the brand (feeling sexy when using it). Hence the authors assume that brands that better trigger drive domains are more appealing. Hence an attempt was made to list out all human drives after an extensive research. This led to a framework of twenty-four drive domains.
All of these drive domains are to a certain degree important for all human beings. They must be seen as coping strategies enabling people to pursue an integrated approach in order to
a) secure the species by reproduction
b) minimize feelings of inferiority and
c) maximize feelings of satisfaction
Interrelated, these strategies ultimately lead to an individually perceived degree of contentment. Drives are relatively stable, but depending on the context, the relative importance of drives can differ between individuals and within individuals over time.
The assumption here is that highly appealing brands have a drive profile based on a specific combination of
drives (‘drive cocktails’). Such brands often combine unexpected drives that don’t seem to fit with the category or with each other. Think of Apple introducing creativity, fun, and aesthetics in the computer category. Brand appeal increases if brands trigger brand-specific drives additional to category drives. Brand appeal increases if brands trigger drives from different groups of drive domains.
Basics stands for the essential things in life, like safety, structure, care, and connection. Vitality stands for health and physical fitness. Attraction for sexuality and aesthetics. Self-development and Ambition seem to
be closely related conceptually. The difference lies in being intrinsically driven to progress (Self-development)
versus being driven to progress for recognition from the world around you (Ambition).
Statistical analysis to understand which of the five groups have the strongest effect revealed that Vitality
and Attraction significantly drive brand appeal, at least at an aggregate level.
Brands which succeed in outperforming drives related to their specific category combined with drives not related to the category are more appealing. They combine category generic drives with brand specific drives.
According to our results, such a ‘tension’ between the category generic and brand specific drives is desirable. For example, the skincare category triggers drives related to protection and beauty. The Dove brand scores very well on these category generic drives, while at the same time it triggers drives related to social connection and loyalty. The unexpected combination gives a boost to Dove’s brand appeal.
Think of the Audi brand, outperforming the other car brands on many drives. While Audi scores highest on the category generic drives, more than half of the ‘outperformance’ drives are not related to the car category
It is crucial to stress here, that the most effective drive cocktail is category dependent, and there is no Universal Mixing formula. In addition to this framework which deals with invoking emotions, the Brand Awareness and Brand Expectations also play a very important role in forming a brand appeal. Lastly, there is a significant positive relation between brand appeal and brand preference.
The below figure shows the expanded version of the same :
help us recognize things. Brands function as virtual sign posts in our brain; we know, for example, that Nike and Adidas are lifestyle sporting goods. Second, brands steer our expectations. We assume that branded products and services offer a consistent experience. For example, we expect McDonalds to offer the same quality and service all around the world. Third, brands evoke emotional responses. For example, Rolex triggers associations related to status and ambition.
Creating appealing brands always involves a fundamental understanding of the variables that explain brand
appeal, specifically the third one mentioned above. In a large scale scientific study "23plusone", by Kim Cramer and Alexander Koene, both co-owners of BR-ND, it was investigated why some brands are better able to touch people than other brands. On a broad level, it indicates that brand appeal has everything to do with fundamental human drives. Brands that touch certain combinations of those drives are highly seductive. Knowledge about the relationship between brand appeal and emotional responses significantly improves strategic brand development. The following post is an attempt to further explore this phenomenon -
What brands can do is touch the things people find important in their lives. Human emotions, motivations, and aspirations - also called drive domains - are the foundation upon which thought processes, decisions
and actions are based. Decision making about brands centers on one question: how will this make me feel?
Hence emotional domains activated by the brand and not the so-called brand values should be considered. It is not just about what the brand represents (e.g. sexiness), but about what is internalized as a desired feeling linked to the brand (feeling sexy when using it). Hence the authors assume that brands that better trigger drive domains are more appealing. Hence an attempt was made to list out all human drives after an extensive research. This led to a framework of twenty-four drive domains.
All of these drive domains are to a certain degree important for all human beings. They must be seen as coping strategies enabling people to pursue an integrated approach in order to
a) secure the species by reproduction
b) minimize feelings of inferiority and
c) maximize feelings of satisfaction
Interrelated, these strategies ultimately lead to an individually perceived degree of contentment. Drives are relatively stable, but depending on the context, the relative importance of drives can differ between individuals and within individuals over time.
The assumption here is that highly appealing brands have a drive profile based on a specific combination of
drives (‘drive cocktails’). Such brands often combine unexpected drives that don’t seem to fit with the category or with each other. Think of Apple introducing creativity, fun, and aesthetics in the computer category. Brand appeal increases if brands trigger brand-specific drives additional to category drives. Brand appeal increases if brands trigger drives from different groups of drive domains.
Going further, these drives can also be combined in terms of distinct groups, each of which denotes a specific aspect. These are Basics, Vitality, Attraction, Self-development, and Ambition, some groups containing
more drives than others. These groups and a brief on them is as given below.
more drives than others. These groups and a brief on them is as given below.
Basics stands for the essential things in life, like safety, structure, care, and connection. Vitality stands for health and physical fitness. Attraction for sexuality and aesthetics. Self-development and Ambition seem to
be closely related conceptually. The difference lies in being intrinsically driven to progress (Self-development)
versus being driven to progress for recognition from the world around you (Ambition).
Statistical analysis to understand which of the five groups have the strongest effect revealed that Vitality
and Attraction significantly drive brand appeal, at least at an aggregate level.
Brands which succeed in outperforming drives related to their specific category combined with drives not related to the category are more appealing. They combine category generic drives with brand specific drives.
According to our results, such a ‘tension’ between the category generic and brand specific drives is desirable. For example, the skincare category triggers drives related to protection and beauty. The Dove brand scores very well on these category generic drives, while at the same time it triggers drives related to social connection and loyalty. The unexpected combination gives a boost to Dove’s brand appeal.
Think of the Audi brand, outperforming the other car brands on many drives. While Audi scores highest on the category generic drives, more than half of the ‘outperformance’ drives are not related to the car category
It is crucial to stress here, that the most effective drive cocktail is category dependent, and there is no Universal Mixing formula. In addition to this framework which deals with invoking emotions, the Brand Awareness and Brand Expectations also play a very important role in forming a brand appeal. Lastly, there is a significant positive relation between brand appeal and brand preference.
The below figure shows the expanded version of the same :
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