Buying In
One of the reasons I write about brands in this blog about innovation is the fact that innovation, or rather the outcomes of innovation, have made the world very complex. Brands act as a counterweight to this complexity. Similarly, globalization -- defined as an increase in trade across selected national and international borders by profit-seeking firms and nations -- has increased a sense of national identity. So, in addition to innovation, expect more on brands and national cultures in this blog.
Every now and again you come across a book that changes the way you think about brands and branding. Buying In, by Rob Walker, is one such book. I just stumbled across this book at my local library and I am so glad that I decided to pick it up and read it. It's a great book and I cannot praise it enough. Here are some of the views presented in the book. The ideas are the author's: I've just written down how I interpreted some of them.
1. Despite the fact that we think we are immune to brands, they are becoming a bigger part of our lives.
2. Rather than defining your brand identity tightly, allow some room for movement: consumers will happily fill the gaps.
3. Rather than making ethics central to your communications, how about making ethics central to the product and the way it is made?
4. If you think you are immune to brands in your life, you don't have a pulse.
5. While some brands are used to display our aspirations publicly, many are used to tell stories to ourselves in private.
6. Brands may be symptomatic of a sense of detachment from family and tribe. People want to belong.
After reading this book, I'm starting to appreciate that brands and their packaging work much like comic books or fairy tales. And we, as consumers, really are all "lovin' it" and "buying in" to it big time.
Every now and again you come across a book that changes the way you think about brands and branding. Buying In, by Rob Walker, is one such book. I just stumbled across this book at my local library and I am so glad that I decided to pick it up and read it. It's a great book and I cannot praise it enough. Here are some of the views presented in the book. The ideas are the author's: I've just written down how I interpreted some of them.
1. Despite the fact that we think we are immune to brands, they are becoming a bigger part of our lives.
2. Rather than defining your brand identity tightly, allow some room for movement: consumers will happily fill the gaps.
3. Rather than making ethics central to your communications, how about making ethics central to the product and the way it is made?
4. If you think you are immune to brands in your life, you don't have a pulse.
5. While some brands are used to display our aspirations publicly, many are used to tell stories to ourselves in private.
6. Brands may be symptomatic of a sense of detachment from family and tribe. People want to belong.
After reading this book, I'm starting to appreciate that brands and their packaging work much like comic books or fairy tales. And we, as consumers, really are all "lovin' it" and "buying in" to it big time.
posted by Gordon Graham at 10:25 PM
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