"Branding is based on an outdated and invalid desire to manipulate and control consumers' unconscious."
"It looks and feels good to the people who produce it but it has little to no effect on consumer behaviour. And if and when it does, there's no good reason why to know for sure"
"Brand success is wedded more to circumstance than to the inherent qualities of product or service."
"Brand continues to be the business corollary to buying a lottery ticket. It would be laughable if it wasn't such a colossal waste of money."
With writing like the above, all I can say is that, "Them's fightin' words."
With writing like the above, all I can say is that, "Them's fightin' words."
Finally, someone who makes sense. As someone who is part of that "brand" creating world, I've always felt like a fraud, as if I'm living a secret life.
Baskin is absolutely right. Consumers buy things, not ideas. Many of us in the brand creation world are deluding ourselves into thinking that what we do actually affects the bottom line or sales figures. As if we truly affect millions to head out into the stores and buy stuff.
It's time that we do things that can work. Instead of patting ourselves on the back, for 'creative work' that wastes dollars instead of bringing them in.
While it seems that I may be waxing lyrical about Baskin's tome, I do have some quibble.
Firstly, he goes on and on as if looking at customer behaviour is a revolutionary idea. I've worked in many agencies to know that it's already being considered in the scheme of things. Maybe it's just not being used correctly.
Secondly, he focuses quite a bit on digital solutions. He doesn't really say whether we should drop traditional mediums. So, do we drop them or not?
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