All too often, we find brands laser-focused on touting their “superior” specs — formulations, ingredients, sourcing, process, science, engineering and standards of performance — believing this forms the unshakeable foundation of their brand outreach path to fame and fortune.
After all, doesn’t it make sense considering the steep investments in R&D, processes, better ingredients, superior formulation skills and novel manufacturing design? Thus, the theory goes, once the world is made aware of this better tech, consumers will in turn respond by beating a path to the shelf or showroom and reward the hard work and high-quality commitment with ever increasing sales.
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Better mousetrap marketing has been a foundational paradigm of go-to-market thinking since the dawn of the mass media era in the early 1950s.
Are You Always Reaching For Product ‘Betterness’?
The rinse-and-repeat environment that fosters this way of operating is woven into the institutional fabric of many brands and businesses.
Consider the regional potato chip brand that believes to beat the big guys they must be better by meticulously sourcing an improved strain of potatoes. They carefully curate a blend of frying oils to impart taste and texture without any greasy residue. In-house chefs work to test and combine the highest quality spices and flavoring ingredients for dusting the chips to assure the perfect taste notes. Their manufacturing technologists perfect a frying process to achieve the right texture and crunch. Surely this level of quality commitment and superior craftsmanship forms the foundation of a compelling story to capture the hearts and minds of chip lovers?
What if this isn’t the reason why your brand will be successful? What if the incredible investment of time, talent, quality and infrastructure is actually table stakes to your victory?
Facts Don’t Change Minds
The brand that gets closest to the consumer wins. That means embracing your customers’ humanity.
It also means acknowledging that consumers are feeling creatures who think and not thinking creatures who feel. Facts and features serve to feed our need for confirmation bias after purchase that we’ve made the right decision. The experience with your product is rewarded by its performance because you’ve labored to produce the very best product. However, when it comes to effective outreach communication — that’s something else entirely.
Heartfelt Connection
Moving as close to the consumer as possible means putting your brand in league with them on their journey. It’s forging an emotional connection founded on trust and integrity, where the consumer understands and wants to join your brand mission and its deeper meaning. Ultimately, they see via your integrity and actions you have their best interests at heart.
Your ability to form a relationship with consumers is not based on the stats and specs of your product formulation. Relevant brand engagement operates on a higher plane of context, much like the heartfelt bonds that form between people we care about.
Sound Strategy: Different Beats Better
Uniqueness and differentiation comprise the basis of beneficial strategy, not being better. This is a zero-sum and unwinnable game of one-upmanship that operates to commoditize your business.
When you know emotion rather than analytical arguments form the basis of successful communication, how will that change your messaging approach? It’s a given that you must never dilute your quality commitments. However, when it comes to brand communication, the most effective outreach is based on emotional drivers, not specsmanship.
Contributed to Branding Strategy Insider by Robert Wheatley, CEO of Chicago-based Emergent, The Healthy Living Agency.
At The Blake Project, we help clients worldwide, in all stages of development, define and articulate what makes them competitive and valuable. Please email us to learn how we can help you compete differently.
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education
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