Over the last few years, I’ve watched “marketing” degrade to a point of pure promotion for countless brands.
I was in a meeting last week and a colleague pointed out to a client, “Hey, promotional messages are great but if no one knows a thing about your brand, why would they care about the promotion in the first place?”
Amen.
Rewind 20 years. I was graduating from college and needed to assemble a professional wardrobe. Back then, Jos. A. Bank was a respected clothier. And it didn’t hurt that you could grab 2 suits, a few shirts and ties and not spend an arm and a leg.
If I were to go about the same exercise today, there’s no way in hell I’d go to Jos. A. Bank. Sure, their voice over in their tv ads sounds distinguished. But what are they known for now? Two-for-one, half price…..just like a going-out-of-business fire sale.
Other companies that have forgotten about their brand? Heck, the entire car rental category. Hertz, Budget, Avis…can you tell the difference? Ditto for QSRs, in many respects. Everybody has a value menu and that’s about it.
Folks who haven’t? Southwest Airlines. Sure, it’s $69 each way (if you’re lucky!), but bags fly free and in-flight crews still provide exceptional service – and you’re reminded about these things in their advertising. The price kinda speaks for itself.
Come on, marketers. Do some branding again!
Please.
