rachel lawes - cutting edge of newmr 2015

The end of brands: What next for branding and consumer research? Dr Rachel Lawes, UK, September 2015

The end of brands: What next for branding and consumer research?

Dr Rachel Lawes Lawes Consul=ng Ltd 22 September 2015

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Democra=sa=on: A crisis for (some) brands and for tradi=onal ways of doing business.


Engineering vs Social approaches to branding. Back in 2003, Paul Magill of IBM was poinHng out that brands have long needed to make change to keep

up with social trends. Brands have responded. But did they become social enough?

Engineering Theory of

Branding

Tweak the brand to cause a change in consumer behaviour (sales).

Social Theory of Branding

Recognise that consumers have free will and a social

context.


How brands have tried to be social. Ethnography – a good

decision, but too oOen

limited to consumer

cultures that marketers find

exoHc or unfamiliar.


COOL HUNTING

How brands have tried to be social.

Cool-‐hunHng was hit-‐and-‐miss because it was a bit soulless – it concentrated on the appearance of things,

assuming that cool was a goal in itself.


Look for what’s arousing passion and heated arguments, not just what’s cool.


Consumers and brands today. Consumers are not going to be dictated to by brands and they can recognise when brands are trying too hard.


Consumers and brands today. They do have a concept of themselves as brands and as voices.

-‐  some them just enjoy being visible and having a media presence

-‐  some of them have causes and culturally relevant messages

hUps://instagram.com/laurenrosegoodger/ hUp://www.papermag.com/2015/06/molly_soda_should_i_send_this.php


Brands that do what you want them to do.


Brands that exist for a reason.

hUps://instagram.com/cloud_9_movement/


This is what brands need to do. •  Ethnography is for cultures you think you know, as well as those you don’t. Find out the local customs,

tradiHons and structures of belief.

•  Use semioHcs and related branches of social science to monitor social and a]tudinal change.

•  When paying aUenHon to consumer culture, get beneath the surface – engaging with ideas that sHr

opinion is beUer than trying to penetrate communiHes based on their external appearance.

•  Watch how consumers use brands for their own benefit – there is valuable inspiraHon here.

•  Support grass-‐roots efforts – small, home-‐grown brands are already succeeding and are not the

enemy.


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