- Robert Redford
When I started reading this book this was probably the last line I thought I would come across. The connection between Robert Redford and emotional branding didn't seem intuitive. But like all aspects of life expertise is second to experience. So when I came across this quote towards the conclusion of the book it made perfect sense. Branding, emotional or otherwise, is dependent on life experiences. Our interaction with life sculpts our perspective of things. And, that is my takeaway from the Emotional Branding by Marc Gobe.
Emotional Branding did seem out of touch on the surface. It was written as the DotCom bubble was bursting and therefore is tragic. But the principles described can be leveraged now and into the future. Marc Gobe attempts to express that branding is not a superficial component of marketing, but something that impacts our five senses as we navigate a brand experience - both online and offline.
Additionally, Emotional Branding according to Gobe is not just a consumer facing philosophy but one that can be harnessed within corporations as well. One of his key case studies talks about a corporate-identity model he devised for his clients. His work breaks down the common hierarchical structures that inhibit ideation and collaboration into a new model that promoted a new corporate dynamic. His model moved from one that focused on a corporate culture of rationality (based on the functions and benefits of products) to one of desire (based on the emotional bond people have with a brand).
Furthermore, Gobe stresses that emotions are instinctual and built-up over time. So that a brands entry into the marketplace must anticipate the consumer predisposition. The book spends a lot of time talking about the cross between these dispositions and their impact on commerce (a topic that seemed most relevant to me).
Another interesting chapter of the book discusses how marketing movements mimic and inspire lifestyle movements...and that this is critical to the longevity of brands. The human experience is about change, and as we change so must brands otherwise they become irrelevant. This is the entry-point into CRM...and not the measurable data-driven CRM, but the intangible relationship consumers have with a brand (think Apple, GAP, Nike, NY Times, etc.). This is the moral contract that exists between consumers and brands -- a contract that aims to never deceive the the consumer.
However, Gobe explains that through contemporary advertising we lose this intimacy and morality between the consumer and brand. Even with the proliferation in technology there is a fundamental chasm between the consumer and brands...even when we thought they would be brought closer together. The secret sauce (so to speak), according to Gobe, is the intersection between sincerity and promotion; this is the key to commerce via emotional branding.
Overall, this book is a great read for any person interested or employed in advertising/marketing. Branding and emotions are key to successful commerce of a brand. And this book goes in depth into the design, the advertising and research needed to impact consumers in a deeper level.
However, my complaint with the book is that it ultimately served to promote Marc Gobe's design firm, D/GA. Furthermore, I found a lot of conflicts with the reporting in conjunction with the methods of research. Most of the findings were based on unsubstantiated, subjective research; which for the most part might hold true, but as a sceptic I expect research to have a certain level of confidence.
Finally, some of the reporting in this book seems obvious, which isn't surprising considering I read this book almost 10 years after its publish date.
I do recommend this book, but in order to truly take learnings away from this book you have to remove yourself from the content a bit and distill the content to its fundamentals. Those do not change over time, only the application of those fundamentals do.
1 comment:
I just finished the Latest Edition of "Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People." I enjoyed your write-up on The edition you read, which was also written in a time of economic crises.
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