IntenseDebate - blackcoffee

11 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Confirmation Bias · 0 replies · +1 points

@daniellingham,

If you haven't already read it, You'll likely enjoy Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely (Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University).
http://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational-Revi...

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

for those who aren't familiar with Simon Sinek's "why" TEDx talk, here's a link.
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/lang/en//id/848

Thanks for sharing!

Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 2 replies · +1 points

Your comment "…exaggeration can result without an aspiration to guide it" has me thinking that all too many marketers forgo strategy and jump directly to execution. Without a brand strategy to guide the process designers, copywriters, advertisers, etc… start promoting the product they wish they had, rather than the one they do.

Be it ego (I want to be working on a better brand or product than the one I am) or laziness (let's face it, it's easier to promote the worlds best widget than it is the adverse widget) the incentive to exaggerate seems to outweigh the risk.

Thanks for sharing your thinking!

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

I think part of the problem is that, like any system, people game the system. As was stated an earlier comment "Executives sell so hard, so early, that they begin to believe what they are selling."

Many don't even know their exaggerating (or, well… lying).

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

LOVE THIS: "I also believe exaggeration is one of the primary differences between Advertising and Brand Development. Advertising leverages lust and exaggeration while solid Brand Development builds upon realistic honesty."

I'd replace "…builds upon realistic honesty" with "…manages expectations," but, you're dead on!

Thanks for sharing!

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

P.S.

The Federal Trade Commission Act states:

• Advertising must be truthful and non-deceptive;
• Advertisers must have evidence to back up their claims; and
• Advertisements cannot be unfair.

I wonder how many Advertisers (agencies or brand owners) have head this law.

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

We absolutely agree that it's about delivering value not a marketing message! Part of the problem is that too many companies confuse branding and advertising. Why wouldn't they? Ad agencies are increasingly shifting their marketing message (not their function) from advertising to branding.

The key for brands is to do a bit more goal setting and a bit less bragging. They'll find they have a stronger following. By setting lofty goals they manage expectations and they build a like mind following.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

Drew,

You couldn't be more right! We've been in that "our product is the greatest in the world" meeting too many times. Too many are focused on how to out-claim the competitor. Too few are focused on how they'll address the needs of the market in a way that no other brand can.

Some brands are aspirational, which requires a bit of humility. Others make big claims, and as Muhammad Ali said "It ain't bragging if you can back it up!" But if you can't back it up. Well… history shows consumers have short attention spans, but they have long memories and big mouths!

Thanks for your sharing your thoughts, insights and experience.

Cheers!

Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

I think BMW sees aspiration as "someday you too can own a BMW," the onus is on you, the customer. Where as, Lexus sees it as "someday we (Lexus) will achieve perfection," the onus being on Lexus. Personally, I see BMW's tagline as descriptive and Lexus' as aspirational.

Papa John's claim of "the freshest Pizza," and Dunkin's of "best coffee in America" are measurable, where as BMW's "The Ultimate Driving Machine" is centered around breadth (the versatility of the vehicle) and depth (how they excel at each of those functions). It doesn't say "we're the fastest, the most luxurious, the most technological, the most reliable." It doesn't quantify any competitive aspect of the vehicle. It says, "we are a driver's car."

But they didn't use the word car, nor automobile. Instead, BMW claims to be the ultimate "DRIVING MACHINE." I bet if their claim was measurable and they couldn't back it up the USPTO would have said "no way!"

Samuel Adams claims “Best Beer in America” because it was voted so at the Great American Beer Festival. A claim they can substantiate.

As always, you make some excellent points! Thanks for adding to the conversation.

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Bard Expressionist®

P.S. With the exception of the Lexus LFA, you won't likely find a Lexus at the racetrack.

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Aspiration vs. Exagger... · 0 replies · +1 points

In many ways "the information age" is responsible for "the age of the dummy." People are drawn towards and seek out the information that suits their own bias (see our last post: Confirmation Bias http://www.blackcoffee.com/blog/2012/10/11/confir... ).

As we see it, too many marketers are more focused on the promise than their ability to deliver on that promise. Many feel that they need to exaggerate because everyone exaggerates (think resumes). So it's not so much a question of individual honesty, but rather a culture (marketing as a discipline) of exaggerating to a point of dishonesty.

I love your concept of someone like Google creating an index of brand honesty. While it would likely be gamed like product reviews, Yelp or another rating system, it would provide a Universal Brand Bullshit Index (UBBI).

Always appreciate your thinking! Thanks for sharing.

Cheers!

Mark Gallagher
Bard Expressionist®

12 years ago @ Brand Related Thoughts... - Confirmation Bias · 0 replies · +1 points

I recently came across two studies that expand on the challenge of overcoming the confirmation bias. The first "Difficult-to-read font reduces political polarity" discusses how "difficult to read fonts" make people more moderate. The second "Disfluency disrupts the confirmation bias" discusses how confirmation bias is reduced when information is presented in a disfluent format. Sorry, but the second one isn't free (US $31.50).

Difficult-to-read font reduces political polarity: http://phys.org/news/2012-11-difficult-to-read-fo...

Disfluency disrupts the confirmation bias: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...

Enjoy!

Laura Savard
Brand Expressionist®

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