"WHEN THE CUSTOMER BECOMES A NUISANCE"– WHY PEOPLE MAKE BRANDS STRONG

Who doesn't know them, those wonderful sayings like: "We are here for our customers." Or: "The customer is at the center of our actions." Beautiful words found in many philosophies or "mission statements" of various companies. Ultimately, we can be glad that these, usually crafted in motivating "employee meetings", guiding principles end up printed in elaborate brochures and prominently displayed on the website, but they have little to no guiding function in day-to-day business.

Almost every "important corporate philosophy" eventually finds its way into the farthest corner of the sleek office employee's rolling container, regularly emphasized in the Christmas letter from management, but in the otherwise "tough daily business", philosophies are just something for old people who have too much time and don't have a life. Or?

The difficulty of brand relevance lies in the widespread fundamental misunderstanding of brand and its philosophy. Furthermore, it barely finds a place in the day-to-day business of companies. Branding is seen as something that has little or nothing to do with the daily work, expert research and development, as well as the tough sales and procurement processes. Branding is primarily seen as communication. Branding arises from registration with the trademark office, a modern corporate identity, the consistent positioning of the company logo, and above all, advertising. Advertising's task is to "emotionally charge" a service. This is facilitated by a communication approach that manages to appeal to "young customers". Otherwise, from the company's perspective, there is a risk of "dying with our customers".

If the advertising industry has successfully anchored one communication goal, it is the separation of companies and brands. It is the advertising effect that, in times of perceived product interchangeability and saturated markets, endows the brand with an "added value", the (mostly) freely chosen additional benefit. The belief behind it: in 2023, people no longer buy products, but emotional experiences and affiliations. The result: total interchangeability.

Brands are characterized by having an "collective image" anchored within them. The strength and value of a brand lie in the fact that it has managed to occupy a space in people's minds. The peculiarity of this mental space is that its contents are shared collectively to a high degree. Our perception of how a brand is "typically" viewed is similarly shared by many others. However, what is crucial is:

By aligning performance with customer expectations, trust is built. Consistency in delivering on promises and meeting expectations is essential for brand strength. When performance aligns with customer expectations, trust is built. Reliability in promises and meeting expectations is crucial for brand strength.

While a humorous advertisement may temporarily raise awareness, attention alone does not reflect the trust we place in a brand. Generating attention is not difficult: breaking taboos, surprises, or price promotions usually have an effect. However, this attention often undermines fundamental brand performance expectations.

To learn how brands become a trump card through customer dialogue, read Part 2 by Prof. Dr. Oliver Errichiello, Professor/Lecturer in Brand Sociology and Brand Management at the Universities of Mittweida and Lucerne, brand expert, and prolific author.