Hidden Brain is a National Public Radio (NPR) podcast that investigates the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, and the biases that shape our choices. Essentially, it looks to answer those questions that are almost near impossible to answer. Why are some people better at remembering faces than others? How does success shape our behavior? Does our environment influence who we are? Recently, the podcast series had an episode entitled “I Buy, Therefore I Am: How Brands Become Part Of Who We Are”. It explores how we seek out a brand that helps identify us to the world. The better that brand aligns with our outward identity, or how we want others to perceive us, makes up a large, unconscious, portion of our decision in purchasing their product.
For example, do you remember the Mac vs. PC commercials of the 2000’s? I personally get a lot of grief in Tallmadge for this, but I adopted the brand as a part of my identity. I’ve always wondered if these early commercials had an unconscious affect on this decision. I am sure a few brands come to mind that have the same affect on you. Is their product really superior, or have you adopted their values as a part of your own?
Brand Identity and the Return on Investment
John Wanamaker, considered by some to be a "pioneer in marketing”, was a late 1800’s United States merchant who opened 16 department stores that eventually became a part of Macy’s. He is credited with the phrase “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.” While it has become easier to track the Return on Investment in recent times, there are still those strategies that cannot be measured, but they are certainly not wasted. Some companies have adopted the idea that if they cannot determine an ROI, then it is not worth pursuing. Unfortunately, this can tip the balance of how consumers engage with and identify with your brand. By focusing solely on measurable elements of marketing, the brand can quickly become identity agnostic and not be able to resonate with consumers. The intangible as as important as the tangible.
Considering both the emotional and analytic aspects of Marketing, we look to embrace both schools of thought to create a brand(s) that our consumers can engage with and a message that resonates with them. This is the marketing foundation we are building within AXYZ Automation Group as we look towards our next fiscal year.
Also, if you haven't guessed, I’m a Mac.
