Chasing Cool pt. 2: Buzz in a Bottle vs. Aesthetic Values

It's been a long time since I've posted <...insert obligatory blogger posting frequency apology here...>

The third chapter of Chasing Cool delivers. I can't decide if I like it because it so eloquently expresses issues that I face everyday. Anyways, the book takes head on the idea that really the aesthetic of the product and its relation to the audience is much more effective in the long run that 'buzz in a bottle' techniques like viral marketing, celebrity endorsements, events, etc.

"Buzz in a bottle" events, at best, get a lot of attention. What does it do for the brand? In most cases, they don't communicate anything about the brand or even begin to try to make a connection between a product or brand and their audience. I especially like the mention of Subservient Chicken. I've been in more than one client meeting where clients have asked for their Subservient Chicken. Not only does the request lack of originality, it also ignores the fact that the promotion didn't tie back to the brand or even help increase sales. There are a lot of people out there who will say it ties back to the 'get it your way' brand promise. I agree with the authors when they call that stretching.

The most important area to focus on is aesthetic. If you know your audience and you design your product around their current, or better yet future needs, you'll be better off in the long run.

"Long-term brand loyalty comes from real creative vision and a genuine connection to what's going on."

To me one of the best example was to the Motorola Razr. Such a simple phone design that was aesthetic pleasing made people take notice. In my mind, it was the first time that people started noticing phone manufacturers over carriers. However, cell phone releases happen fast. The true test will be if Motorola can keep up.

If I had one compliant about this chapter, it's that they don't follow their own advice. The chapter is too long. In writing, keeping things concise and too the point is the aesthetic. You don't have to beat me over the head with it a few times. Once was enough. - Paul Herring

Comments

[Lucy]

I totally agree about the subservient chicken comment. I was one of the many who was totally amazed by it when burger king came out with it and contributed to its viral-ness. Soon after, I started seeing similar attempts that just pointed to the company's lack of understanding with its core users or consumers. Plus, their versions weren't even that good! Chasing Cool is extremely insightful and applicable to almost any industry and company vision.