Branding Your Competition - Choose Your Enemies Wisely

There are many instances where mentioning your competition makes sense. Politics and social causes  happen to be two of them. My reading of history tells me that this has been going on for ages, and that it is not a new phenomenon.

Hi. I'm a Mac.
Apple took it to a better place -- a necessary place, I think, in their case -- with the anthropomorphic commercials about Apple and PCs. Apple understood that they had to tread lightly -- not making too much fun of PC users, since they make the lion's share of the market, but also making them rethink their previous commitment. The execution up to this point, as far as I'm concerned, was both subtle and brilliant.

The PC is actually kind of likable. He's like you may have imagined your own father: A bit on the corny side, but admirable in his diligence and commitment.

A few other executions came to my attention only recently, and they aren't nearly as kind as Apple's portrayal of poor PC guy.

The Hillary Nutcracker
Now, anyone who is aware of my free-market philosophy already knows I'm not a Hillary fan. However, it has nothing to do with how I believe a woman is supposed to behave. This "Hillary Nutcracker" is aimed at something other than her ability (or inability) to lead the country, and seems petty and personally malicious. Our level of political discourse should be higher.

I also have little doubt that this kind of branding can be effective, though, even though I would wager that most people wouldn't admit it. To those who disapprove of her politics or her personality, she makes an excellent foil for this type of branding.

I realize that she knows how to play this game, too, and turnabout is fair play. This nutcracker just brings into focus just how bad it has become.

The Trollsen Twins
I first became aware of this through CK's blog, as CK expressed admiration for the effort, succinctly noting "I would never want to be on PETA's bad side."

And here lies the rub. PETA has revealed themselves to be not just true-believers who can be admired, but ruthless enemies to be feared.

CheapThrills notes that PETA went low and hard in attacking the Olsen twins. The site pokes "fun" at anorexia and generally comes across so malicious that she wrote, "Almost makes me want to run out and buy a chinchilla scarf."

While PETA makes painfully clear where they stand on fur, the execution of this site, while as CK pointed out, is creative and engaging, doesn't do anything to endear themselves to a normal people who aren't already evangelists for PETA's cause. - Cam Beck

P.S. If you want to see an attack ad done right, or at least completely ambiguously, check out Friederich Nietsche's attack on Immanual Kant. (Thanks to SpinThicket for the link. Feed readers go here)

Comments

[Lewis Green]

Cam,

As always, well written and thought out with examples to show as well as tell us.

I like the Apple campaign but wonder if it changes minds. Do you think it appeals most to those uncommited users? I used a Mac early on, my wife uses one now, but after 20 years with a PC, I am too invested to switch.

I detest mean whether it's a cause I support (e.g., animal welfare) or aimed at a candidate I do not support. In fact, it usually causes me to react by disliking the messenger(s).

[Cam Beck]

Lewis -
I have no idea if the campaign itself is successful, other than to note that most people I've talked to (which are advertising folks) remember it and like it (most of them use Macs).

Obviously my "test sample" isn't representative.

More objectively, though, I have read that Apple's market share is increasing. This may be partially due to the advertising, but just as likely, I think, it is the popularity of the iPod and iPhone that has done the trick.

It's difficult to conclude a causal relationship with the information I have readily at hand.

[Jim Stroup]

Hello Cam,

I agree with Lewis about this being an important topic, and a great presentation of it. I agree with you that the Apple ad was both supremely well conceived and executed - and may have had a positive effect both on retaining wavering Apple users, and even persuading frustrated PC users of the reasonableness of a move.

I also note that both of the negative examples come from non-commercial - political or ideological - arenas, which can certainly be unrepentantly vicious.

But your video clip - how (and why) do people come up with this stuff? Everything about it is so creative.

Thanks so much for every bit of this post!

[Cam Beck]

Jim - I don't know who came up with the video, but political science majors would be my first guess.

In other words: people with a lot of time on their hands. Although Plato wished that philosophers who respect wisdom and its pursuit might be kings, he also understood that it probably wouldn't end up that way. :)