One of my favourite things is finding a comment that is much more interesting than the original post. This great response from Charles Frith to my article on engagement even came with a video! Charles extends the idea of "engagement", suggesting lust, promiscuity, etc … I love the idea of brand lust, brand infidelity, brand obsession — or even brand stalking. And I particularly like the ad promoting the "slag of all snacks" (as Charles explains, "A slag is English vernacular for a woman of ill repute. Professional or not").
Oh, and now I think of it, I will have to return to that idea of "brand stalking". Could be something in it.
I tried a trackback, but they never seem to work with typepad accounts. If you know why that is, I would love to hear.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I used you post as a springboard and I am looking forward to your discussion of “brand-stalking”.
Hey Gavin. The link to my comment doesn’t work so if you don’t mind I’ll cut and paste it here. Thanks
Yes engagement is a part of a relationship and the love metaphor is a bloody marvelous one when thinking about relationship with brands.
The idea that we as people should be wedded to a brand or have a permanent break up is the sort of marketing nonsense that overbearing clients construct around themselves to cushion against the reality (for it is one), that 73% (I made that up) of products or services are on parity. That doesn’t mean there are other variables that can provide differentiation, (proper) values for instance are often difficult to quantify.
If only we could get used to more layers of relationship such as; brand lust, promiscuity, infatuation, indifference, going steady, on-off on-off and maybe even bliss or arranged marriages is something I’ve put forward to multinational brands as a way of navigating through potential phases of relationship when thinking about engaging.
Alas the average marketing manager immersed in a set of tenuous values and synthetically evolved marketing language is unable (often through hierarchical, position tenure and promotional pressure) to entertain the thought that our customers may well be up for a bit of brand adultery.
I think this was best captured by an agency I worked with a few years ago who came up with the line: Pot Noodle, The Slag of All Snacks.
A slag is English vernacular for a woman of ill repute. Professional or not
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hhcl
The ad is always worth viewing over here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_6GGDhHzKI