For a while brands have been talking about how one needs to
build a relationship with their consumers rather than just push sales at them.
I thought that this was great move for brands, it showed that they actually
cared.
However, I read a tweet posted by Rishad Tobacowala of VivaKi, that read:
"Brands want to have a relationship with me but I barely have time to have relationships with my friends and family" #getreal
— Rishad Tobaccowala (@Rishadt) May 7, 2012
Which got me thinking, do we actually have a relationship
with brands who do we just like what they stand for? Nike is one of my
favourite brands. Their products represents sporting excellence; they associate
with sporting heroes like Serena Williams, Roger Federer and LeBron James. When
you wear Nike you don’t just wear clothes, you wear a brand that evokes determination and high achievement.
By associating with such sporting giants I think it makes
the brand inspiring and makes fairly insignificant sporty people like me, feel
inspired to go after something when we wear their clothes.
Do I necessarily have a relationship with the brand? If I compare
it to how I have a relationship with my friends, then no, not really. I don’t sit
down and think about it, talk about it, or wonder how it’s feeling. Am I inspired
by Nike? Yes, but only for moments at a time. Which makes me more interested by what
Mr. Tobacwala points out.
So is the message to brands then: "Inspire me, make a difference, stand for a hire purpose. But please, don't try and have a relationship with me because I'm not having one with you"?
So is the message to brands then: "Inspire me, make a difference, stand for a hire purpose. But please, don't try and have a relationship with me because I'm not having one with you"?
This topic is further discussed by Martin Weigel's, Head of
Planning at Wieden & Kennedy, presentation here
