Brand Rush

In a conversation with Glen Sheehan, I came up with the concept of “Brand Rush” which I think works really well as an analogy or even conceptual reference point, against which to measure the relative health of a brand with its given audience.

The metaphor of love works really well in a branding dialogue. Think of the scenario in which a man (or woman) walks into a bar and proposes sordid sex with the first good looking woman he sets his sights on (target marketing) 99 times out of 100, he gets a good kick to the groin; the other 1 time he gets laid (that’s direct response for you) The other scenario involves getting to know the other person over a longer period of time, without the use of cheesy clichés pick-up lines etc. (that’s branding and more often than not, will lead to a commitment/long term relationship/even marriage, versus the “hey I lost my number, can I borrow yours” alternative)

So in the spirit of this context, I offer up to you the notion of “brand rush.” Think about the first time you gazed upon your now significant other or spouse; think about the time you touched for the first time; think about that first kiss; if you must, you can even recall the first time you made love if you like. The atmosphere was electric; the moment was unforgettable; the experience was both unique and completely distinct and original.

Now fast forward to present day…where the moment rests anywhere along the spectrum of “Married with Children” to “Fawlty Towers” In most cases, that unforgettable first contact is never achieved again and the reality is that it’s all downhill from there.

Sure there are exceptions and in these cases, the utopian moment of bliss is replicated and maintained through hard work, constant and consistent care, nurturing and to put it crudely, performance in the bedroom (or any other room, surface, object, animal, vegetable or mineral)

The parallel between “first contact” and branding is uncanny. It would seem that marketers exist as that guy walking into the bar; with their cheesy pick-up lines (in the form of the 30-second spot and it’s hyperbolic drivel); they play the numbers game, completely comfortable with an astronomical miss:hit ratio with their poorly targeting one-size-fits-all mass media approach…perhaps that’s why today, so many marketers are left with mass-turbation in a turbulent and unforgiving climate. I hate to take this further, but the kick in the balls doesn’t even seem to work (think Jeff Jarvis and Dell or the incredible story of the guy who decked out his apartment with FEDEX boxes and FEDEX’s resulting reaction [more to follow]) as most marketers today have none…they’re afraid to take risks; they’re unable to be truly creative i.e. original/different; they’re unwilling to change their ways and to embrace change.

Is it any wonder that consumers have become so fickle and loyalless? When a woman walks into a bank that she has been frequenting for seventy years to withdraw cash…and still has her signature checked for authenticity from a signature card from a teller that has been working there twenty years, what does that say about the sorry state of branding? The only rush that’s in play here is a rush to get the hell away from the brand in question.

Those are my first thoughts on brand rush. Is it real or not? What does it take to achieve, maintain and preserve rush? Is it ground for a sustainable competitive advantage? Why is brand rush so elusive and what should brands do to find their moments of truth and authenticity?

The rush begins…