Effective brands provide a lasting impression. However, loyal is fleeting for most buyers in the absence of a strong brand. Yet, I have purchased the company’s competitors in some cases, even with these good memories. Solomon points out that individuals’ knowledge about the world constantly updates as they are exposed to new stimuli.
Individuals can continue to receive ongoing feedback that allows them to modify their behavior when they find themselves in similar situations later. Therefore, we use our past experience as a baseline for making new purchasing decisions. Consequently, businesses need to understand how the principle of working memory and long-term memory influence learning consumer behavior.
The principle of working memory and long-term memory apply greatly to learning consumer behavior. Marketing successfully for most businesses depends on the consumer’s recognition of their products and services. Michael Solomon, author of Consumer Behavior, maintains that many marketers realize that extensive learned connections between products and memories are a potential way to build and keep brand loyalty.
For example, Arm & Hammer baking soda is one of those long-lasting memories from my childhood in Louisiana. From stopping a bleeding wound to keeping a refrigerator fresh, Arm & Hammer’s products have been associated with multi-purposes.
McDonald’s is another brand to consider for this discussion. An image of the golden arches has a world-wide reputation. For most adults, the memories start in childhood. McDonald’s has done an excellent job of branding, or brainwashing, us as children.
Yet, I think it’s all about classical conditioning. When we see the golden arches, we think about—FUN. Classical conditioning focuses on visual and olfactory cues that induce hunger, thirst, sexual arousal, and other drives. Therefore, it is easy to see why McDonald’s is doing well and serving millions of people from a variety of countries.
Consequently, buying decisions are influenced by these memories. Trust is the anchor. Stephen Covey and Rebecca Merrill, authors of The Speed of Trust, note that low trust slows everything—every decision, every communication, and every relationship.[1]
In fact, we are heavily influenced by our parents and teachers. In addition, our backgrounds influence our purchasing decisions. However, we are not puppets. Businesses that create a lasting image of their brands are in the best competitive advantage.
Please discuss the power of memorable brands from your own professional experience.
© 2013 by Daryl D. Green
[1] The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey and Rebecca Merrill
Nu Leadership Revolution Blog 
Reblogged this on World Branding by Tisya Mukuna.
Dr. Green,
A brand is more than just a word, more than a just a symbol, and more than just a thought. A brand is a tidal wave of emotion. A strong brand can lure a costumer on the basis of feeling alone. I remember when I first debated the switch from PC to Mac. I was aware of Apple’s infamous logo, but it had no effect on me the first time I saw it. That’s because I didn’t have a prior established relationship with the company. But that didn’t matter – especially when I was first introduced to the “Mac vs. PC” campaign.
According to an article by Forbes, “the ultimate marketing goal is to have your target market think of you, and you company, when they are ready to buy.” When I saw the above campaign for the first time, I thought of Apple more than I thought of PC. I was lured into the idea that Apple – while complicated on the surface – was far more user-friendly than PC, far more casual, and far more valuable. These days, I don’t need another campaign to be remind of Apple’s invaluable greatness. I’m simply reminded by a tiny bitten apple.
Michaels, Sharon. (2013). “10 Ways to Better Brand Recognition.” Forbes. Accessed from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2013/04/16/10-ways-to-better-brand-recognition/. (Blog response posted on 10-03-2013).
Robert,
Excellent observations!
All,
Why do some many companies underestimate the importance of an effective brand?
Professor Green
Jackie Huba, author of “Brand Your Best Customers to Create More Loyalty”, says that creating a name for your biggest fans gives them a unique identity with recognizable behavioral or personal characteristics that everyone with that name shares. Businesses are now using this same strategy to build loyalty among their best customers by giving them a special name. For example, T.J. Maxx, a discount retail clothing store, launched a national advertising campaign combining the words “Maxx” and “fashionista”, “Maxxinista”, to refer to people who shop at their store. This store is building brand loyalty and community among a set of savvy shoppers who love the brand and know the best secrets to shop for designer discounts. Now customers can identify themselves by the name Maxxinista and connect with other savvy T.J. Maxx shoppers (Huba, 2013).
Memorable marketing messages can help businesses build brand recognition and loyalty. I personally think that Chick-fil-A has done a great job creating their brand recognition and memorable marketing messages. Whoever came up with the idea of having a cow tell you to “eat mor chikin” was brilliant.
Source: Huba, Jackie. (2013, August 5). “Brand Your Best Customers to Create More Loyalty.” Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/jackiehuba/2013/08/05/brand-your-best-customers-to-create-more-loyalty/.
I was told by a professor in college that the chick fil-a cows were one of the most consistent and successful marketing campaigns in history. To me, it’s hard to forget the cows that didn’t want you to eat hamburgers. “Chick-fil-A has worked with Richards Group, Dallas, since 1995, when it launched its quirky, cow-focused [1] “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign that is still a fixture of its marketing strategy.Since it opened in 1967, Chick-fil-A has seen sales growth every year (numbers were up almost 9% in 2009 alone, to $3.2 billion). The privately held company also manages to achieve better sales numbers on average per location than larger chains such as McDonald’s, and in less time” (Pardee, 2010). I think customers appreciate Chick-fil-a’s unwavering commitment to their menu and their advertising campaign and is evident in there steady growth throughout the years.
[1]Pardee, T. (2010, October 18). Marketer of the year runner-up:chick-fil-a. Retrieved from http://adage.com/article/special-report-marketer-of-the-year-2010/marketer-year-runner-chick-fil-a/146491/
Gordon,
I have perfect memory of when those desperate cows began making appearances on local billboards. It was classic and the image of the cow hanging from the billboard in a desperate attempt to spread a message is one that I will never forget.
I am not surprised that Chick -fil-a has better sales than McDonald’s, however, today, I over heard on the radio that the yellow and red colors used in most fast food chains such as McDonald has actually been proven to stimulate the metabolism-making you hungry. Outrageous maybe, but my stomach growls more often when I pass the McDonald sign then the chick fil a sign- and Im not a regular customer to neither. So perhaps there is more behind that golden arch we all know so well.
Slightly off topic, yes, but I think we can agree that in creating memorable marketing messages, we not only have to create something innovative and creative as marketing innovation requires ( Kotler & Keller, 2011), but other factors such as colors and shapes also plays an important role.
Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2011). Designing and managing services. In
Marketing management (14 ed., pp. 386-390). Pearson Education.