When it comes to subconsciously selecting the kind of people we find most “likeable”, do we prefer those who we perceive to be “perfect”, or those who we feel we can relate to the most? While people who we admire tend to have qualities that outperform our own, we would probably like to spend more time with people we can relate to – those who we feel can understand our lives and the challenges we face.
How does this notion relate to brands?
When thinking of how we build brands, it’s important to determine whether you would like for your brand to be liked or admired. It’s also important to understand what is realistic for your brand – does it exhibit “admirable” qualities or should it be positioned as “modest and down to earth”?
Authentic positioning
Ads by cosmetic companies are a great example. While the likes of Dove (affordable and non-complex) maximise on their modest positioning, luxury brands display aspirational benchmarks that most of us will never attain (but will still spend our money trying to achieve). If a brand like Dove was try to position themselves as “aspirational and perfect”, it would probably come across as simply being insincere.
If you were to take an honest look at your brand, which spectrum would it fall under? And more importantly, how can you use this positioning to the advantage of your brand?
Written by:
Lana Bruskina – Strategy and Insight Manager
For further information on THINK Global Research, please contact Kristy Ihle (Managing Director) at info@thinkglobalresearch.com.
