We live in an overcommunicated society, so claim Al Ries and Jack Trout, authors of the 1981 book Positioning. Because humans have finite minds and a subconscious screening system to weed out unimportant data, one cannot remember every brand for every product and make a rational choice of the best one. Because of this, advertising is becoming less and less effective, causing businesses to advertise in greater volumes to compensate. This in turn only adds to the cluttered landscape of ideas, worsening the problem.
I don’t have an example of positioning, but I did work for a company that made mattresses and box springs, and was named American Bedding Industries. Inc. A problem arose when they decided they wanted to start making other types of furniture so they changed the name to ABI.
I wonder what advice your authors would give to Budweiser executives to win back their customers after this recent advertising debacle.
hmmm... I thought about it for half an hour and here's what I came up with: Reverse course and select a super-manly mascot. Have him say something like "The picture on the bottle doesn't matter; I'm not going to let some pansy come between me and my beer." It casts those currently boycotting as the oversensitive, manipulable ones - but it only works if Budweiser reverses course and treats its recent actions as a temporary mistake.
I like that and think it would have a good chance of working. But you’re right they would have to “straighten up.”
I don’t have an example of positioning, but I did work for a company that made mattresses and box springs, and was named American Bedding Industries. Inc. A problem arose when they decided they wanted to start making other types of furniture so they changed the name to ABI.
I wonder what advice your authors would give to Budweiser executives to win back their customers after this recent advertising debacle.
hmmm... I thought about it for half an hour and here's what I came up with: Reverse course and select a super-manly mascot. Have him say something like "The picture on the bottle doesn't matter; I'm not going to let some pansy come between me and my beer." It casts those currently boycotting as the oversensitive, manipulable ones - but it only works if Budweiser reverses course and treats its recent actions as a temporary mistake.