tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post5362552567054116418..comments2011-01-30T05:34:02.273-06:00David Murphyhttps://profiles.google.com/103086880443875044607noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post-41349419129885364262008-12-12T16:48:00.000-06:002008-12-12T16:48:00.000-06:00ok, but I contend any mere "product" can become a brand (look at Method) and so surely any product <I>could</I> try the hero model if they wish to be a brand. Which now begs the question...<BR/><BR/><B>When is it in a product's interest to become a brand?</B>domleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post-37651446260170683612008-12-10T10:05:00.000-06:002008-12-10T10:05:00.000-06:00The questions posed by Claire and "Domlee" are good ones. Can every brand use a heroic brand model? I don't know. Some brands aren't brands at all -- they're merely products. (We use the word "brand" too liberally in our biz.) A product becomes a brand when it forges a relationship with its users. I'm suggesting that heroic branding is a route to a more empathetic relationship. Archetypes can be the basis of immediate empathy. Further, I have come to believe that when a brand makes it clear what it stands for by being equally clear about what it opposes, it can create a more compelling and passionate connection with customers through a sense of shared values, both social and personal. So to Claire's question, it is not about being THE hero of the category, it is about using the elements of the hero's journey to create a more empathetic connection with customers. Cheer and Tide may choose different archetypes -- the earth mother or the magician -- which could lead to vastly different brand ideas. Ditto for choosing markedly different foes. Thanks for the POVs! Good convo.David Murphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053085551591595032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post-50540601892244281202008-12-09T16:03:00.000-06:002008-12-09T16:03:00.000-06:00domlee, interesting question. During my time at VCU Brandcenter some of the students and I discussed whether or not every brand could be a "lifestyle brand" and we decided it isn't the case. I think the same goes for hero brands. The story needs to be an organic part of your brand. For many hero brands, that role IS their ISP. But if everyone went that route, we'd lose a lot of differentiation unless we went back to using information as definition. Cheer and Tide can't both be the hero of detergents.Claire Daltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02102501801384023116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post-36531933834605459492008-12-07T20:28:00.000-06:002008-12-07T20:28:00.000-06:00Can we make every brand be a heroic brand?domleenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7071188653941075297.post-15477210189941149852008-12-03T11:45:00.000-06:002008-12-03T11:45:00.000-06:00Agree. This provides a really rich filter for the way your brand should behave. Now if we can also use it to guide the content we create to influence and enable people's behavior (rather than just how they feel), we've got a home run.Don Longfellowhttp://amplify.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.com