Brands that become the Product

This last week many of my friends, and even myself, became ill. It is not a fun experience, but one that most people have. When I went to the store to get some medicine and some "Nyquil," I actually did not purchase any Nyquil. Instead, I purchased the identical (in ingredients and treatment) store brand. But even beyond this one that I bought, there were at least 5 identical products possible from different brands in this category. However, Nyquil has become the name of the product. I do not say, "Hey, I'm going to go grab some Kroger Nightime Cold Remedy." Nyquil has branded the entire category as its own name, so that as soon as someone is sick, they think of it. This concept obviously transcends product lines and categories. I'm sure everyone has heard of the Kleenex example. Many people use the term Kleenex to talk about tissue paper. If you just listen, you may hear someone ask, "Would you like a Kleenex?" Kleenex is, however, simply one brand that makes tissue paper. But, they have (similarly to Nyquil and nightime medicine) engrained their brand name into consumers' minds so that their brand became the term used by many people to describe the product. What more could a marketer ask for? If the consumers automatically say your brand name when they are thinking, truly, of a product category, you've won. Now, some people, such as myself, then think we can "beat the system," and thus purchase the non-brand name products of such items. Of course, it may also be that I am merely a college student, and cannot afford those brand names.

V-DAY

This last week, we survived the 14th of February, that's right- V-DAY. I'm not one of those crazy people that either loves Valentine's Day more than anything, nor one of those people that despise it with my very core, and thus call is Singles Awareness Day (SAD). It is nothing more than a simple "holiday." The main issue I have with Valentine's Day is that it says that on 1 day in particular we should tell people how much we value them, and quantify that love with some sort of gift (i.e. chocolates, flowers, jewelry, etc..). To me, the "spirit" behind V-Day should not exist just once a year, but year-round if the feelings expressed are sincere. What I find amusing is the way companies can exploit this once a year occurrence for gains. I just know that somewhere in a large office a large man in an incredibly expensive suit just smiles away because he works for Hallmark. Hallmark is just one of many companies that instills a sense of fulfilling the desires and needs that people require on Valentine's Day. In the video below, you'll notice that Valentine's Day is not directly referenced or mentioned. However, I saw this ad (and variations of it) numerous times in the week before Valentine's Day, and have yet to see it since. The idea is that we (the consumers) need Hallmark's cards and products in order to tell the people we care about how we feel. Call me crazy, but while cards are nice and sentimental, I tend to enjoy and find more sincerity in telling people how much I care about them face to face, and more than once a year. I am not bashing Hallmark. In fact, I believe they are geniuses. They have achieved what marketers desire. They have convinced consumers that something entirely unnecessary is a need and not just a want. It works because it appeals to the most irrational aspects of us: our hearts (another way of saying our emotions).

So, I don't know how to say this, but I'm sort of a BIG DEAL...

The ridiculousness of this student's cover letter is awesome. While it is funny to laugh at and think how absurd his rationale behind putting some of the things he wrote in it, it is also rather bothersome to think that some people would find this sort of thing acceptable. Looking at employers as consumers of employees and interns, it is quite entertaining though that not only did the original firm find this particular candidate's letter humorous, but they also forwarded it along to several other firms to partake in the laughter. It's almost another example of video advertisements that go viral, but do not actually benefit the firm behind it (think Old Spice). While this student's name and cover letter went "viral," it definitely did not do so in a manner to benefit him.

Below is the article and student's cover letter:
I'm Kind of a Big Deal

The Super Bowl? That's so American...

If you have grown up in America, lived in America, or perhaps even heard anything about America, odds are that you have at least become aware of the strangest occurrence in this great nation. It is not kids dressing up for free candy, a belief that a fat old man in a suit (supposedly jolly) sneaks into your house, nor the disturbing spiral towards a nation of obesity (though this and what happened last Sunday may be linked). No, what I am talking about is something much more strange : The Super Bowl. What we find is an event that somehow influences almost everybody in America. Ranging from the "die-hard" football fanatics that have to watch the game to the "hipster" crowd that does something else simply because watching the game or partaking in festivities would be too normal or mainstream, the nation changes for a day. Those that watch the game find themselves utterly disappointed in the actual sporting event (unless your team miraculously makes it, which being from CO and loving Tim Tebow, my team obviously didn't make it) but instead find themselves drawn to the commercials. Observed in the film we watched in class, The Persuaders, ads and commercials are now becoming the entertainment. I can think of no better example than the Super Bowl. When else do we have people gathered around televisions in such quantities for the mere purpose of watching something that intends to sell a product or service to them? In the attached website, it can be found that there were 111 million viewers this year alone, while only 38 million viewed PResident Obama's State of the Union Address just days before. The American Consumers are asking to be spoon-fed these advertisements.

No, I can not think of many more strange events that occur in this country than the Super Bowl. But, perhaps that's the "dream"? Come to America, get the house with the white picket fence, and then trash that house every February with friends, family, beer, pizza, chips, and a party with half of its attendees utterly upset and the other half in total bliss.

I am not saying that I did not watch (because I did watch, and I did enjoy the commercials). I just merely find the entire charade (including my own desire to participate) very strange. Attached is a link that highlights some outrageous and funny facts concerning this year's Super Bowl.

Super Bowl 2012 Facts and Figures

The Fun Theory

The concept of choice architecture is an alluring one. How are the everyday things around us presented in a   manner designed to inhibit certain responses? This idea is expanded upon greatly in Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. When dealing with such minute issues, or rather amusing or healthy trends (such as the below attached video), this may not seem like such a big deal. However, given the complexity and applicability with matters on a much more grandiose scale, how far is too far in "nudging" people in one direction?

Simply by making the stairs into an interactive music medium (piano), 66% more people took the stairs vs. the escalator. Though obvious in its allure and appeal, this is a great, simple example of how adding little things can make people change even the smallest decisions or choices.

Misconceptions

In many facets of my life, I have believed "facts" that I have held true simply because they were considered common knowledge or because somebody I trusted unvailed them to me. It is amazing to me how simply and effortlessly I will believe something (or rather fall for something in ignorance) that has very little, or no, support. Why do I do this? Why do others do this? I would like to think that it is because I trust the people that have told me these things, but could it stem from something deeper? Perhaps a simple desire to think that what is presented to us should be correct? When watching this video, I began thinking, "Great, now I get to see all of these facts that are untrue." There was not a doubt in my mind that these myth-"busters" would be true. However, by the end of the video, I could not definitively conclude that anything said was true either. Once again, I became a victim of my desire to believe what is presented to me without substantial support. Not only did that take a hold of my intution, but then it played on the common sentiment of cynicism. I partly wanted to believe the video because of the idea that, "Well, these things are from society, and anything from that society should be questioned, and is probably incorrect." While a degree of accepting things at face value, and a level of skepticism or cynicism, is healthy, where do we draw the balance? Where do everyday interactions that are presented to us draw upon either, or both?

Individuals Becoming the Company/Brand Personality

This video has an interesting idea as to where the brand personality is coming from. In class and from the book, the idea that the brand conjures a personality from its products or services (or even tradition), is prevalent, but the idea that perhaps the individual people in the organization are creating the personality is not addressed. Considering the multiple means of communicating and reaching different people, this is an interesting idea. Will people determine the personality of a companity or brand from its products or commercials, or rather from the interactions with the people that comprise it?