- Ask one (1) question about the reading. It can be about something you may not have understood completely or about something you thought was interesting. Be thoughtful with your question, and try to make it a question that could start a conversation, not simply be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You are not allowed to post a question that someone has posted previously, so make sure to read through your classmates’ posts.
- Answer/respond to three (3) questions that others have posted by commenting on their posts. When you answer, read what others have said — do you agree with them? Do you feel there is more to the discussion? Do you think that someone is missing an important point? Be thoughtful and think about the question, responses and what your thoughts are.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Emotional Branding: Reading Response 01
For this assignment, you will need to read the Introduction and Chapter 1 in Emotional Branding, then do the following:
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What is the relevance/point of associating the oral tradition with time and the written tradition with space?
ReplyDeleteThe written tradition takes up physical space. The papers and pages add up and create stories that are physical space in the world. The oral tradition lasts a lifetime--oral stories are passed down from people to people and can outlast the storytellers themselves. Today, social media has taken the place of oral traditions and, to an extent, written tradition. With newspapers and magazines becoming more and more electronic, the two traditions are dwindling, becoming one online social media tradition that will outlive us.
DeleteKelsey is right about today's technology outliving us. It's hard to believe that the oral tradition is a thing of the past, and things will only progress as communication and other written forms become more prevalent online, thus knocking out the written tradition as well.
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ReplyDeleteOn page 19, the book says that "Gen Y has proven to be the most coddled generation yet." We are all members of this generation--what is you opinion of this assessment and how do you think advertisers have used this idea to advertise a wide array of products to us specifically?
ReplyDeleteI agree with that statement. I hate to say it, but our generation is full of individuals who think they are entitled to everything they need. Lots of people don't feel that they have to work to reach success, and, as you've probably seen in other classroom settings, many students like to sit back, complain about what they have to do, and not progress in their work or do anything productive. Gen Y is too coddled. As we saw in class today, the manly Marlboro Man is gone - our generation is better reached by softer images/messages. I can't give you an example of how advertisers use this in their branding, though. Can someone help me out?
DeletePersonally, I would have to disagree with the statement. Although it is true that our generation is now more in tune with opportunities and options that are available due to our relationship with the technologies of today, this just creates a harsher, more competitive market for success. Sure we may not have the same struggles that past generations have had, but that does not mean that our lives have become ridiculously easier. With new times come new hardships.
DeleteI think by "coddled" the author meant that as a generation, we were raised without having to work (at least until we were 16-18), we have expensive cell phones and cars, and unecessary technologies that make our lives easier. I agree with the use of the term in that way, but I also have to agree with Robert. The chapter talked about how huge our generation is and honestly, I believe college has become the new high school. Most people in our generation have or will go to college, and all of this combines to create a very competitive job market. I'm sure everyone has seen advertisements in which the brand portrays easy access to, let's say the internet or technological communication. Everyone wants devices that make their lives "easier" and that's how things are marketed.
DeleteI agree with Kaitlyn. The technological advances during our time have made the luxuries of previous generations more commonplace. Our parents also tend to want to give us the things that they worked so hard to gain, so we benefit from their work. Too successfully advertise to the generation who has or expects everything, companies like Apple must develop a new generation of ipods or iphone yearly to keep up interest. We have come to expect the most innovative and newest products, so companies have to keep up with that pace and reinvent or create the most cutting edge product.
DeletePersonally I don't see myself as a "coddled" individual, however I agree with the author that our generation is very sheltered as a whole. My next door neighbor is a prime example of the typical generation Y individual. His parents are very protective of him. That being the case, I don't believe that companies use this characteristic of our generation to advertise to us. I think they use this "coddled" characteristic to target our parents who wish to keep us safe and are the coddlers themselves.
DeleteI both agree and disagree with the authors statement. On the one hand, yes, our generation has as a whole been given more things. Yes, ours is the generation that received metals for participation, and As for B and C quality work. However, we are also the generation that grew up being told to go to college only to realize that college is no longer enough. We are the ones that will graduate thousands of dollars in debt, only to find that Generation X has taken away our hopes for a job to pay off that debt. We are the ones along with Gen-X to pay for the health care of the Boomers, knowing that we ourselves will barely scrape by for quite some time. And whats more, as I mention in my own post, half of Gen-Y was under the age of 18 when this book was written.You can't call a 7 year old coddled. They're barely potty trained.
DeleteI do agree with the author's statement. Our generation has been one of the most sheltered, taken care of, and emotionally catered to generations of all time. I also agree with what Kaitlyn brought up, "college is the new high school." More and more kids are going to college, making the job market that much more competitive. This paired with an ever-changing marketplace and a current lack of jobs will combine to spell trouble for this Generation Y, as we struggle to hunt for our dream jobs, along with the large pool that is the rest of our peers. Brand marketers have seen this dilemma, and catered to our thoughts and general feelings about the current state of the world in which we find ourselves in. If they get it right, companies can really profit off of this combined way of thinking and feeling of the Gen Y'ers, and capitalize on this huge target market.
DeleteOn page 10, it reads, "Brands must develop much more sensitivity to the symbolic values surrounding their products and images that are open to constant repositioning or embellishment." You probably already agree that brands must change and update as time passes, but why do you feel that way?
ReplyDeleteBrands have to change because people change. We are not the same culture and we do not have the same mindsets we had in the 50s and 60s. If advertising doesn't evolve with the ever-evolving trends and needs of the American people, ads become irrelevant and people stop buying products. When things stop changing, they start becoming obsolete.
DeleteAdditionally, I'm sorry I have to keep deleting comments...too much technology for me...
Snowballing off what Kelsey said, Brands not only change with people, they change with technology. Obviously, we have a lot more advanced design and graphics tools nowadays and that has a big effect on the changing faces of brands.
DeleteWhile I agree with the fact that brands must change as time passes, I don't believe that they always need to be innovative. For example, many of the trends seen in fashion today are ones that were popular in previous decades. Learning from the past has become the main stay of contemporary companies. Using ideas that were once successful has become the new contemporary. Every where you look there are TV shows, products, and fashion ideas that are once again becoming relevant in today's culture. While the trends and brands remain changing, they are not always coming up with new ideas to present to the consumers.
DeleteI agree with Jami that many brands and ideas are just being recycled from the past and being given a modern spin, especially in movies and TV shows. I mean look at movies like The Green Hornet and The Lone Ranger. Those were radio shows as early as the 1940s before they evolved into TV shows as well later in the 50s. Also, retro looks are coming back in the fashion world. Look at designer glasses for instance. They are returning to the thick dark rim glasses that were popular in the 50s and early 60s. Though brands must continually change in order to maintain interest today, they are not necessarily coming up with new "updated" material, just material that hasn't been seen in awhile.
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ReplyDeleteAs members of Generation Y, we as a collective whole recognize the necessity for new and innovative ideas and products. However, as stated within the text on page 22, we see these things as hip at first, but eventually reject them as mainstream. Has battling the new and "in-crowd" idea in turn become the latest mainstream concept in itself and why?
ReplyDeleteI think this is a very good point and I've seen it argued before. So many people our age are trying to define themselves as their own individual, but do it in ways that every else is also doing. For example, I remember when only "punk rock/scene" kids wore Chuck Taylor's. Suddenly one year, everyone started wearing them and they weren't a symbol of individual expression anymore, but that didn't stop the trend from growing. Tatoos is a newer example. It's rare to find people who don't have or plan to get a tattoo nowadays, and even businesses are having to change their "no tattoos/piercings" policy because you simply can't hire a lot of people without them! These seeming acts of rebellion or individuality have become mainstream. at least for now.
DeleteSomething can be cool, but it can only be cool for a short amount of time. If it's cool for too long, too many people will join in, thus forcing the latest and greatest "cool thing" to be "uncool." Yes, this battle is the latest mainstream concept, but it seems to only have snowballed since its start. Have you heard "Water is so mainstream. Hipsters swim in air"? Just thought it was funny and wanted to share lol.
DeleteMy apologies for the "lol."
At this point, there isn't anything left that is original. If you dye your hair, you're making a statement that's been made before. If you wear ripped jeans, you're joining a fad. It's almost impossible to be truly unique based on appearance and outward statements trying to be made, which I know sounds cynical. But I think that because everything is so tired at this point, that makes personality and spark that much more important.
DeleteMaybe that's mainstream of me to say...
I agree, it is impossible to really be original anymore in terms of dress, at least without being completely absurd. One can either be mainstream by following trends, or hate trends and be mainstream by wearing band T-shirts and getting gauges, or drinking starbucks and using apple products. They're all different leaves on the same tree.
DeleteIn my opinion, many youth in our society today care so much about what others think of them that they will do anything in their power to avoid standing out in a crowd. All that most kids want to do during today's day in age is blend in with their peers, no matter the cost. (i.e. "I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip flops, so I bought army pants and flip flops." - Mean Girls. Or as kids love to point out when trying to persuade their parents, "But everybody is going to be there, so I have to go!" Or "Everybody is doing it, so what is the problem?"
DeleteConsequently, I don't really think that defying the status quo is the new mainstream activity. Most people want to do what everybody else is doing or want what everybody else has.
On page 18, there is the recipe for a Gen-X cocktail. As an older member of Gen-Y, I found several of these things to be influential in my life, such as, Scooby-Doo, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, and Star Wars. Does this blur the line between Gen-X and Gen-Y? How might this create gaps between the different ages of Gen-Y?
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe this blurs the line between Gen-X and Gen-Y. Both generations were influenced heavily by these shows, Gen-X during the original airings of the shows and Gen-Y subsequently through the reruns. I think that with the introduction of the internet it is harder to create these lines between generations. Any person can now go online and view and participate in things from the past that may have once been believed to be part of an older generation. Anything from the past or present can influence anyone, of any age, with the availability presented by the internet.
DeleteThose in Gen-Y are also influenced heavily by their parents. With some of Gen-Y's parents being born during the Baby Boomers and some having parents in Gen-X, what they watch and their interests may differ due to what their parents like. As Gen-Y, we are the melting pot of all the generations as their influence warps our perspective through family, television, and the world around us.
The line between Gen-X and Gen-y is definitely blurred because of the relationship the two have with each other. I can personally relate with a few of the ingredients of the Gen-X cocktail, even being more towards the middle of the Gen-Y category (if not because of my older siblings who are on the upper portion.) I feel as if the real division occurs between the older and younger halves of Gen-Y. From what I see on TV to just seeing how kids act in today's society, it just seems a lot different than how I was brought up. Things just don't make sense to me when looking at the more youthful (well younger than me) citizens of today, such as their idea of comedy and the new toys that appeal to many of them. I certainly feel as if I relate better to the younger half of Gen-X than that of Gen-Y.
DeleteThe lines between Gen-X and Gen-Y are most definitely blurred, as are the lines between the Boomers and Gen-X. It's impossible for a generation to really be defined purely by their birth year. In fact, half of next years Freshmen will have been born in 1995, and won't be considered considered Gen-Y. But certainly we have more in common with them than we do with the 1977 babies of our own generation?
DeleteOn page 21, the author makes the statement that "today's average twelve year old has less than three hours of free time a week". When I first read this, I thought the statement was a bit absurd, but when I began to dwell on the idea, I realized more and more that I actually don't have that much free time myself and do often have a full schedule. Because the choices and lifestyles of previous generations directly affect the subsequent generations, what type of effect do you think the busy/multitasking lifestyle of our "Generation Y" will have on future generations?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that while at first I found the idea of only having 3 free hours a week to be startling, I later realized it to be true for myself. People in Gen-Y are trying to accomplish so much and push themselves with academics, sports, and community service. More is expected out of them, more so I feel than any other generation. It is constantly being drilled in our heads that we must take on as many tasks as possible, and those who are not willing to put in the effort will be replaced with people that will. For example, with many of us competing to get into graduate school, there is never a moment where we are not being told we could do more. There is always another extracurricular we could join or an opportunity to volunteer. I think this idea of being busy/multitasking will not change as future generations come about, but instead only become harder for them. As time goes on, more and more seems to be expected of people and competition becomes more fierce. As we have seen the lives of people become more busy, from the Baby Boomers to now, I expect it to only become both harder and busier for the generations yet to come.
DeleteI believe the lack of free time is a direct result of Baby Boomer parents. The grew up with a large amount of free time and were constantly seeking out ways to entertain themselves or better themselves on their own. This led them to enroll their children in as many programs as possible to give them the opportunities which they did not have as children. Their generation is known for aspiring to create their own standard and constantly striving to better themselves which directly reflects on their children. As a result, I have to disagree with Jami in that I do not believe this will continue on to other generation. I believe just the opposite. Because Gen-Y had little free time, they will most likely strive to give the children the free time which they never got to enjoy. These parents will be trying to improve their children's life by easing some of the pressure which has now become standard.
DeletePage xx of the emotional branding book states that the medium available for communication is what ultimately transforms a generation and dictates how people of the time period will behave. Hence, the lifestyles of future generations will ultimately be determined according to the communication mediums they have available for use. It is evident that as technology has continued to advance, new communication mediums have been created (particularly the internet) that have reduced the world into the palm of our hands and made the world more globally connected and competitive than ever before. Folks of future generations will not merely be competing for positions in grad schools or the business of customers with competitors in their local areas, but competitors all across the globe. The heightened levels of competition stemming from this global market and economy will serve to largely increase the importance of being able to market yourself in order allow your business to stay relevant in the competitive economy. The result: a generation that is more stressed about building strong resumes, earning high test scores, and getting into the world's top schools than ever before.
DeleteOverall, I agree with Jami that the lives of future generations are only going to become more and more stressful, competitive, and busy as time progresses.
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ReplyDeleteOn page 25 it talks about "The biggest challenge with Gen Y will be to keep abreast of their fast-moving lifestyle and quickly evolving taste." Companies are constantly trying to improve and change their brands in order to fit in with the current trends. With the ideas of Gen Y changing so often from those of Gen X and the Baby Boomers, is it possible for companies to create a brand that can please everyone? If so, how would they be able to accomplish such a task?
ReplyDeleteTo be completely honest, I believe that companies can't even create brands that please a specific generation, let alone all the generations combined. People are too different and have constantly changing attitudes, so to appeal to everyone would be impossible. For example, I may find a satirical advertisement highly amusing while my roommate, who's the same age as me, could find it boring and stupid. The variance between individuals is too severe to satisfy everyone, even smaller subgroups as the generations stated in the book.
DeleteI don't think it is possible to develop a single brand that appeals to all three generations. The needs and wants of the three generations are just so different from one another that its highly unlikely that any single product could appeal to all three groups. Consider the cosmetic industry. Women of the baby boomers are looking for creams and make-ups that will restore youth. Women of generation Y are definitely not looking for the same thing. Also, some older gentlemen of both the baby boomer generation and generation X man be purchasing "A Touch of Grey" hair dye to keep that youthful but experienced look. Men of generation Y definitely don't need that product. Companies will just have to cater to the different groups separately to meet their different wants/needs.
DeleteI agree that there is no one to advertise for all generations. This leads to companies using different resources from magazines to television to advertise to specific groups. The time of day can also be useful in targeting a specific group. So, companies need to develop an array of brands and advertisements in order to please the spectrum of personalities in each of these groups. It is beneficial to companies to create a flexible advertisement strategy which can be contoured just slightly to appeal to all groups and connect with each individual.
DeleteWhile I do agree with Colin that there exist many age-related products with purposes that are too specific to be desired by members of all 3 generations, I am still not sure I would say it is totally impossible to create a brand encompassing the interests of all 3 generations.
DeleteFor example, consider Victoria’s Secret. Marc Gobé’s book points out on page 8 that although Victoria’s secret mainly appeals to young Generation Y members who have become emotionally invested in the company due to the way Victoria’s Secret lingerie makes them feel sexy and fashionable, Victoria’s Secret is also making lingerie designed to fit the elderly physiques of the older generations (Boomer and X) to make them feel youthful and comfortable in their bodies as well. By making products for both the older and younger generations, Victoria’s Secret has built personal relationships with each of their customer demographics to make their lingerie product relevant and emotionally meaningful for all. Technology brands such as Apple with their iPads, iPhones, etc., as well as many types of beverages (i.e. Pepsi/Coke), foods (i.e. McDonald’s) and websites (i.e. eBay, Facebook, etc.) are other types of products that I feel have successfully captured the interest of all 3 generations.
I know personally that my parents (members of the Baby Boomer generation) wanted to buy an Apple iPad just as much as I did when they came out. Its variety of functions and apps makes it a very functional and relevant product for all ages. Apple is truly a brand whose products appeal to most everybody.
Overall, I feel that if brands are going to appeal to all three generations, they must be as creative, relevant, and emotionally connected to the 3 generations as possible. That is the key to branding success.
When reading into each generation, they are so different in how they are targeted and in what they are looking for in products. I think depending on what product is being marketed will depend if it is possible to reach all of the generations. With Victoria Secret, the example was given that they comfort (for the Baby Boomers) is just as important as sexiness (for the Gen Y). I don't think many Baby Boomers will be buying a lot of Victoria Secret apparel, but it is trying to reach across the generations. But a product like, let's say, smart phones, will probably never be targeted towards the Baby Boomer generation. Therefore, is this an important question to ask or would the company just look to target the generations they know that they would be successful in? Or do they try to target the Baby Boomers with comfort as well as the Gen Y by making the product attractive as well?
DeleteI agree with the fact that the generations talked about in the book (Gen X, Gen Y, and the Baby Boomers) are all different, as they possess different values, morales, wants, and needs. Companies know their target markets, and largely know who they are targeting, and who is going to buy their product. I believe that figuring out how to cross those generation lines, and appeal to more customers in a different target market, poses a tough question to companies, and is a big problem that marketers try to solve.
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ReplyDeleteThe first chapter focuses a lot on three different generations and their ages. However, this book was written in 2001, when some of generation X was still in college, and generation Y in elementary school. Do you think the past 12 years would have made any difference in the author's opinions of each generation?
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DeleteI am so glad someone else thought of this too because this question rang through my mind on every page. I checked the date though and I think it is copyrighted in 2009, so it is a little more up to date. But I think even 4 years makes a giant difference because of how fast technology is expanding. Now, almost everyone has a smart phone which has opened up a whole other realm of emotional branding and marketing. However, there are also many examples in the book that I have seen before and can personally relate to as my generation. Therefore I think until the Baby Boomers are an extinct generation, the majority of these basic principles of targeting the specific generations will still apply
DeleteI think it is so interesting to think about this same topic; how much and how quickly things change. With the innovation and the integration of the smart phone so thoroughly in today's world, information is at our very fingertips. In this way, marketers have a newer, faster, more personal way to interact with the consumers. In the same respect, I think it is fascinating to think about how different things will be in the future. This is an issue that marketers struggle with, just as they get down how to connect with their customers, the medium changes.
DeleteSee book for the full 2 sentence quote. Page xxix "Stores will need to emotionally. . . more about experiencing a brand."
ReplyDeleteDo you think this will ever actually occur - in which walk-in stores exist for a reason other than to buy products? Also, why would people desire to go to the store if they're not going to buy something there? In what imaginative, entertaining ways do you think customers will "experience the brand" during their visit to the store?
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ReplyDeleteI think something that interested me the most, being an English major, is the transformation from consuming information in written form, over to consuming information completely in spoken form (as stated in the beginning of the introduction). I see how true this is as we look at the Gen Y and their reliance on social media for all consumption of information. I knew who won the presidential election by getting on Facebook, a site a check every day. Emotional branding has to play a huge role in the oral, social media realm, but then I feel like this transformation leaves out the Baby Boomer generation. Is this desire to move toward consuming information by spoken word going to completely take over when the Baby Boomers become extinct? I know markets can get to know the younger customers via social media, but I don't think this will work for 30% of the population which is Baby Boomers as well as a lot of the Gen X.
ReplyDeleteDo the new current trends of shopping and purchasing online affect marketing techniques in a good way or a bad way? Is it harder or easier to reach the consumer that does not physically visit their favorite store anymore? Is it harder to market to someone who wishes to make all of their purchases in one place and time? (Walmart, Amazon)
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