Being a social marketer, I have dreamed of having the HUGE media budgets, DAZZLING creative and MASSIVE distribution systems of such brands as Coke, Pepsi and McDonald's. Who wouldn't want their resources and capabilities to contribute to a better world and not just build bigger brands?
The results of the 2006 EquiTrend consumer survey of brand equity among US consumers in Ad Age (free subscription required) remind me that smart, not money, is what builds brands and behaviors among audiences. Brand equity was measured through quality, familiarity and purchase consideration scores.
Reynolds Wrap, with a $7.5 million annual media budget is the #1 consumer brand among over 1,000 tested with 25,666 respondents. Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, iPod and Nike - not even in the top ten. Who made it into the top 10? WD-40 (#6 with $25,400 in media spending), Heinz ketchup (#7 with a $413,800 budget), Ziploc bags, Ziploc containers, Clorox bleach, Hershey's candy bars, Kleenex tissues, Windex glass cleaner and Campbell's soups.
A spokesperson explained the #1 ranking by talking about Reynold Wrap's ability to meet consumer's expectations for the product, including its innovations and overall quality. Looking at the Top Ten list I might add that they all serve the person who is confronting the everyday hassles of life by offering simple and predictable solutions.
Some marketers talk about many of these products as 'low involvement' verging on commodity status (who doesn't refer to any glass cleaners as 'Windex' - let alone its iconic status from My Big Fat Greek Wedding as a cure for almost anything, 'pass me a Kleenex,' 'he has Ziploc lips about it'). In the social marketing business, we should be so fortunate as to have 'low involvement' behaviors to focus on. After all, health and social change are the most important things in people's lives. Or maybe not. Maybe we make them BIG decisions rather than treat them as the ordinary, everyday behaviors that could be solving some of life's little problems.
Some people want to be like Mike and run a social marketing program with all the bells and whistles. But where is Gatorade on this Top 10 list? I want to be more like Reynolds Wrap - introducing and marketing behaviors that a lot of people think about, reach for and use everyday to make their life, and the lives of those around them, a little better.
Technorati Tags: Brand Equity, Reynolds Wrap, Social Marketing
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