JKR

Image: noluck on flickr

A report on BrandWeek reveals that many consumers are defecting from “iconic brands” to cheaper private-label alternatives (in contrast to several UK reports, but hardly a shock in the recession).

It was a big study, analysing purchasing patterns of 34 million U.S. shoppers for two years across 685 leading CPG brands and 24,000 retail stores, but do you agree with BrandWeek’s analysis? “Offering coupons and samples does not necessarily seal the deal. CPG marketers need to get more creative, and fast. They must find new ways to reward loyalists while also luring prospects to their brands.”

Here’s my view: sales promotions and suchlike aside, iconic brands have in their design DNA a sense of “come to me” rather than “what can I do to convince you?”. That’s partly what makes them “iconic” (as opposed to simply massive). True icon brands might better weather the storm, and be better placed to enjoy the upturn, if they don’t meantime devalue themselves by always carrying promotions etc. Adding value through better design, and the confidence this projects, has particular charisma in troubled times.

This, perhaps, is one way to lure new consumers in – Coca Cola was ranked the best global brand last year by Business Week. This is put down to myriad reasons, from innovation to better management, but the brand has certainly reconnected with its iconic routes with revitalised and more single minded design of late.

So push or pull? I guess if the pull (e.g being more single-minded by amplifying distinctive graphical equities) is executed powerfully enough, this in turn can facilitate some engaging pushing which feels like iconic brand behaviour rather than just another bogoff offer.

The figures shown on BrandWeek