Brands are not built by superficial ‘Brand-building’ marketing activity. Ever.
They are built by doing hundreds of small things that matter to customers and those who aspire to be customers, well, time after time, after time. In this way, customers learn to trust the performance and value delivered. Then they become apostles for the brand amongst their friends and acquaintances who might similarly benefit.
The brand becomes much more than a label with a product attached. It holds a ‘Position’ in the mind of those who have truly consumed the whole experience.
Advertising is simply a reminder of what they already know and understand.
From time to time, a brand building ad comes along that tweaks the understanding of what is possible. Such an ad builds on the foundation, and perhaps adjusts it a bit in a desired direction. However, it remains an adjustment, a ‘refresh’, a polishing of the emotional response of adherents to reflect the evolution of circumstances.
Radically changing the foundation is a short road to oblivion.
As a young bloke, a long time ago now, I lusted after an XK150. The body design, feeling of success and freedom, and the snarl coming from that exquisite straight six designed in the 40’s and lasting well into the 70’s as the pinnacle of engineering was utterly seductive. That lust was never totally replaced by a similar lust for its genetic descendant, the E-Type, but it came very close.
Even now, 65 years later, that visceral pull of ‘Jaguar’ remains.
It is undimmed by time and the rubbish cars produced as Jaguar was handed around, owner to owner, like a parcel with frayed wrapping, at a kids birthday party.
Has this latest iteration to the Jaguar brand finally killed the goose?
My kids, and grandchildren have no connection at all with Jag. As my peers who did have that connection drop off the perch, any remaining brand equity from those glory days will die with them.
What a waste.
Mark Ritson in his column on the rebranding (death?) of Jaguar put the blind stupidity of the urge to ignore heritage better than I ever could.
It is possible that the visceral connection felt by some could be rebuilt from the crumbling foundations of Jaguar of the 50’s, and 60’s?
I suspect so, but that is from the perspective of someone in the thrall of that connection.
What would I have given to have been asked to contribute to the rebuilding of an icon of my youth. The effort may not have been successful, but I guarantee it would not have killed it off as comprehensively as this deluded nonsense now assaulting us will.
