The Brand Gap reading

These most important lesson of the reading can be found in the introduction. Clearly establishing exactly what a brand is: Brand is not a logo, corporate identity nor a product. It’s a gut feeling.

A brand is defined by the individuals, so there are endless versions of the brand depending on the individual response to the brand. To some Nike may be the ultimate reflection of every positive aspect of their athletic lifestyle, but to others it may represent conformity as they see the product being used outside of sports, purely as a fashion statement.

Gut feelings can be more persuasive than facts. (Let's not forget George W. Bush, the president everyone wanted to have a beer with)

Although it is not a trend that I condone, consumers are increasingly relying on their gut feeling when buying products, mainly due to the large selection of competitive products. In the cereal aisle you can find upwards of a hundred different brands to choose from, and this is a problem for the consumer and an advantage for the various companies selling cereal. In this landscape of cereal boxes even the most educated customer cannot effectively compare the factual qualities of each product, but instead must resort to using their gut feeling to make a quick decision just to make it to the next aisle.

As a consumer who strives to spend his money on the highest quality products, while keeping an eye on the cost (a cost that is reflected in the quality of the product and not its advertising campaign), this is extremely irritating because it makes the assessment of a given product much harder and time consuming. But from the point of view of a designer and brand strategist, forcing the consumer to decide solely on their gut feeling is a tremendously persuasive advantage.

Although as designers we cannot entirely control the perception of our brand in the public’s eye, we do have the advantage of having the first move. In the dialogue between producers and consumers, the producers will always have the advantage of being able to control their first impression.