The next approach is towards those categories that are not sensory in nature, namely utility oriented categories. One category is the typical FMCG category and the other category is that of durables. There seems to be a proliferation of emotional branding in FMCG categories. Chakra Tea, Close Up toothpaste, Dettol antiseptic lotion, Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and Saffola in the edible oil category are just some examples. Most of them have also conveyed a functional proposition in the seemingly emotional proposition protection – Dettol, whiteness of the teeth in Close Up and taste (sensory benefit) in Chakra Tea.
While it is interesting to observe this combination, there are also a number of FMCG brands which have used strong functional benefits and have achieved significant success as well. These examples could include the garden freshness of Kanan Devan, the germ-killing action of the re-launched Lifebuoy soap, the natural ingredients of Hamam, the moisturizer of Dove and the 12-hour protection of Colgate Total.
Culture-based emotion is another category which some brands have used effectively. Here, an emotional belief is attached to a cultural belief. Reliance Mobile shows an advertisement in which the father gifts a mobile to his daughter who is married – an emotion clearly tied to the cultural belief of marrying off the daughter. Even today, Vicco Turmeric Vanishing Cream uses the occasion of marriage in its advertisements. Godrej’s Storwel cupboard was one of the earliest brands to position itself as a ‘gift for the bride’, with the advertisement having all the trappings of a typical wedding. Mecca Cola, a fast selling cola in Paris and the UK, draws upon the emotion strongly associated with the cultural feeling that the cola has a religious anchoring.
Can brands use both benefits and symbolic associations?
Whirlpool with its ‘quick-ice’ proposition has combined both symbolic and functional propositions (the present TV commercial shows family members delighting the lady of the house). LG, in the positioning with regard to its televisions, washing machines and refrigerators has creatively combined the emotional proposition. In refrigerators, the emotion is safety and trust (preservation of nutrients); in washing machine, it is fabric care (trust); and in television, it is Golden Eye (care). Such a positioning backed by a good product and service is certain to get positive word of mouth.
There may be categories which fit into such functional-emotional combination. Marketers would have to consider the category along with the target segment to visualize such combinations. The Vicks advertisement of yesteryear is a classic – the son drenched in the rain offering a bouquet to the mother on her birthday and the mother using Vicks for the occasion. Baby products involving infants and mother (J&J uses this) are another example.
The Ultimate in Symbolism
Cult brands have entered the lexicon of marketers and the Harley Davidson motorbike is a frequently cited example of a cult brand. A cult brand is one that offers an experience to consumers who are passionate about the brand and promotes the relationship within the members of the ‘cult’.
Drawing from the example of Harley Davidson, a cult brand cuts across demographics and psychographics and brings together various kinds of people to ‘experience’ the brand. The bike brand has members from various segments like engineers, executives, doctors, students and blue-collar workers. A cult brand cannot be created overnight; it has to evolve over time by word of mouth on the ‘experience’ created by the brand. Riding a Harley Davidson with the accessories associated with adventure is an experience enjoyed, communicated and nurtured by thousands of brand loyalists through various offline and online clubs. Symbolic branding makes a brand an inherent part of the consumer’s psyche and the ultimate bonding any brand can hope to achieve.
