Sahil on the Internet: A Branding Story

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Bucking Expectations: Alternatives for Building a Personal Brand

Reading ‘How to Pitch a Brilliant Idea’ made me reflect on several aspects of my leadership style. Elsbach’s central point that an audience will put you in a box, stereotyping you based on their preconceived notions of who you are, rather than focusing on the validity of your idea. She then proceeds to discuss two tactics for addressing this stereotyping: playing into audience expectations and co-creation. While these tactics work in several situations (and I have employed them before), I could not help but think back on my experiences where I have used different approaches to develop influence.

Cognitive Dissonance: Prior to Sloan, I was a junior employee at a management consulting firm. I often found myself to be successful by bucking expectations, rather than reinforcing them. Early in my time at the company, when I was given assignments, I would attempt to think through the broader implications of the work (i.e., how a deliverable played into our broader client relationship). By taking this approach, many of my more creative and off-the-wall ideas were supported by leadership. As I continued to spend time at the firm, I continued to try and buck expectations; for example, I shed the consulting uniform of business casual, instead opting for jeans.

Elsbach’s article would suggest that I should try and position myself as a neophyte; taking advantage of my relative newness to garner the support of the ‘catchers’ at my firm: the senior leadership. As I reflected on my choices, I was curious to explore why my strategy worked. The idea of tension, reminded me of a conversation we had several weeks ago in class, about strong brands embracing tension, using it to elicit customer action. I became fascinated about whether or not this idea could be applied to a personal brand; breaking stereotypes rather than playing into them. 

Thus, I tried looking into the behavioral science research on cognitive dissonance (particularly as it pertains to branding). Cognitive dissonance occurs when an individual’s ideas, beliefs, or behaviors contradict each other (Start-Up Grind 2017). In many situations, when there is inconsistency between actions and beliefs, an audience will oftentimes be forced to either change their beliefs, actions, or perceptions of the action. The image below highlights this notion graphically.

Reflecting on my actions I believe that I focused on understanding dissonance within the consulting space: our management wanted to be able to maximize work delegation without fully trusting junior employee’s ability to see beyond a task. Additionally, they wanted to work at a ‘cool, innovative’ company, while showing up to work in drab attire. Thus, by taking the actions I did, I resolved those intellectual tensions, differentiating myself more than I would through a neophyte strategy (that many of my peers employed, also to great success).

Narrative: Another way that I tried to buck expectations in the workplace was my using a personal narrative. When pitching myself for projects, I often found myself sharing my personal narrative and theory of change. The spark notes version is below:

After growing up in suburban Massachusetts, I moved to Juarez, Mexico due to my father’s diplomatic assignment. In Juarez, I witnessed the downstream effects of systemic opportunity gaps (e.g., illegal border crossings, heated political debates over walls, and an ongoing drug war). That is why I am passionate about finding novel and creative ideas to reduce economic disparity.

Sharing my personal background (beyond sharing my inexperience) did not fall into the neophyte archetype, so I examined the science behind narratives. Research has demonstrated that  storytelling is more effective in incentivizing action than using a pure pitch (as discussed in class). This is particularly salient when it comes to sharing one’s purpose: the myth-building, when properly employed, captures an audiences’ imagination and creates motivation to support their momentum (HBR 2014).

Thus, while I will add Elsbach’s tactics to my personal branding toolbox, I have recognized the importance of having a holistic set of tools to pitch ideas and drive change.

Source:

“The Cognitive Dissonance Hiding Behind Strong Brands,” Start-Up Grind, 2017, https://medium.com/startup-grind/the-cognitive-dissonance-hiding-behind-strong-brands-fa99341175eb

“Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling,” HBR, 2014, https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling

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Using Nudging for Good: the Swedish Example

After reading “Fair & Lovely vs. Dark is Beautiful,” I was driven to try and answer the case’s final question on the path Women of Worth (WOW) should take moving forward. Given culture’s complex and reinforcing nature, I recognized that a system dynamics lens could help me examining how WOW should proceed with its Dark is Beautiful campaign. Using the celebrity endorsements of Nandita Das in 2013 provided a powerful exogenous shock to this system, helping raise the profile of the campaign. This shock, in addition to WOW’s longer-term efforts, helped bring the issue of skin-coloring into national consciousness.

That said, while an exogenous forces (such as bringing in more celebrities) shocks can drive significant change, redefining a system requires a holistic approach. When reading the case, one paragraph stuck with me:

“These  prejudices were  introduced early on  in  the life  of Indians.  Pattnaik wrote,  ‘We  were introduced  to  the  politics  of  color  very  early  on  in  our  lives,  in  the  most  surprising  of  places:  in children’s  comic  books.  And  so  we  had  gods  who  were  always  pink,  demons  who  were  always brown and dark gods who were always blue. Somehow, an unnaturally blue Krishna was preferred over a naturally dark Krishna [see image below for an example].’ Das elaborated: “In the South, classical dance and music is as much a  part  of  education  as  anything  else, and  there  if  you  are  dark,  you  take  the  singing  stream, and  if you’re  fairer  you  become  a  dancer,  because  you  have  to  perform  on  stage  and  look  good.”

These actions violate Richard Thaler’s three principles on how to use nudging. Thaler makes the argument that ‘principled’ nudges should always be transparent, are easy to opt out of, and should improve the welfare of those being nudged (NYT 2015). While arguments can be made on how transparent and optional these nudges are, it is very clear that these nudges are not improving welfare, given that they create problematic norms at both an individual and societal level.

The impact of these nudges is clear. The passage illustrated that pervasive, deeply engrained societal nudges that occur during childhood support problematic lifelong ideologies. Given this fact, I wanted to understand if the inverse has occurred: have nudges and behavioral science been employed to break stereotypes, rather than to reinforce them? 

It only took a few conversations and Google searches to learn about Sweden’s efforts. There are several stakeholders in Sweden that have employed a range of behavioral tactics to promote gender equality. Like the Indian example provided above, these tactics span both behavior and content.

First, I learned about Sweden’s gender neutral kindergartens. These kindergarten programs employ a range of nudges: these include only using gender neutral pronouns (”hen” a new ; not using labels that enforce stereotypes (e.g., describing a girl as ‘cute and helpful’ or a boy as ‘tough and wild’); not separating toys along traditional gender lines; and encouraging children to embrace emotions without gender-based constraints (Quartz 2017). These seemingly minor changes have resulted in dramatic impact: a Journal of Experimental Child Psychology study found that children who attended one of these programs were less likely to be influenced by culturally enforced gender stereotypes (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 2017). These initially grassroots efforts have driven broader changes in the education system: Sweden has made a concerted effort to address gender equality across its education system, with ‘gender advisors’ being common in schools (BBC 2011).

Additionally, several Swedish organizations have focused on developing content to reinforce gender equality. Foremost, is Olika, a publisher focused on children’s literature. Olika is focused on creating books that allow all children can see themselves mirrored in the stories and learn about those different from themselves. Thus, the publisher works to intentionally break traditional gender roles, showing children that it is alright to not fall into the stereotypical societal expectations. For example, some of these books involve stories about women as pirates and football players (traditionally portrayed by males) and gender / ethnically-neutral characters (see below for an example).

After seeing the Swedish example, it would be easy to recommend that WOW should take a similar approach, shifting its awareness efforts to children, in order to flip norms. However, it is important to, once again, use a systems lens. Even in Sweden, well-regarded as one of the most gender equal countries in the world (currently ranked fourth), there is push-back and critics who stand against gender neutral education (BBC 2011). 

Thus, in looking at the Indian example, it is important for WOW to employ a multi-dimensional approach that engages the system at different critical points. The exogenous systemic shocks created by increasing the number of celebrities standing against skin-color discrimination are critical, insofar as they raise the profile of the issue, so that it can be addressed with more sustained mechanisms. In other words, these celebrity campaigns need to make skin-color discrimination a topic that is shared with early age children. Simultaneously, it is important to follow the Swedish example, building holistic systems, narratives, and content at a grassroots level that can be used to nudge children at an early age to help shift the mindset of the new generation. Therefore, by using a systems approach, I believe WOW can effectively fight discrimination.

Sources:

“Sweden’s gender-neutral preschools produce kids who are more likely to succeed,” 2017, https://qz.com/1006928/swedens-gender-neutral-preschools-produce-kids-who-are-more-likely-to-succeed/

“Diversity Is the Point at Sweden’s ‘Different’ Children’s Book Publisher: Olika,” 2016, https://publishingperspectives.com/2016/12/sweden-olika-childrens-book-diversity/

“Early preschool environments and gender: Effects of gender pedagogy in Sweden,” 2017, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022096517302692

“GENDER MATTERS? SWEDISH PICTURE BOOKS AND GENDER AMBIGUITY,” 2014, http://blog.leeandlow.com/2014/09/30/swedish-picture-books-and-gender-ambiguity/

“Knowing when to nudge in education,” Brookings, 2015, https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2015/08/06/knowing-when-to-nudge-in-education/

“The Power of Nudges, for Good and Bad,” 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/upshot/the-power-of-nudges-for-good-and-bad.html ‘

“Sweden’s ‘gender-neutral’ pre-school,” BBC, 2011, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-14038419

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What do Burberry and the Balkans have in common?

“Our challenges are very different now. Five years ago, our task was to fix a brand that was broken. We’ve accomplished that; today, the Burberry brand is healthier than it has ever been. Now the task is to manage the popularity of the brand in a way that lays the foundation for long-term growth. The last thing we want is to become the victim of our own success. The question is, how do we continue to grow the brand without risking customer burnout?” - Rose Marie Bravo

While reading the Burberry case, I could not help but think back to our conversation last week about the challenges of branding a country. Prior to Sloan, I helped several city, state, and national governments think about how to position themselves to drive economic growth. This work often involved thinking about how to pivot and manage a location’s brand identity. Given this experience, I often find myself employing this lens when reading about or traveling to new places.

The Burberry case made me think of the challenges being faced by a region I have several connections with: the Balkans. I had a project in Bosnia and my parents have been living in Montenegro for the last two years, so I have traveled throughout the region. After a brutal regional war in the early 1990s, the region has bounced back becoming a hub for tourism in Europe. This has been particularly evident in Croatia and Montenegro (in the image below), two countries with beautiful coast lines. Over the last 10 years, Croatia’s tourism has risen by 63.8% (Skift). Montenegro has also been experiencing recent significant growth, expecting travel and tourism’s contribution to Montenegro’s economy (traditionally 11% of GDP) to rise by 9% in 2018 (SeeNews).

Thus, Croatia and Montenegro find themselves at a similar inflection point as Burberry. Both have undergone a fundamental transformation of their brand (Burberry becoming modern and youthful and these moving past the image of their violent civil war). Additionally both are grappling with similar challenges related to the sustainability of their brand positioning 

Both Burberry and the coastal Balkan countries have attempted to position similarly, as accessible luxury. Burberry has positioned itself between ‘lifestyle’ brands like Ralph Lauren and ‘luxury’ like Gucci. Croatia and Montenegro have similarly positioned themselves as a high-end destinations for European and American tourists that is higher end than well-worn, oft-cited ‘lifestyle’ destinations (e.g., the Caribbean, the Portuguese coast, etc.), yet more affordable than ‘luxury’ destinations (e.g., Italy’s Amalfi coast). Thus, Montenegro and Croatia have attempted to thus be a place for in-the-know, adventurous travelers looking for a high end experience.

That said, Montenegro and Croatia have struggled with this positioning, as they have made major strategic investments at both ends of this continuum. They simultaneously find themselves making strategic decisions to promote affordable tourism, pushing for budget flights (attracting airlines like RyanAir and EasyJet), attracting affordable cruise lines, and calling for the rapid development of hostels (326 hostels in Croatia and 49 in Montenegro). 

Simultaneously both have targeted the higher end luxury markets. Montenegro has worked with Aman Resorts’ to create the $1000-a-night Sveti Stefan. Croatia has worked to do this in several ways, most famously becoming a hub for Yacht Week, sailing festivals for very affluent young professionals.

By making these strategic decisions that cater to both ends of the lifestyle and luxury spectrum, Croatia and Montenegro have blurred their image, leading to confusion over what kind of tourism destination they are. Many see them as either an affordable backpacker haven OR a ultra high-end escape, as opposed to the in-between location. Both of these cut out the aspirational nature of their brands (at the low-end its too accessible and at the high-end it is out of reach)

Thus, applying this example to Burberry illustrates a cautionary tale. It highlights that their niche positioning is unsustainable insofar as the company sends mixed messages. If Burberry actively attempts to compete at  the lower and higher edges of the spectrum, this inconsistency will result in customer confusion and skepticism. Based on this example, Burberry should strongly focus on promoting its Burberry London brand, with all strategic decisions focused on amplifying this message (promoting the use of the check, focusing development on trench coats, reducing investment in Thomas Burberry / Blue / Prorsum etc.).

Sources:

SeeNews, 2018, https://seenews.com/news/tourism-contribution-to-montenegros-gdp-to-rise-9-in-2018-wttc-607716

Skift, 2018, https://skift.com/2018/04/23/the-balkans-yes-the-balkans-lead-europes-new-tourism-push/

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Good Jobs Strategy

I received Zeynep Ton’s The Good Jobs Strategy upon being accepted into Sloan; given my interest in working across the public and private sectors to create economic opportunity, I immediately dove into the book. 

That said, when reading the Singapore Airlines case, I recognized that the company integrated several elements of the Good Jobs approach. Singapore Airlines invested a significant amount in the training and empowerment of its employees. By putting them through the rigorous four-month training program, focused on both functional skills, in addition to engagement and connection. Furthermore, jobs at Singapore Airline were well-paid, prestigious, and associated with significant benefits.

Through this approach, they empowered low-level employees to make decisions to improve customer experience. Additionally, they encouraged employees to go out of their way to maintain customer relationships (e.g., going to the offices of displeased customers and apologizing). All of this is measured when the company captures timely, regular customer feedback (e.g., capturing reports on every flight, GAP surveys, and secret flyers).This appears to be a major source of its competitive advantage and profitability.

After hearing about Singapore Airline’s focus on customer service, I could not help but draw parallels with my favorite supermarket and company featured in Good Jobs, Trader Joe’s. 

Both operate in notoriously low-margin industries. Within these industries, both companies have differentiated themselves through their customer service. Similar to Singapore Airlines, Trader Joe’s has invested significantly in its training, particularly for the grocery industry. While most grocers neglect training, forcing employees to learn on the job, Ton’s Good Jobs Strategy and a University of Washington report highlight that Trader Joe’s uses a combination of shadowing, a detailed, task-based guide, and constant iteration of training materials (Ton, University of Washington). Like Singapore Airlines, Trader Joe’s has done a good job of paying above market rates and developing a full suite of benefits (e.g., wellness and flexibility in schedule) (Huffington Post).

This approach has clearly paid off. A quick Google search highlights several anecdotes: Trader Joe’s employees were lauded for their knowledge of their products, in-store support, and desire to go out of our way to help customers (e.g., delivering groceries to an elderly customer for free during the holidays) (Customer Think).

Beyond these anecdotes, the data is clear. In the table below, Trader Joe’s had the second  highest positive emotion ratings of 268 companies sampled (it is second only to the smaller-scale Texas grocer H-E-B) (Customer Think).

However, there are significant differences in the two companies, outside of how they have developed their talent. Singapore Airlines has positioned itself as a luxury brand, superior to other airlines in every way. This has led to challenges with expectations, as highlighted by the consulting study that revealed that passengers “expected more of SIA than they expected of other airlines...Moreover, many customers didn’t hesitate to complain to SIA about perceived service shortcomings that they would have ignored on other airlines” (HBS Singapore Airlines Case). 

Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s perpetuates a value-for-money brand; their target customer is a “Volvo-driving professor who could be CEO of a Fortune 100 company if he could get over his capitalist angst.” (HBS Trader Joes Case). Based on this branding, customers are constantly pleasantly surprised by Trader Joe’s - a stark contrast to the disappointment customers feel about Singapore Airlines. 

On a side note, it is interesting to see this value-for-money approach replicated by several of the direct-to-consumer brands that have emerged recently (e.g., Warby Parker, Harry’s, Allbirds, Quip, etc.)

This has played into Singapore Airlines struggle with the “spiraling cost of introducing ever more intricate creature comforts” (HBS Singapore Airlines Case).  Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s has created a competitive advantage by negotiating and managing secretive supplier relationships that often do not carry stocking fees (Customer Think).

Given these parallels, it appears as though there are three primary steps Singapore Airlines should take. First, it should continue to invest in its talent, replicating the Good Jobs approach, which has served as a powerful competitive advantage. Second, it should work to negotiate stronger supplier relationships; given its strong brand as a luxury carrier, it should negotiate with entertainment, food, and lifestyle providers, highlighting the advantage of being featured on a top-tier airline (and the potential to acquire additional customers). 

Third, and most difficultly, Singapore Airline needs to determine how to position itself as value-for-money brand. While it probably cannot use price as a lever in the short-term, since it needs to cover its increasing costs, it could create a branding campaign that highlights that customers are getting more than what they are paying for. This could involve applying behavioral science. One option could involve segmenting the pain and building commitment through choice: after having customers go through the necessary “pain of paying,” the airline could walk customers through a range of choices (e.g., their meals, entertainment options, welcome packages, etc.) (HBR Behavioral Science, Prelec).

Sources:

Customer Think. http://customerthink.com/how-trader-joes-provides-excellent-customer-experience-consistently-4-key-takeaways/

HBR, “Want to Perfect Your Company’s Service? Use Behavioral Science.”

Huffington Post. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trader-joes-treating-workers-well_us_566b438de4b0e292150df3d6

Prelec, https://spectrum.mit.edu/winter-1999/the-psychology-of-spending/

“Trader Joe’s.” Harvard Business School. 2014.

University of  Washington. https://cydnedzabel.wordpress.com/leadership/train_paper/.

Zeynep Ton, “The Good Jobs Strategy.” 2014.

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Look Twice: Similarities in the Wine and Watch Industries

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Corona’s focus on the simple theme of “fun, beach, and sun” appears to be highly effective. The simplicity of the identify appears to have allowed for global consistency, while simultaneously allowing each importer to retain its own advertising agencies to translate it into local context.