Ying Lin

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Central Park is like an oasis in NYC - tranquility in a city that never sleeps (at Central Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz38RbYhIyj/?igshid=17e1h3s1vrpfd

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#thevesselnyc #hudsonyards #iloveny #sundayfunday p.c. @grasznoyaplueschitti (at The Vessel) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bznqya3hF2D/?igshid=99e2f03bt905

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Officially an MIT Sloan alum from today. Big shout out to my family and friends’ unwavering support every step of the way! You have been and will always be the source of my strengths going forward ❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/ByZOkFkBuHs/?igshid=2pprekhrfkx8

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#Sedona #grandcanyon #monumentvalley #antelopecanyon #horseshoebend #zionnationalpark https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx3tBfdBEeg/?igshid=17r08sfqeh2f1

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Fabletics’ core values

Reflecting on what we have covered in the Branding class so far, I learned a lot about the external aspects of branding - the visuals (logos, printed ads) and voices (tones, taglines). And now I am starting to see the importance of the internal aspect – the core values that guide everything a brand does and its relationship with customers. Core brand values are the compass that points to the true North of business success. As Doug Levy and Bob Garfield argued in their Advertising Age article “Ignore the Human Element of Marketing at Your Own Peril,” core values can’t be faked.  

I want to discuss a brand that I love and does well in identifying and communicating their core values. It is Fabletics. In 2013, Fabletics was founded by Kate Hudson, an iconic actress, a fashion tastemaker and a mother of two. Fabletics provides stylish and high-quality activewear at an accessible price point.

What is at the core of Fabletics is their mission: inspire you to stay active and live your passion (see picture below). The brand’s core customer group is moms in their 30s and 40s. How did Fabletics manage to attract this group of women, who may not feel confident in their body figure? The secret to that traction, Hudson noted, is that Fabletics puts less fitness pressure on its shoppers - and that resonates with consumers who aren’t looking to be stressed out by their wardrobe.

“Sometimes, for an average woman or an everyday woman, or a soccer mom, or someone who doesn’t necessarily know how to get into the healthy lifestyle, it can be a little bit intimidating. So, I kind of wanted to create something that was more about a lifestyle than an actual fitness brand. And it seemed to really resonate. I personally think that there wasn’t a company or brand that was taking the healthy lifestyle with a ‘more fun’ approach, that was more about like doing the best you can,” she said.

In contrast with Under Armor’s struggle to appeal to women, I find that Fabletics has hit the nail on the head by stating upfront and clearly articulating their core values of inspiring women to stay active and live their passion. With these values, it’s easier to determine the other branding factors such as positioning, communications, etc. and create true loyalty and customer resonance.

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Burberry campaign featuring Emma Watson

Emma Watson rid herself of Hermione Granger when she belted up in a classic Burberry trench coat, in her sophisticated smoky-eye look.

As a die-hard Harry Potter fan since fifth grade, I adored Emma Watson. So when she became the face of Burberry in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns, my affinity for Emma also extended to Burberry, especially that trench coat she wore in the ad. It surprised me because I usually place value over luxury when it comes to apparel. However, now that I analyze it from a branding perspective,  it’s absolutely a brilliant idea choosing Emma as the next-generation Burberry ambassador.

Emma grew up in England. She had all the characteristics consistent with the brand heritage - classic, chic, witty, and fun. As an English literature major at Brown University, she was also perceived uniquely as an actress with the brain and the drive. Moreover, she just turned 20 at that time and had a loyal fan base of people like me who are in this age group. As a result, Burberry must have gained an expanded customer base of young people in their 20s with rising consumption power.

Overall, the campaign was a great success – Burberry gaining popularity among young people and Emma advancing her modeling and fashion career.        

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Soylent - an analysis of product diffusion

Product diffusion is the acceptance of a product or service by a target market. When I think of product diffusion, I cannot help but think of one of my favorites: Soylent, a plant protein based, nutritious meal replacement.

When the company launched in 2013, it targeted a niche audience: busy Silicon Valley workers who wanted an affordable, nutritionally-optimized way to fuel their bodies. Now Soylent has gone mainstream. It is available in more than 20,000 US retail stores, including Walmart and 7-Eleven, and on Amazon. Let’s take a look at how Roger’s Five Factors apply to the adoption of Soylent.  

Relative advantage - high. Soylent's first product was a powder that could be mixed up with water, consumed as a bland, chalky shake. Its relative advantages over a meal are very clear: on-the-go, time-saving, nutritional, and affordable at $3-4 per meal.   

Compatibility – medium. Although there has been increasing awareness about food sustainability and plant-based protein, the idea of “drinking a meal” is still relatively new and may be a turn-off to some people. Meal replacements are usually associated with unhealthy diets or artificial processes. 

Complexity – medium. Soylent does a good job listing the ingredients and various nutrients on its product label. However, the fact that people cannot really tell what’s in it led to questions such as “how is the formula engineered” and “where are the ingredients sourced from”, etc.

Trialability and Observability - high. One can easily experiment with the product. There are many Youtubers and web influencers who posted reviews and trials of “living on Soylent for X weeks”, increasing the product visibility among youngsters. An example here: https://www.facebook.com/hubspot/videos/10156638964364394/

Last but not least, I recommend giving it a try if you haven’t!

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To me, wine is something in the category I call “the more I know, the more I know I don’t know.” The picture above speaks a thousand words.

It’s interesting that the case pointed out a contrast between Chinese and US wine consumers: Chinese consumers valued the country of origin while US consumers wanted more variety and novelty during wine purchases. I think this was true back then in 2006. Fast forward to the present, Chinese consumers are entering the premium segment as more people acquired knowledge and sophistication about wines. An example is basketball player Yao Ming, who has bought a winery in Napa.

Consistent with the above, and considering the global trend towards “flight to quality”, I would suggest a “bottom-up” or “go-premium” strategy for Concha y Toro, for the following two reasons:

1. Follow and anticipate consumption trends. From consumer research, there’s a global trend towards an emphasis on wine quality, whether for purposes of self-enjoyment or social statement. Consumers are willing to pay a premium for quality, which leads to higher market potential.

2. Achieve long-term financial sustainability. Premium brands not only offer differentiation among competitors but also provides higher margins.  

To execute the strategy, the first step is to work with a brand matrix (such as the one below) along the dimensions of price and quality. After identifying which sub-brands are the priorities, invest in marketing those brands with the highest growth potential. At the same time, carry out a portfolio rationalization and gradually phase out low-end brands. It is worth noting that these strategic moves will require an internal reorganization and Concha y Toro should be prepared for any organizational inertia on its way towards ambitious goals.

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Corona: brand humility and understanding customers

What really resonated with me in the Corona case was Michael Foley’s reflection about Heineken: “the Heineken will be more humble and less haughty as well as more responsive to its distributors, friendlier to its consumers and respectful of its fellow brewers.”

Brand humility

“Brand humility is the only response to a fast-changing and competitive marketplace. The humble brand understands that it needs to re-earn attention, re-earn loyalty and reconnect with its audience as if every day is the first day.” – Seth Godin 

Heineken’s 1991 campaign was themed “Just being the best is enough.” A lot of arrogance was exhibited in corporate communication and brand statements, which led to missed opportunities to better engage consumers and anticipate market competition.

A modern day example is the traditional financial services industry. A few years ago, when fintech or blockchain technology was still in nascent stages, the traditional financial institutions prided themselves on their long history and solid client base while treating emerging fintech players as scams or fads. Fast-forward to present, fintech players have taken increasing market shares and disrupted the financial industry.  

Understanding customers

“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” - Peter F. Drucker

Corona did better than Heineken in listening and understanding customers. To restore the price/value relationship that had been affected by rumors, Corona absorbed higher taxes itself instead of passing onto consumers. This entailed higher costs in the short term but more so a win in the long term. Corona also won by consistent ad messages and keeping a fun brand image.

Whether it’s brand/consumer relationships, business relationships, or personal relationships, it’s vital to research, understand and engage your customers.

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Intel created a strong brand image that led to salience

I’ve always known Intel as a technology innovator given its leadership and fast production cycle in the CPU market. What I came to realize after reading the case is that Intel is also a marketing innovator! It makes sense because to this day I can recall growing up watching Intel ads, translated and displayed all over Chinese household TVs, with that signature “animated jingle” deeply embedded in my memories. My own experience is a testament to the wildly successful worldwide marketing campaign of “Intel Inside”.

From the perspective of customer journey, the campaign was successful in that it elevated the level of awareness of an “ingredient” or component of the PC that was neglected by end users and established the Intel brand image, leading to repeat purchases and consumer advocacy, and eventually promoting the growth of the entire PC industry. Bravo!

I attribute the success of the campaign to three factors: 1) the courage to push forward bold experiments and breakthrough ways of advertising, such as the Blue Man Group ad in the following link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUm7a3Cuoz0); 2) the ability to bridge the gap between functional aspects of the CPU with users’ emotional experience by emphasizing the core brand values -  safety/reliability and technology leadership; 3) the organizational and cultural changes to align product and marketing roadmaps.

In a rapidly changing technology landscape, products can become obsolete quickly and incumbents can be disrupted by new challengers. In this sense, brand image is truly a priceless intangible asset that can help companies stay relevant in consumers’ minds. I believe Intel, or any other reputable brands, should monetize its brand equity by extending into new product categories, as long as there’s conviction from business and strategy points of view that the new category will bring about desired growth and returns.