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All brands have an intrinsic, innate appeal, a magnetic force that pulls at those that it interacts with, through an attractive force, weak or strong, depending on the way brands behave, act, communicate and think. The attractiveness of the brand is more than a sum total of how the five senses of the perceiver relates to it, and is also deeply impacted by the brands’ vision, and its subtle emotional and cognitive states.
Often, the term ‘Attractive’ is seen to have a meaning of ‘alluring to the senses’, though attraction visibly occurs for reasons deeper than just external appearances. The seeming strangeness of some paired human couples only goes to show that attractiveness has as many different implications as there are people. In the case of brands, TRA Research has classified Attractiveness into four basic appeals – Emotional, Rational, Aspirational and Communications, and it is a combination of these four aspects (or their lack) which is responsible for the quality and force of the magnetic pull in a brand.
The context of the times we live in is changing fast and the last internet decade has seen humans connected to more humans, brands and ideas than eons before it. However, extending the classic Dunbar argument to brands, there is an increasing likelihood that there exists a maximum limit to the number of stable relationships (brand + human) that a person can maintain. While on the surface, these brand and human interactions have increased exponentially, the increase in numbers is definitely at a cost of the relationship depth.
If the above argument is true, then what does it imply for brands? And what should brands do to stay attractive to their stakeholders in an increasingly transient consumer mind. Our science of brand attractiveness, gives an Attractiveness Quotient (AQ) based on the four appeals stated earlier.
In a situation where the brand relationships are ephemeral and mindscape is turbulent, the Brand Attractiveness Matrix makes it easier for a label to analyse the changing stakeholder quotients and alter strategies according to the twists and turns the brand encounters.
The concept of Popularity is an extension of Brand Attractiveness. Having a high AQ shows that the fundamentals of the brand are well aligned to the magnetic pull. However, for it to be converted to Popularity, the brand must have a significant following based on aligned principles. While easily said, getting a ‘significant following’ without distorting a brand’s core tenets is one of the most difficult tasks for any brand. Most brands begin with a surmise about what their brand is, and then begin to understand what the audiences feel about the brand.
In a changing world, the opposite is more relevant – to develop the brand’s personality based on the brand owners, its consumers. The custodians must be just that, custodians, and allow the brand to evolve and morph as the owners choose. Such an evolving brand is constantly vibrant and stays in touch with its audiences’ changing choices, and therefore stays attractive to its stakeholders. To end the dilemma of brands on longevity of attractiveness, I often say, ‘Do not ask how much; ask how far.’
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