Decide What Your Brand Stands For—And Opposes
Brands that are laser focused on who they are, and what they can do for consumers, have an edge over their competition.
Last year Best Buy took some time—about 18 months, actually—to re-brand its U.S. division as a response to declining sales and increasing competition. This past June, the company began introducing its first “connected stores” with “central knowledge desks” that offer services, trainings, and classes—reminiscent of Apple’s Genius Bars. They’re also focusing more on technology rather than purchasing, which is apparently a much “richer” place for the brand.
We hope this all works for you, Best Buy, we really do. But let’s talk about your new tagline: “Making technology work for you.” We’re guessing you haven’t heard David Ogilvy’s famously blunt phrase, “You can’t bore people into buying your product.”
Strong brands stand for something. They’re also opposed to something, according to David Brier, a brand identity expert. He uses a well-known brand as an illustration: Apple is opposed to technology that forces users to adapt; it stands for technology that adapts to people’s needs. Successful businesses ensure that their target customers know what they’re for and what they’re against—these points are part of the reason consumers choose a particular brand in the first place.
Does Best Buy’s new slogan effectively convey the idea that they believe in or are opposed to anything? Or is it just a few buzzwords smashed together in an attempt to get in on the impending back-to-school buying frenzy? Honestly, the old tag line of “You, happier.” seems much more in alignment with representing a brand that’s about more than just buying. Hopefully the rest of their re-brand will pick up the tagline’s slack…only time will tell.