Reilly Newman | Brand is relative because it is based on perceptions.
This sounds more complex than it really is. That’s because we go through our daily lives with this fact being part of physics. This is why if I’m on an elevator and I toss a ball in the air, to me the ball only rises a few feet. If you’re watching me ride up in the elevator and you see me throw the ball in the air, to you it looks like the ball is traveling faster and higher. Neither view is right or wrong; it’s just relative to another.
This means that with any brand we need at least two perspectives. These two basic perspectives are that of the insider and the outsider. You and your customer.
In physics, this is called Galilean Relativity and these perspectives lead directly to the fact that each individual has a frame of reference. This is the point of view by which they are coming from; which can alter things quite drastically.
However, a brand being relative is more than just Galilean Relativity. Being outside of space and time, a brand is a concept that exists and is then transformed into a percept through the experience. If you don’t believe that statement then white headphones, green straws, and red hats should mean nothing more than what they are. However, the concepts of these have grown to have perceptions much beyond their simple concepts due to their association with famous brands.
A concept is an existing idea. Just as your business can project an idea of a brand out into the world through sheer awareness by portraying it through design, messaging, imagery, etc. To achieve success, this concept must be received by the audience and further developed into a percept (the object of the perception). This can only be completed by the audience as they are the ones who ultimately determine the relativity of the brand in accordance to their outlook — Simply put, this is why some people like Adidas and not Nike, Ford not Chevy, Coke and not Pepsi, Democrat and not Republican, Starbucks and not Pete’s, etc. These concepts are all fine as brands and hold their own value, however that value is only redeemed when the viewer determines their connection to the perception.
A good thing to remember is that relativity isn’t fully determined by the elements we align with, but also by the elements we do not align with. Similar to how we visually see, we need contrast to have true visibility. With brands, we look for that same contrast. How does this brand differ from the others? Why? Why are their headphones white? Why are their straws green? Why do they say things that way? All of these are ways a brand can stand out and differentiate. This adds further clarity to the concept and a better chance of the perception created.
Be warned. Be careful with contrast though. This is specifically why political campaigns are typically “pro” something and by doing so, they position their counterpart as “anti” — it’s the juxtaposition of the two that can begin to disorient the viewer and they lose track of where they truly are especially, when two opposing positions are both “pro”. Pro-choice vs pro-life, for instance. This type of trickery leads people to think they can’t like two opposing brands for different reasons. This perception tactic ensures each get 100% of the inclined individual. Just as one person isn’t wholly a democrat or a republican, they most likely have mixed views and actually have more in common with their counterpart than what they disagree on. Heck, I like Starbucks for certain coffee blends and I like Pete’s for others. I’m allowed to enjoy them for different reasons because their differences is what makes them viable perceptions in my mind. I view each differently.
To be aware of relative perception and its benefits and potential pitfalls is not to make brand appear more complicated, but rather to understand the inner workings of what makes an effective brand. By understanding how brand is taken from a concept and transformed into a percept, we begin to gain a grasp on how to best strategize and create a brand for a business to achieve the results they desire.
