http://mjbraide.com/mjblog/the-truth-about-difference/ What's on my mind... Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:39:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 http://mjbraide.com/mjblog/the-truth-about-difference/#comment-107 Brian Phipps Fri, 04 Jul 2008 17:28:58 +0000 http://mjbraide.com/mjblog/the-truth-about-difference/#comment-107 One might even add a third dimension to the differentiation process: a brand's ability to differentiate its customers from the customers of other brands. In theory, superior brands produce superior customers; a brand strategy will be geared to create customers that are distinctively advantaged. That's part of the brand proposition. Companies that treat their customers as commodities--purely to be sold to--will never reach their brand potential. Ted Levitt might say they suffer from "brand myopia." Their brands are destined to be differentiated in the shallowest measures: positioning, messaging and campaigns. One can see this today in how the Apple brand seems to be taking its customers to a higher level of digital experience, while competing PC brands treat their customers as if it's still the 1990's. The result: booming sales for the Apple brand, and a commodity swim for the rest. One might even add a third dimension to the differentiation process: a brand’s ability to differentiate its customers from the customers of other brands. In theory, superior brands produce superior customers; a brand strategy will be geared to create customers that are distinctively advantaged. That’s part of the brand proposition. Companies that treat their customers as commodities–purely to be sold to–will never reach their brand potential. Ted Levitt might say they suffer from “brand myopia.” Their brands are destined to be differentiated in the shallowest measures: positioning, messaging and campaigns. One can see this today in how the Apple brand seems to be taking its customers to a higher level of digital experience, while competing PC brands treat their customers as if it’s still the 1990’s. The result: booming sales for the Apple brand, and a commodity swim for the rest.

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