I had drinks with Dr. Bob Deutsch the other day (brain-sells.com). He shared what I thought was a wise perspective on what great brands do for us: that great brands create emotional connections by enhancing and advancing our identities. Very cool. In the context of culture, we have more ways than ever to develop a sense of who we are, how we fit in the world and in our relationships. It’s very exciting to have this swirl of culture around you, knowing you can participate at some level in pretty much anything.
But working recently on a couple of pitches has helped me see that accessing different parts of culture can be made to be very difficult or very easy. It’s almost impossible to become a member of the Harvard’s Porcellian Club at Harvard, to Mark Zuckerberg’s huge frustration in The Social Network. But It’s dead easy to be a fan of the San Francisco Giants. Whether you are a jump-on-the-band-wagon type or a season ticket holder, baseball is built for easy access.
Great brands provide access to new worlds at the level of risk, challenge and adventure that we have the appetite for.
Easy Access Brands
Some brands make it hard and tend to attract people who like it that way. It’s the American meritocracy version of the class system, where those admitted worked hard to earn their place among the few. Easy Access brands seem to be about controlled risk, allowing us to expand our sense of self without too much danger, time spent, money or potential for failure. I guess this is a part of what it mean when people say “Americanized.” Convenience and reliability are its hallmarks. It’s not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a hell of a business model. There’s very big money here.
- Elvis, Perry Como, Eminem and many other artists have provided access to music that mainstream white audiences were not willing to hear from their black originators. Controversial, and also true.
- Epcot Center lets people tour the world from the comfort of a resort in Florida.
- Olive Garden and Outback give us Italian and Australian cuisine without the risk of disappointment, inconvenience or embarrassment.
- All you need to be part of Harley culture is ride the bike and wear the clothes. It’s a far cry from its gang heyday, but there are over 1 million hog members.
- P.F. Chang’s is delicious, in a cleaned up way. Many authentic Chinese restaurants are off the beaten path, exposing people to language and food that many just doesn’t have the tolerance for.
- Whole Foods continues to be less work than hitting the Farmer’s Market, Pharmaca then finally Safeway to cross the stray items off your shopping list (Plus, it seems to have become a bit of a pickup joint, so that’s another plus for single peeps).
- H&M is a fairly cutting edge disposable fashion place, but still reduces your specialty boutiques trips.
None of this is to say that an Easy Access Brand is better or worse than a more exclusive one. Both obviously have hugely relevant roles in the culture. More to the point, both play significant roles for many of us as individuals. I like Gjelina in Venice as much as PF Chang’s with the kids in Santa Monica. I like Eminem and MC Solaar. Umbria was great and so as was Epcot. Each brand plays its part in helping me explore what it means to be some guy living in the early part of the 21st Century.
