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BRAND HERITAGE GUIDE

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THIS GUIDE AIMS TO –define heritage –understand prevailing forces in culture that make it relevant –explore the different ways heritage is used in storytelling –draw relevant conclusions that will help brands harness the power of their past

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WHAT’S INCLUDED

–cultural trends driving desire for heritage –9 case studies of best-in-class heritage brands –6 cautionary tales –heritage guardrails (Do’s and Don’ts) and key takeaways –parting thoughts for you to consider

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DEFINING HERITAGE

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WHAT IS HERITAGE?

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HERITAGE IS A CONNECTION TO THE PAST

To the people, places and purpose that were there at the beginning.

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FOR BRANDS, HERITAGE CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE It can strengthen an emotional connection to your audience by re-establishing this connection to the past.

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It creates nostalgia. It is a reason to believe – and a reason to buy. It can validate a price premium. It creates an emotional connection with your audience. It creates a through-line for future brand actions. And ultimately…

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HERITAGE IS A STORYTELLING DEVICE

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AND HERITAGE STORYTELLING IS POPULAR

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BRANDS CONNECTING TO THEIR HERITAGE

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WHY NOW? WHY ARE WE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF HERITAGE AS A STORYTELLING DEVICE?

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CULTURAL CONTEXT

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OUR CULTURAL CONTEXT

The economic climate is uncertain.

While consumers have greater access to information

There’s an increasing distrust of “big” & “fake.”

Quality & authenticity are becoming key selling points,

And when it comes to food, there’s a desire for “real” & deeper connections.

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IN HARD TIMES, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR COMFORT FROM THE PAST •  Nostalgic moments from simpler times •  A desire to connect to something that has meaning •  Looking for comfort in the familiar

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Transparency

65% of consumers believe that transparency and honest business practices are important factors to corporate reputation.

CONSUMERS HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Accessibility

Connection

Half of all adult cell owners (51%) had used their phone at least once to get information they needed right away.

Pew Research study of 2,277 adults (Americans and Their Cell Phones; Aug 15 2011)

Crowd Sourcing

Council of PR Firms and VeraQuest Impact of Social Media Survey, 2011

90% of consumers surveyed noted that they trust recommendations from people they know, while 70% trusted consumer opinions posted online.

Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey , 2009

The information age has given consumers the knowledge they need to make more informed choices and brands are responding by providing more information than ever before.

Edelman Trust Barometer 2011

Four in ten respondents (39%) reported that they “feel more connected” to brands because of social media. 84% of online adults feel they are either “somewhat more loyal” or “much more loyal” because of social media.

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THERE IS A GROWING DISTRUST OF “BIG” & “FAKE”

72% of Americans say “I am more skeptical of the claims that brands make today, than I have been in the past”

Roper Reports US TeleCell Survey November 2009 Q5 (phone); RRUS 2009 Spring Core Survey QC05

Skepticism of Authority

Fairness

Consumers have been using more cash and cutting down on debt. 60% of people who eat out said the recession had changed the way they spend their food budget. And 24% plan to eat out less this year than they did last year, choosing to prepare more meals at home.

Sources: Mintel Menu Insights; Dining Out: A 2011 Look Ahead—U.S., January 2011

Back to Basics

Supporting Local

More local farmers were able to get their wares directly to consumers this year as the USDA reports that there is a 17% increase in the number of Farmers Markets since 2010.

With improved access to information during this economic crisis, consumers are re-assessing their values and purchasing accordingly.

63% of consumers believe that treating employees well is an important factor to corporate reputation.

Edelman Trust Barometer 2011 US Department of Agriculture’s 2011 National Farmers Market Directory

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QUALITY & AUTHENTICITY ARE BECOMING KEY SELLING POINTS IN COMMUNICATION Consumers want to trust what they are spending their money on and enjoy the comfort and validation heritage provides.

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WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD THERE’S A DESIRE FOR “REAL” & DEEPER CONNECTIONS As consumers begin to expect higher quality goods and services, business offerings must find ways to connect and be more “real” to stay competitive. Food products are increasingly being grounded in narratives of history, place, and tradition to accomplish this.

Heirloom fruits and vegetables are becoming more widely available, offering more flavor and biodiversity and offer more health benefits when compared to GMOs. They are also easily understood markers of distinction.

Heritage-bred cows, pigs and chickens like Berkshire Pork, which have not undergone genetic modification via either genetic engineering or selective breeding, are saving livestock breeds and making its way into markets providing high-quality meat and taste.

Provenance Heirloom Heritage Breeds Education

The emergence of boutique butcheries such as The Meat Hook in Brooklyn source all of its meat from local sustainable farms and many offer butchery classes as well as workshops on sausage-making.

Sources: Mintel Menu Insights; Dining Out: A 2011 Look Ahead—U.S., January 2011

Regional native fruits and vegetables connect consumers with producers and encourages responsible behavior throughout the supply chain. Hence, 58% of restaurant goers are interested in seeing more locally grown produce on restaurant menus.

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HOW IS HERITAGE STORYTELLING DONE?

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HERITAGE STORYTELLING

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3 WAYS TO TELL A HERITAGE STORY

•  Use a persona from your past (founder or mascot)

•  Use your original purpose (your mission or cause)

•  Use your provenance (where you’re from)

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USE A PERSONA FROM YOUR PAST

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TYPES OF PERSONAS

VISIONARIES DO-GOODERS CHARACTERS

innovation/progress/being first honesty/integrity/humanity likability/familiarity/trust

Visionaries challenge the ways we’ve always done things, and reinvent the

world around them through innovation

Do-Gooders find a cause to champion, and make it their life’s mission to make

the world a better place

Characters offer highly approachable personalities that instill trust, and a subtle charm that makes us feel good about them

TYPE

VA

LUE

PURP

OSE

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“The best designs are the result of someone questioning everything around them – looking at the same things as everyone else, but thinking something different.”

— James Dyson (inventor, founder of Dyson)

James Dyson often appears alongside products in communications to put a face on the brand, and to keep his original vision alive. His signature in ads shows that Dyson stands behind his products with a visible stamp of approval.

VISION

HERITAGE STORY

HOW HE’S USED

NOTABLE QUOTE

I believe in reinventing the ordinary

VALUES Innovation, Beautiful Design, Challenging the Status Quo

Dyson stays true to his heritage by consistently reinventing whole categories of products. Starting with the ineffectiveness of vacuum bags (1984), and then by tackling the invention of the first blade-less fan (2006). He has built an empire on innovation.

JAMES DYSON, FOUNDER & CEO VISIONARY

WHY USE HIM As an inventor, James Dyson lends his curiosity, ingenuity and an innovative spirit to the brand.

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“Today we recognize that fresh isn't enough. It's important to understand how animals are raised and how vegetables are grown if you're going to source the best ingredients and serve the best-tasting food.”

— Steve Ells, Founder of Chipotle

While Steve Ells isn’t physically present in most communications, his dream is realized in everything Chipotle does. Chipotle recently created Web videos detailing his vision (http://bit.ly/nRz3AH) & a music video/cover by Willie Nelson that sends a powerful message about reform (http://bit.ly/nRz3AH).

VISION

HERITAGE STORY

HOW HE’S USED

NOTABLE QUOTE

I believe in food with integrity

VALUES Better Tasting Products, Better Sources, Better for the Environment, Better for the Animals, Better for the Farmers

Since 1993, Chipotle has strived to keep things simple (only 5 items on the menu), use organic ingredients, and serve naturally raised meat (since 2001) over cheaper alternatives. Today, they serve more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant in the world, have 1,084 locations, and have single-handedly grown high-end free range farms, like Niman Ranch, over 600% in 11 years.

STEVE ELLS, FOUNDER & CEO DO-GOODER

WHY USE HIM Having a man behind the vision instills trust, authenticity and a sense of humanity to the brand – and a clear sense of thought-leadership for where the company’s commitment originates.

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“Share your success and help others succeed. Give everyone a chance to have a piece of the pie. If the pie’s not big enough, make a bigger pie.”

— Dave Thomas, Founder of Wendy’s

Dave’s presence as an ad spokesmen for the Wendy’s brand is iconic (started in 1989). So much so that even after his death, the brand has found a myriad of ways to bring him back, via the use of his voice, stories told by his daughter Wendy, and by naming a burger after him.

VISION

HERITAGE STORY

HOW HE’S USED

NOTABLE QUOTE

My goal is to exceed our customers expectations every day

VALUES Honesty, Integrity, Willingness to Work Hard, a Winning Attitude, and a Burning Desire to Succeed

Dave opened his first Wendy's in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. And as of March 2010, Wendy's has become the world's third largest hamburger fast-food chain with approximately 6,650 locations.

DAVE THOMAS, FOUNDER CHARACTER

WHY USE HIM Dave Thomas’s down-to-earth personality adds a warm, likable and honest side to the brand that people trust. These traits are carried forward by referencing him after his passing.

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VISIBLE SPOKESPERSON BEHIND-THE-SCENES

Chipotle Founder, Steve Ells

Primarily used in earned media as

the source of humanity behind-the-scenes

Wendy’s Founder, Dave Thomas

Primary spokesperson for the brand,

until his death, now products created in his memory and his daughter tells his story

Dyson Founder, James Dyson

Used in all expressions of the brand,

including name, signature, voice and face to lend his inventor persona

FACE OF THE BRAND

KEY TAKEAWAY PERSONAS USED IN VARIOUS WAYS

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!“The!digital!Orville!Redenbacher!freaks!me!right!out.!He!is!dead.!

Let’s!let!him!be!dead.!Because!Zombie!Orville!is!just!wrong,!wrong,!wrong.”!!

—Angry'B'(blogger)'

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!“How,!in!the!name!of!all!that!is!holy,!could!someone!look!upon!the!face!of!that!digital!demon!and!remark,!‘You!know,!I!could!

really!go!for!something!edible?’!”!!—Mike'Schuster'(journalist)'

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!“WOW!!Was!that!creepy!or!what?!!It!wasn't!even!mildly!amusing.!Not!even!a!shred!of!irony.!Just!a!creepy!digiNzed!dead!guy,!and!we're!supposed!to!accept!it!as!what?!Nostalgia?!Funny?!Campy?!We!will!never!buy!that!popcorn!again!RR!it!would!taste!like!the!

polyps!off!Orville!Redenbacher's!dead!neck.”!!—Rich'S'(slashfood'commenter)'

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POPULAR OPINION

In 2007, in an effort to capitalize on the public's love and memory of that sweet popping corn personality Orville Redenbacher ConAgra Foods hired hot agency Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, director David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, Panic Room), and the graphic wizards behind Titanic, Day After Tomorrow, and iRobot. This infamous attempt to resurrect a dead founder will likely go down in history as the worst ever – given strong reactions it triggered with the public. WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Don’t resurrect founders in artificial ways

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcn4p213Zg8

CAUTIONARY TALE: ORVILLE REDENBACHER INAUTHENTIC USE OF A FOUNDER

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!“AuntJemima.com’s!‘History’!page!sure!looks!whitewashed!to!me.!MarkeNng!can!–!and!oWen!is!–!used!to!manipulate!the!facts.”!!

—Erika'Nicole'Kendall'(blogger)'!

!“Makes!me!not!want!to!buy!them!again!for!totally!removing!the!

true!facts!from!the!website!”!!—Naturalblackone'(commenter)'

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!“I’m!so!Nred!of!seeing!this!character!as!if!she!is!a!blessing!to!

Blacks.!My!pancakes!taste!so!much!beXer!(as!do!my!waffles!that!I!make!from!scratch),!and!I!don’t!need!some!mammy!mix!to!do!it.”!!

—Kalley'C'(commenter)'

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POPULAR OPINION

Aunt Jemima is a story of revisionist history. In reality, her character is based on a 19th century Vaudeville song “Old Aunt Jemima” about a slave. However, in 1968, controversy over Aunt Jemima being a negative portrayal of an African-American woman led to visual changes in the character; her bandanna was removed and she was given pearl earrings. Today, Aunt Jemima’s full origin story is missing in historical sections of the Quaker Oats website. However, many people find the fact that she is still used to be offensive. WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Avoid using a spokesperson if they have negative associations, and avoid fabricating or covering up their story when the truth is out there.

CAUTIONARY TALE: AUNT JEMIMA INAUTHENTIC USE OF A MASCOT

Sources: M. M. Manning; Aunt Jemima History; Quaker Oats website; http://bit.ly/pmWnpw

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WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT USING PERSONAS

DON’TS •  Don’t resurrect founders in artificial ways (e.g. Orville

Redenbacher CGI)

•  Don’t use a spokesperson if they have negatively perceived qualities (e.g. Aunt Jemima’s connection to slavery)

•  Don’t fabricate the facts in the story

DO’S •  Stay true to who founders/mascots were historically

•  Keep single-minded focus on what they offer that sets them apart (vision, values, personality)

•  Highlight their positive qualities to associate them with your brand

•  Know your baggage – if you have a checkered past, be especially careful about what to bring forward

•  Leverage their persona to convey trust & quality

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USE YOUR ORIGINAL PURPOSE

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TYPES OF PURPOSES

CRAFTSMANSHIP INNOVATION ALTRUISM

quality/function progress equality/goodwill

Brands with timeless, durable products

Brands whose products change the world around them

Brands whose missions are to enhance quality of life

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LEVIS LEGACY OF WORKMANSHIP

HERITAGE In 1873, Levi Strauss opened a branch of his brother’s dry goods business in San Francisco and partnered with Jacob Davis, a tailor, who had the idea of reinforcing hemp pants with rivets so that they lasted longer. They first began selling their pants to workers during the California Gold Rush. Modern jeans began appearing in the 1920s and were largely sold to cowboys, lumberjacks and railroad workers.

STORYTELLING Today, Levi’s embraces its heritage and pioneering spirit in the Go Forth campaign, which harkens back to Levi’s origins as a pant supplier for those paving the way for a new America. In 2011, Levi’s launched a vintage clothing site of their original designs for workmen. The durability and craftsmanship of the denim is still what makes Levi’s popular today.

WHY THIS WORKS By tapping into our desire for new discovery and heritage of conquest, consumers remember Levi’s role and legacy in American roots.

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VIRGIN PUSHING BUSINESS BOUNDRIES

STORYTELLING Virgin’s heritage is rooted in constant evolution, expansion and innovation. This allows them to move into categories that no one ever thought a record store should or could be in - from trains to space travel. Virgin’s cheeky and irreverent tone makes their communications memorable and suits their innovative spirit.

HERITAGE In 1970, Richard Branson started a mail-order record store out of the crypt of a church. The mail-order service was expanded into a store and later a label, signing previously unsignable artists like the Sex Pistols. Not satisfied with one successful business, Virgin is now the conglomerate of 400 companies ranging from healthcare to space travel.

WHY THIS WORKS Virgin’s heritage of innovation and experimentation have allowed them to expand and be profitable in many business sectors. By staying true to their purpose to innovate, they’ve built consumer trust to go where not many companies have gone before.

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PATAGONIA ENVIRONMENTAL ROOTS MISSION Build the best product, do no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement

solutions to the environmental crisis.

STORYTELLING Patagonia’s ads reflect heritage through imagery that emphasizes the grandiose power of nature. This is often expressed by framing man as relatively insignificant (i.e. small) in the midst of all its splendor. Catalogs use product descriptions to tell stories about environmental issues. And stores and packaging reinforce Patagonia’s commitment by implementing sustainable materials, low-impact design, and the ability to donate through every purchase.

HERITAGE In 1972, Yvon Choinard, a firm believer in ‘clean climbing’, converted his company’s steel pitons (spikes hammered into rocks) to aluminum chocks (hinge on rocks) for lower impact climbing. Yvon’s connection with nature influenced the development of the company and still informs Patagonia’s brand essence today.

WHY THIS WORKS Patagonia doesn’t just talk about their environmental purpose, they live it - from catalog language, to packaging, to pledging 1% of sales to environmental preservation. By donating a portion from every sale, they empower shoppers to support their company purpose and use their buying power for good.

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KEY TAKEAWAY BE FULLY COMMITTED TO PURPOSE At every touch-point and through every product

These brands are still successful today because of their unwavering commitment to doing what they do… extremely well.

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Iams (founded in 1946) has a long-standing history making premium pet food. The company’s mission is to “enhance the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality food.” To help punctuate this they often show dogs and cats being cared for by vets in white lab coats in communications. They also adopted the tagline: Iams. Good for Life. On March 16, 2007, a nationwide pet food recall was announced – naming three Iams’ wet dog food skus among the list of contaminated products. Poor oversight and quality control missed the co-packers decision to add “melamine” as a filler, not knowing it can be lethal to pets. This led to more than 3,600 pet deaths and thousands of cases of kidney failure. People were outraged, and as a result Iams lost more sales and market share than any other industry player. The brand's sales dropped 16.5% in an eight-week period, according to IRI data. WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Don’t say you stand for something, then lose focus on it (in this case quality).

!“I!have!a!dog!named!Rusty.!I!have!always!fed!him!IAMS!Dog!Food.!All!of!the!sudden!he!became!very!ill.!I!took!him!to!a!dog!emergency!clinic!to!find!out!that!he!has!developed!kidney!and!liver!problems.!I!am!sick!and!suffering!terribly!for!poisoning!my!

loved!dog!with!IAMS.”!!—Gretchen'of'Harvest,'AL'(commenter)'

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!“I!started!feeding!my!dog,!Freddie,!Iams!Select!Bites!(foil!pouch)!on!7!Mar!07.!On!20!Mar!07,!I!had!to!put!him!to!sleep!because!of!severe!kidney!failure.!Why!did!it!take!so!long!to!come!forward!

with!the!recall!and!informaNon?”!!—Linda'of'Clarksville,'TN'(commenter)'

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POPULAR OPINION

CAUTIONARY TALE: IAMS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN QUALITY

SOURCE: http://adage.com/article/print-edition/wake-pet-food-crisis-iams-sales-plummet-17/116656/

!“A!very!healthy!and!vibrant!9!year!old!ShelNe!went!from!acNve!and!lovingly!barky!to!silent.!He!was!fed!twice!out!of!Iams!canned!foods!on!March!18th.!We!have!consulted!with!a!veterinarian,!and!

this!aWernoon!his!heart!rate!exceeded!240!bpm.!What!is!happening?!We!are!rapidly!loosing!a!huge!part!of!our!lives.!We!

are!terrified.”!!—'Gary'of'Kingston,'NH'(commenter)'

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In 2007, in an effort to appear more forward thinking and green, British Petroleum changed their name to Beyond Petroleum. This announcement included a flashy marketing campaign with futuristic gas station makeovers and a new tagline: “Make the world a little better.” BP reveled in the public perception of being a “greener” oil company and recalibrated storytelling of their past to support this perception. Three years later, a BP oil rig named Deep Horizon exploded off the Gulf of Mexico and millions of gallons of crude spilled out. To make things worse, BP refused to accept responsibility. It took them 87 days to fix it. Not only was this the worst mishandling of an oil spill in history, but possibly the worst case of greenwashing to date – given that being green was clearly a lower priority than what they led us to believe. WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Don’t create a company purpose or align with a cause that allows you to leverage all the upside if you aren’t willing to support it when the going gets tough.

!“I!can't!believe!I!actually!fell!for!the!BP!slick!PR!campaign!myself,!

and!chose!to!buy!a!few!tanks!of!those!lies!”!!—Linda'M.'(commenter)'

!

!“BP!has!been!recognized!by!the!US!federal!government,!the!Queen,!the!Interstate!Oil!and!Gas!Commission,!and!other!

presNgious!organizaNons![for!their!green!efforts].!And!clearly!those!cerNficates!are!looking!a!liXle!oilRsoaked.”!!

—Blake'B.'(blogger)'!

!“The!spill!has!wiped!out!years!of!ad!spending!for!the!company!RR!

but!it!has!also!highlighted!how!disingenuous!much!of!that!adverNsing!was.!Despite!all!BP!has!spent!on!rebranding,!the!

company!hasn't!done!nearly!as!much!to!move!"beyond!petroleum"!as!its!campaign!implies.”!!

—Daniel'D.'(blogger)'!

POPULAR OPINION

CAUTIONARY TALE: BEYOND PETROLEUM FAIRWEATHER SUPPORT OF GREEN

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DO’S •  Leverage purpose when it can help prove why your

products have remained the best

•  Allow purpose to influence all of your brand actions

•  Stay true to purpose, even as you expand beyond your original product offerings

DON’TS •  Don’t say you stand for something, then lose focus on it

•  Don’t make purpose all talk and no action

•  When the going gets tough, you gotta keep going

WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT USING PURPOSE

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USE YOUR PROVENANCE

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TYPES OF PROVENANCE

LOCATION SETTING PRODUCT

local pride emotional environment origin story

Brand name taps into a physical place

Heritage communicated through historical setting

Brands who tap into heritage through a new product line

USE

TAPS

INTO

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OW

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OLD EL PASO LEVERAGING NAME OF PLACE

Old El Paso was founded in El Paso, Texas as the Mountain Pass Canning Company canning tomatoes and black beans, and eventually expanded to provide tasty Mexican food to tables across America.

Though owned by Betty Crocker, Old El Paso maintains its heritage through communications set in El Paso around Hispanic dinner tables and gatherings tapping into the authentic origins of Old El Paso cuisine.

STORYTELLING

HERITAGE

WHY THIS WORKS Communications that center around Hispanic culture lend an authentic quality halo to the brand and an idealized version of the Southwest.

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CHRYSLER LEVERAGING SETTING

At the 2011 Super Bowl, amid fledgling sales and a crumbling US auto industry, Chrysler launched their Imported from Detroit campaign tapping not only into the heritage of the company, but the American spirit.

Montages of gritty images of Detroit juxtaposed alongside local symbols of perseverance and redemption turn what is a sore spot for American industry into a point of pride and a rallying cry.

STORYTELLING

HERITAGE

WHY THIS WORKS Chrysler’s use of heritage boldly proclaims, “This is who we are. This is where we come from.” Tapping into their hometown roots conjures up images of all the hard-working people that have made America great. It also reminds us that buying American-made gives us ownership in helping our country succeed, while painting the competition as outsiders.

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STARBUCKS PIKE’S PLACE ROAST CREATING A PRODUCT EXTENSION

By 2010, Starbucks was losing its story because of rapid expansion. In order to address reaction to its mass perception, Starbucks launched a new line of coffee named for Seattle’s Pike Place Market where Starbucks first opened in 1971.

The product is marketed as boutique in ads, packaging and in-store experience through imagery or Pike’s Place market in Seattle, a coffee haven. The product’s setting allows Starbucks to talk not only about authentic origins, but also sourcing.

STORYTELLING

HERITAGE

WHY THIS WORKS Pike’s Place is one of Starbuck’s value-priced coffees; however, its nod to heritage keeps it from cheapening the brand by lending a more authentic and original quality to the company.

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KEY TAKEAWAY THE VALUE OF PROVENANCE

PROVENANCE

Transports us.

Gives us liberty to idealize. Leverages historical

credibility of a place.

Taps into emotional associations.

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In 2008, in an effort to get back to their German roots, Volkswagen created a talking Beetle, named “Max” to interview predictable German celebrities (Heidi Klum, David Hasselhoff, etc.) and deliver bad jokes with a fake German accent. The campaign’s weak attempt to link back to the birthplace of their brand via stereotypes, attracted a flurry of negative comments and one of the biggest sales drops in recent years (down 3.2% YOY in 2008 – with biggest drop of 14.4% YOY in December of that year). WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Don’t use stereotypical references to settings and cultural origins that are only weakly relevant to the brand – in this case, bad German accents and celebrities.

!“The!one!with!‘The!Hoff’!where!the!Beetle!starts!singing...!UGH...!it's!just!excruciaNng!!!OK,!this!"series"!needs!to!stop...!NOW..”!!

—PaWolf'(commenter)'!

!“Volkswagen!does!it!again!!‘It’!as!in!‘annoying!the!hell!out!of!me!’!This!is!a!series!of!ads!featuring!a!classic!VW!Beetle,!painted!black,!acNng!as!a!talk!show!host,!and!I!swear!he!has!the!most!annoying!

fauxRGerman!accent!ever.!”!!—Triple'J'(commenter)'

!

!“VW!is!using!Max!in!all!of!its!print,!web!and!TV!campaigns,!so!I’ve!had!ample!Nme!to!get!sick!of!him.!I!get!the!whole!iconic!thing–!

using!an!old!VW!as!a!mascot!is!kinda!cool,!but!the!German!accent!thing!kinda!just!comes!across!as!douchey.”!!

—MaN'(songspeak'blogger)'!

POPULAR OPINION

CAUTIONARY TALE: VW TALKING BUG “MAX” SHAMEFUL USE OF STEREOTYPES

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_viFrffstuE

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In 2006, Perdue added the picturesque image of their family farm to packaging, in an effort to create a scenic and much more pleasant image than an industrial chicken factory. A few years later (2010) they pushed further, by adding new claims, including “No Hormones or Steroids Added” and “Humanely Raised.” Shortly after, an animal activist released a video of chickens in a Perdue facility being shot full of antibiotics, hung on hooks, and slaughtered in inhumane ways. The Humane Society took notice and filed a lawsuit to remove the product claims. This created public outcry against “farmwashing” and generated a lot of negative publicity for Perdue. WHAT WE CAN LEARN: Don’t distort settings in ways that are inauthentic to your brand or attempt to earn positive associations that aren’t true (like happy farms with storybook-read chickens, when you haven’t changed a thing and no one reads to your chickens)

!“No!decent!person!could!ever!consider!the!way!they!are!

‘processed’!in!those!final!moments!as!being!‘humane.’!The!term!“humane”!is!misused!at!every!step.!I’m!glad!businesses!are!being!

challenged!for!perpetuaNng!this!sham.”!!—Bea'Elliot'(blogger)'

!

!“I!always!hated!the!hellish!commercials!in!which!Perdue's!owner!acts!like!the!chickens!are!having!a!good!Nme!when!they!are!

actually!gepng!abused.!Sick,!sick!world!in!that!we!exploit!animals!for!our!own!greed.!A!pox!on!Perdue!and!all!factory!farms!like!it.!”!!

—Lacy'L.'(commenter)'!

!“Mr.!Perdue!please!stop!your!adverNsements,!showing!how!you!care!for!your!chickens.!I!intend!to!boycoX!both!your!chickens!and!eggs!unNl!this!inhumanity!is!stopped!!You!will!not!get!my!money!

anymore.”!!—Nuno'C.'(commenter)'

!

POPULAR OPINION

CAUTIONARY TALE: PERDUE “FARMWASHING” INAUTHENTIC USE OF SETTING

Link: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/11/perdue_labels_112910.html

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WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT USING PROVENANCE

DO’S

•  Tell an interesting story of provenance

•  Tap into the emotional equities of setting

•  Consider the history of a place

DON’TS •  Don’t use settings that are irrelevant to products,

brand or culture

•  Don’t distort settings in ways that feel foreign and inauthentic to the brand

•  Don’t play into stereotypes

•  Don’t overstate the truth

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HERITAGE CONCLUSIONS

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AUTHENTIC HERITAGE STORIES MAKE BRANDS MORE DISTINCT

RELE

VAN

CE

(driv

en b

y be

lief)

DISTINCTIVENESS (driven by heritage)

ICONIC HERITAGE BRANDS

When your story is both relevant and distinctive, your brand can be iconic.

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HERITAGE IS VERY POWERFUL…

When it’s done right. When it connects us to the past and makes us believe in the brand and the values that have endured over the years.

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A STORY WORTH TELLING…

Is often gauged by how much you have to talk about. How many facts are still evident today? How many details from the past strengthen our current proposition?

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A WEAK HERITAGE STORY DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD If your heritage story is neglected, it can go “bad”…become irrelevant and may even become a liability to your current offering (if you’ve really lost your way). If suspicions are aroused as to a story’s validity, people will work to expose the inconsistencies.

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RECLAIMING YOUR HERITAGE

That said, neglected heritage stories can be revived. Step-by-step a brand can work to reclaim its heritage in a way that feels relevant and authentic.

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STARBUCKS – LOST THEIR PATH AND HAVE WORKED TO RECLAIM THEIR HERITAGE STEP-BY-STEP

1982 2008 Future

•  Schultz begins at Starbucks – with specific reason and purpose

2007

•  Schultz sends “The Commoditization of Starbucks” e-mail on Valentines Day

•  Shuts 7,100 locations simultaneously for training

2000

•  Schultz retires as CEO

•  Returns as CEO •  Articulates the vision •  Sends “Transformative

Memos” to employees

2009

•  Instituting changes to get back to a more local, coffee-centric experience

•  Ultimate coffee experience, every time

2010

•  Pikes Place is introduced and is a hit

NORTH STAR

•  Series of cost cutting concessions spur short-term gains then a free fall

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CONNECTION TO BELIEF AND BEHAVIOR Heritage is an important INPUT into Belief and Behavior. But Heritage alone is not enough. A vision – a North Star – is essential for understanding HOW heritage applies.

| What do we stand for as a brand? What do we want to be?

What do we want to be known for?

Heritage

Vision

Persona Purpose Provenance

Belief & Behavior

What have we always been? What drives our values?

Key Brand Questions

Where we look for answers/ inspiration

How we get there

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PARTING WISDOM Know WHO you are and WHERE you came from (understand your heritage).

Define WHY you do what you do and WHAT attributes should define you (plot your vision).

Understand which equities you HAVE earned in consumers’ eyes and who they will PERMIT you to be (be clear about the reality).

Consider SCALABLE actions to BRIDGE heritage to belief & behavior – i.e., heritage place, purpose, or person that can reinforce your vision (define your pathway).

Figure out WHICH story to tell, then STAY TRUE to it (maintain consistent storytelling).

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@hungrystratgist

WHAT I BELIEVE:

+ The best brands view media as the space between an idea and their audience.

+ People don't buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.

+ Understanding people as an audience of your brand (not just consumers of your products) drives new ways to engage - and story telling that speaks to them.

+ When telling stories... don't interrupt your audience, do something that interests them (entertain them, solve a problem, or help them to express themselves).

Strategic planner with 5+ years of agency experience - acting as a thinker, problem solver, and story teller, for a wide variety of brands.