Commentary

Brand Democratization

As the landscape changes and business moves to being based on consumer-generated content, one thing becomes more and more apparent: The consumer is in charge of your brand. I read an article recently from BusinessWeek and I heard them coin the term brand democratization. This is a very powerful term and one I think will stick.

The idea of brand democratization is that the power of the people directs your brand. What the people say about your brand is what your brand will become. Simply put, perception is reality.

If you attempt to convey a message that is not supported by the actual experience of the product, then the feedback will overwhelm the message and your audience will know the truth. On the flip side, if your brand experience supports or exceeds the message, then the audience will praise you in the public eye. Part of what makes brands such as Apple and Adidas so strong is the loyal audience that is supportive of the brand's messaging. They spread the word that these brands are at least as good, if not better, than they advertise.

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The biggest reason for the development and gaining power of brand democratization is the globalization of the audience and the development of communities. In the past, communities were limited by geographic constraints, but as the global economy becomes stronger and the Internet (as well as all digital media) breaks down these walls, we see communities of like-minded individuals expand.

A teenager in Wyoming can now interact with a teenager in London about their lifestyles and exchange points of view (though I can't possibly imagine what they could have in common). With the growth and development of these digital communities, word of mouth becomes stronger, more potent, and more wide-reaching than ever before. In the past, you could put some control on an outbreak of bad press. In today's marketplace that's just not possible. The old adage of "any news is good news" has never been so false.

In journalism, there is talk of a "filter." The filter traditionally represents the role of mass media outposts to digest the information before they pass it on to the public. In this globalized economy, the filter is quickly being removed and replaced with a direct line to the people. As the people become easier to contact, they process the information faster through their own personal filter and share their opinions with the world around them. This process is even more accessible as the Internet is based on self-publication. MySpace, blogs, consumer reviews... all of these make it easier and easier for the individual to influence the masses.

On a recent episode of "Entourage," Vincent Chase has to do an interview with the proprietor of a fictional Web site which is obviously based on Harry Knowles and Ain't It Cool News. In fiction, as in real life, this character can make or break a movie just by writing about it and influencing the masses who read his content. In real life, we are witnessing the worst slump in box-office history. This isn't because the audience is not interested or because the movies are worse than ever before (there have always been bad movies). Personal reviews and disappointing facts are spread faster than ever before and the "masses" read these articles and decide not to spend $10.50 on a movie ticket.

The democratization of a brand is a fascinating topic. It is probably the single most important element of marketing and advertising in the last 50 years. Technology has brought this issue forward, but technology cannot be used to influence it. Technology has made it easier for the audience to truly own the brand.

Marketers and advertisers need to recognize this and revise their businesses to align more with research and development. They need to be sure the message coordinates with the actual product development. If one hand is not talking to the other, the effort simply won't work. Worse, it can backfire and create irreparable damage to the brand.

How are you incorporating the concept of brand democratization into your efforts?

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