That’s how Stephen Sonnenfeld, President, Consumer
Solutions, Enfatico, characterized the current consumer sentiment following the global economic meltdown.
“Brands exist in that realm.
Brands are large institutions that provide people with a set of values,†Sonnenfeld added, suggesting that this isn’t necessarily a net negative for brands, or the agencies that manage
them, but could actually be an opportunity if managed properly.
“The people that are going to come out of this ahead are going to be the
people who seize the opportunity and understand the position that brands have evolved into in people’s lives today,†he said, adding that has been compounded by “this growing
sense of angst and anger and populism.â€
The result is that people are not just looking to “buy something,†he says, but are
looking to “buy into something.â€