| Truth in Marketing | | | | exchange for the more category generic claim of |
| What your company takes as truth is not the fuel of | | | | "Let's Build Something Together." The former |
| preference and choice. The reason for this is that truth | | | | advertising tag line (not a brand theme line) succeeded |
| is not universal, it is in fact a product of perspective -- | | | | in positioning them against the category but fell victim |
| and there are as many perspectives in the world as | | | | to the all too common tact of talking about themselves |
| there are places to stand. Every one of your | | | | rather than branding the company through identification |
| customers sees the world from their own personal | | | | with the folks that shop there. |
| vantage point. | | | | Let's look at the category in general for just a moment. |
| As a marketer, do not be overly caught up in the | | | | Does the category promise to empower the customer |
| product or service benefits that you consider TRUE | | | | as people who can "do it themselves"? Absolutely. By |
| differentiators or benefits over the competition. Leave | | | | promising the sense of control that being a "do-it |
| the self-delusion to your competitors and grab every | | | | yourselfer" represents the category has changed the |
| advantage that their blindness offers you. A | | | | landscape and overtaken the old category of |
| dispassionate viewpoint when viewing your own brand | | | | lumberyards and hardware stores. This, Stealing |
| will give you more than just a heads-up, it may very | | | | Share® calls a category benefit meaning it defines |
| well propel your brand to dominance. | | | | an equity that everyone who has permission to play in |
| Think about the home and hardware superstores like | | | | a category of products or services share. No one |
| Lowe's and Home Depot. They are engaged in a | | | | owns it because everyone claims it. It is the minimum |
| desperate struggle for market share, both trying to | | | | requirement needed to compete. It also means that |
| convince homeowners... that doing things yourself is | | | | claiming this value does not provide a competitive |
| "doable" (read Home Depot's tag line "You can do it. | | | | advantage over competition. |
| We can Help" -- and Lowe's tag line "Let's Build | | | | All Holes Get Filled |
| Something Together"). They compete for customers | | | | Home Depot and Lowe's have left it to the customer |
| with the promise that their store has everything you | | | | to supply the brand values that differentiate them. |
| need, the brand names you crave, and that their | | | | Have no fear -- human beings have an innate drive |
| selection and prices are unmatched. | | | | that propels them towards simplicity and clear |
| Corporate Promises are Similar | | | | understanding. The lack of a compelling brand forms a |
| Lowe's -- "We work hard to save you money every | | | | vacuum that never remains empty for long. As the |
| day. And we strive to offer you low prices every time | | | | left-brain attempts to provide rational reasons to justify |
| you shop. We call these Everyday Low Prices, and | | | | a right-brain decision, the customer will supply an |
| we do our best to provide you with the best values, | | | | identity that reinforces their decision making process. |
| whether at your local Lowe's store or online at | | | | The problem with leaving this critical brand void to the |
| Lowes.com" | | | | customer's discretion is that your company will not |
| Home Depot --"The Home Depot provides our | | | | have a brand... it will have as many BRANDS as it has |
| customers with excellent service every time they | | | | customers and your business will be left to compete |
| come into our stores. We offer the right products, the | | | | through a mixture of price discounting, increased |
| right selection, the right prices and a team of | | | | advertising spending and the tremendous expense of |
| associates passionate about your needs. We build | | | | new site construction. After all, if customers have no |
| lasting relationships by helping customers realize their | | | | reason to choose beyond their own "you fill in the |
| dreams and growing their trust through our products | | | | blank" -- what incentive do they have for driving past a |
| and services." | | | | more convenient location of a newly build Home Depot |
| As a category, the home improvement super stores | | | | and continue on a mile further and shop at the Lowe's |
| have succeeded in squeezing the local hardware store | | | | that had, up until the new Home Depot arrived, been |
| and building supply companies. Their volume and pricing | | | | their habit? |
| has changed the way national hardware retailers like | | | | Winning |
| True Value and Ace Hardware must do business, but | | | | This is the truth in the home improvement category. |
| the focus that brought about a sea change in the way | | | | However, you can be assured that Lowe's and Home |
| home owners shop for the ever broadening category | | | | Depot disagree with our assessment. They see real |
| of home improvement products does little to take | | | | and truthful differences between themselves and their |
| market share from ether of the big two. | | | | competitor. Maybe one is sure they have better name |
| Today they have relegated their competitive practices | | | | brands. Maybe the other is sure they have better |
| to promotions and location. In both cases, even these | | | | systems and friendlier employees. Just remember: |
| poor attempts at preference has become harder to | | | | "What your company takes as truth is not the fuel of |
| differentiate as they seem to follow each other in the | | | | preference and choice. The reason for this is that truth |
| location of store openings. | | | | is not universal, it is in fact a product of perspective -- |
| | | | and there are as many perspectives in the world as |
| Lowe's had a marketing strategy, some years back | | | | there are places to stand. Every one of your |
| that at least positioned them against the category | | | | customers sees the world from their own personal |
| leader by claiming that they were "Improving Home | | | | vantage point. |
| Improvement" but even that has been dropped in | | | | |