Like many 90’s households, my family often ended the night couch side, watching a favorite television show together. And while reruns of Boy Meets World and The Andy Griffith Show certainly ring vividly in my mind, when it comes to branding, there’s a memory that outshines all the others. And it’s not because it was particularly significant or even exceptional, but rather because it was consistent. Growing up, every. single. time. a beverage commercial appeared on TV, my mom would always remark how she was “convinced there must be subliminal messaging,” because not only was she now left feeling thirsty, but it was a thirst that could only be quenched by that beverage. I mean, you name it – Coca Cola, wine, orange juice, coffee – the commercial would come on and it was like clockwork. Now, obviously, it’s easy to point out that the commercial had served its purpose, but beyond that, what my mother was identifying with was a brand. She knew exactly what that bottle of Coca-Cola would taste like and could imagine perfectly, and even already felt, the peace and comfort that would come with drinking that glass of wine. Sure, she wanted the drink; but ultimately, what she was after was the experience. That’s branding! And we’ve all been there.
So what is it about brands that allow them to capture not only our attention, but our money and behavior? Is it an emotional connection we’re relating to? Is it conscious? Subconscious? As a creative agency, these are questions we constantly consider as we look to build meaningful brand connections for our clients. And, while we’ve certainly narrowed it down strategically (see our Ask an Expert blog on branding), there’s no denying that a huge part of the brand experience is not just seen or heard but felt. So much so that even the youngest of us can relate to and identify with brands we’ve had experiences with.
But, don’t just take our word for it! Here to prove that all experiences are brand experiences, are the littlest members (and newest experts) of the Wendt team. Check out what the kids at Wendt have to say about the brands they love:
