Comments on: How Brands Grow–A Book Review

By: Claire Dabney

Claire Dabney — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 00:15:05 +0000

The topic of mass marketing is interesting… I see how it works for large corporations and brands that people know off of the top of their hand but smaller brands really don’t have the funds or resources to do that so they have no choice but to find a niche and start there. I would be interested to see more real-world examples. I’m sure it was really weird reading a book that goes against many principles we learn in class but it is always good to know the opposing thoughts because in the end, it comes down to knowledge and who knows the best techniques for the specific brand. Maybe it’s being a distinguisher or maybe it’s mass marketing it depends! Very interesting all around though I may have to read this.

By: Meghan Weale

Meghan Weale — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 15:40:59 +0000

I think it’s really interesting that Sharp suggests to focus more on the features of a brand rather than the brand image. I would like to hear more about his reasoning as I feel like we learn so much about the importance of the brand image and personality. I personally believe this is important as you can promote both the brand’s personality while touching on the features and promoting them in the ads. I also thought it was interesting to hear that a large part of sales come from unloyal customers. This is something I haven’t heard before. Sharp has a lot of interesting points, but I agree with you when you say to be hesitant to rely on his points of view.

By: Divante Bradwell

Divante Bradwell — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 19:59:17 +0000

Sharp’s fact that less loyal customers are the majority of brand buyers is very interesting. Knowing not to only focus on your target audience but also people who aren’t in your target can be an insightful way to curate brand strategy. The idea of letting all consumers that you exist is important to gain popularity. The Coke and Pepsi taste test example was interesting in how the consumers preferred the taste of the other brand but at the same time was loyal to the brand they purchase the most. Mass marketing is often looked down on but is how many consumers are reached along with targeted advertisements.

By: Mikaela Kozel

Mikaela Kozel — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 15:44:33 +0000

I like the perspective this book seems to take only because it contradicts a lot of what I’ve learn about targeting in college. I agree that less loyal customers shouldn’t be discounted but at the same time trying to be something to everyone probably isn’t the best strategy. You want to keep those customers you already have which is why I think brand image can’t be forgotten. Brand image makes you feel like apart of something bigger than just buying a product which is why I think it’s just an important to market.

By: Emily Murphy

Emily Murphy — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 04:04:29 +0000

I think that Sharp’s statement that a brand should focus more on their product than brand image isn’t always true. While it’s true that casual buyers will care more about the product that than the image and values of the brand, in many cases brand image is the only thing that can distinguish one product from another. Take ice cream for example. A pint of vanilla ice cream will taste virtually the same no matter what brand it is from. Brands like Friendly’s, Turkey Hill, and Ben and Jerry’s must create different messages and brand identities to distance themselves from each other in the customer’s mind, even if they are only buying pints of ice cream a few times a year.

By: Natalie Sirolli

Natalie Sirolli — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 02:42:00 +0000

I think the idea of mass marketing for every brand is flawed due to how our society interacts with brands today. Ultra targeted advertisements and campaigns with narrow audiences tailor to consumer’s wants and needs, and when done correctly can drive a lot of power for the message a brand is trying to convey. Using Coke as an example to support Sharp’s claim seems fallacious, because the Coke brand has a wide audience reach, and it’s not because they mass market. Coke has become ingrained in our American culture because it’s a quality product with nostalgic tones. I don’t think mass marketing would help a Lululemon, as the customers there are very specific types of people with particular demographics and psychographics.

By: Sean Brassil

Sean Brassil — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 23:53:00 +0000

I will admit I am skeptical to Sharps claims, but it seems the evidence he uses means they are worth considering. The studies involving coke and Pepsi were always something I was aware of, but never actually acknowledged when thinking about consumers. In addition to reading this, I would want to read from others with similar perspectives as this.

By: Allison Doumith

Allison Doumith — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 20:02:03 +0000

I also believe that Mass Marketing is important, but building your brand’s image is certainly more important. I believe that smaller businesses should appeal to their primary target audience (for budget and brand affinity reasons), and larger businesses (like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s) should employ mass marketing tactics as these companies have larger and wider audiences.

By: Morgan Kovatch

Morgan Kovatch — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:31:02 +0000

I found it interesting that the author touched on light buyers and non-buyers are heavier than you think, and we need to target this group. People are more likely to trust brands if they have been familiar with it since a young age. I agree with you Melissa; larger and well-known brands tend to lack branding or advertising because they are well-known. They should be focused on making their brand even stronger and stop targeting their phanatics.

By: Miranda S Krause

Miranda S Krause — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 14:40:12 +0000

This book sounds like it would be a timeless marketing tool! I like the approach to mass marketing being a key element to get your brands name out there. I also thought it was interesting that the author talks about the Coke and Pepsi rivalry, it’s good example of a timeless mass marketing that I believe he was diving into!