Page 14 - Strategic Marketing Complete

RESEARCH
To disrupt or not to disrupt

That is the question

we are living in for the greater good, representing Ask Afrika’s Icon Brands are
times of change and loyalty, stability and predictability. loved and used loyally by South
These leaders represent true Icon
African consumers across the
unpredictability, and Brands. entire demographic spectrum. The
this social milieu There are disruptors who disrupt Icon Brands survey measures 158
product categories, and only 40
translates into a drive for the sake of disrupting. They brands in 19 product categories
to disrupt, says Maria shout for attention and make a achieved Icon Brand status.
lot of noise – for example, United
petousis. States President Donald Trump. Not all brands should be
Similarly, wannabe disruptor brands disruptive
isruption is in vogue within may include telecommunications Some brand marketing strategies
the marketing fraternity companies and banks with similar strive to disrupt, but the reality is
and is frequently the go-to product and service offerings that that not all brands can or should
for almost every brand strategy. are not really doing anything to be disruptive. Icon Brands are
This creates hype, but how many change the market landscape. established leader brands in their
brands actually disrupt their market product categories, with a loyal
landscape? More importantly, is Real disruptors stand for consumer base. The job of the brand
it in every brand’s best interest to sustainable change, clear direction, owner is to entrench and grow this
disrupt? reconsidering assumptions, making loyalty and market share, since
sound judgment calls, and doing brands can’t be both the incumbents
If we think about how society what’s right and good. They are and the disruptors.
experiences disruption, it leaves us courageous and don’t mind not
feeling a little confused, unfocused following a mainstream view. Icon Brands are defined by solus
and disengaged. Disruption brings Examples of real individual usage: consumers are loyal to only
chaos and uncertainty. It is not disruptors include New Zealand one brand in the category and most

real disruptors stand for sustainable

change, clear direction, reconsidering assumptions,

making sound judgment calls, and doing

what’s right and good.

closely linked with trust and loyalty, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, will choose the same brand every
yet brands want loyal consumers Canadian Prime Minister Justin time. The general trend is towards
and consumers want brands they Trudeau, or former US president increasing non-solus usage – or an
can trust. Barack Obama, and Jack Ma, a expanding repertoire of brands that
Chinese business magnate, investor, consumers choose between within
Brand image is often sexy, but philanthropist and Co-Founder a category, driven by convenience.
it’s not real – and we need to and Executive Chairperson of the Certain product categories have a
start considering what is real for Alibaba Group. narrower brand repertoire, while
us as human beings and about others have a broader repertoire
sustainable impact, instead of co- that consumers switch between.
creating a lack of trust and loyalty Real disruptor brands include
through double standards. Airbnb, Uber, Netflix and Google –
these brands have fundamentally The change in loyalty has altered
To better understand disruption, changed the way things are done the philosophy of buying. A
we can look at leaders as brands. within their product categories and brand manager’s job has become
Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan provide an enhanced product or increasingly difficult. Loyalty
were iconic leaders: they stood service to consumers. goes beyond quality, price and

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