Page 6 - Journal of Strategic Marketing Magazine - January 2019
P. 6
BRAND MANAGEMENT
Lessons in brand management
delivered by The Bachelor
I
must have read close to a hundred
different deinitions of branding
over the years, many of them too
complicated for the average layperson.
The one that wins the prize for effective
simplicity is from brand strategy guru,
Dr Thomas Oosthuizen, who says: ‘A
brand is a total experience’.
To highlight critical steps in the
process of brand management, the TV
series, The Bachelor, comes to mind as
it illustrates the concept of extremely
similar brands in a highly competitive
market. For those not familiar with the
series, the plot is fairly simple. Take the
most exotic locations, add a handsome
bachelor and about 30 beautiful female
contestants with one objective – seduce
the guy and ultimately become the
chosen one.
Think of the bachelor as the
consumer and the contestants as the
many products working tactically to be
the chosen one. The collision of so many
different women in a dramatic attempt
to ind love is not that different from the
fragrance section of a department store.
A similar number of contestants
(fragrance brands) have gone to great
lengths to seduce you (the shopper)
into buying them. The brand experience
is created by the lavish displays,
designer bottles and the sales ladies
with their meticulously shaded make-
Long-running reality TV series, The Bachelor, delivers an
up. Each contestant in The Bachelor
abject lesson in brand management. The bachelor is the
must use all the skills, tactics and
consumer and the contestants are the many products working tools necessary to make themselves
tactically to be the chosen one. The collision of so many
as attractive as possible to the man on
different women in a dramatic attempt to find love is not that offer, or risk being eliminated at a rose
different from the fragrance section of a department store, ceremony (which is more like the War
writes Karen Zimelka Roos. of the Roses!).
p4 - Strategic Marketing
Lessons in brand management
delivered by The Bachelor
I
must have read close to a hundred
different deinitions of branding
over the years, many of them too
complicated for the average layperson.
The one that wins the prize for effective
simplicity is from brand strategy guru,
Dr Thomas Oosthuizen, who says: ‘A
brand is a total experience’.
To highlight critical steps in the
process of brand management, the TV
series, The Bachelor, comes to mind as
it illustrates the concept of extremely
similar brands in a highly competitive
market. For those not familiar with the
series, the plot is fairly simple. Take the
most exotic locations, add a handsome
bachelor and about 30 beautiful female
contestants with one objective – seduce
the guy and ultimately become the
chosen one.
Think of the bachelor as the
consumer and the contestants as the
many products working tactically to be
the chosen one. The collision of so many
different women in a dramatic attempt
to ind love is not that different from the
fragrance section of a department store.
A similar number of contestants
(fragrance brands) have gone to great
lengths to seduce you (the shopper)
into buying them. The brand experience
is created by the lavish displays,
designer bottles and the sales ladies
with their meticulously shaded make-
Long-running reality TV series, The Bachelor, delivers an
up. Each contestant in The Bachelor
abject lesson in brand management. The bachelor is the
must use all the skills, tactics and
consumer and the contestants are the many products working tools necessary to make themselves
tactically to be the chosen one. The collision of so many
as attractive as possible to the man on
different women in a dramatic attempt to find love is not that offer, or risk being eliminated at a rose
different from the fragrance section of a department store, ceremony (which is more like the War
writes Karen Zimelka Roos. of the Roses!).
p4 - Strategic Marketing
