"Almost any company can be in the business of making meaning, but whatever the medium or product you're using to express those values simply must be consistent with the meaning system it's providing people."
Great brands are all about meaning-making. As my astute friend Grant McCracken so aptly puts it in his latest book, Culture and Consumption II:
"Strategically, it's clear that each product category and brand has a heritage, a body of meanings that have come to surround the brand over time. An inventory of this heritage will show that some meanings are richer and more accessible for the brand than others. It is possible to begin with a clean slate, but it is more strategic to take advantage of the meanings already in place."
Exactly! It's more strategic. So what is McDonald's thinking? To wit, this post from Max Lenderman titled, McDONALD'S GOING OUT OF BUSINESS:
From a CNN Money report comes this:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - In a move away from its iconic burgers, McDonald's is looking to new chicken products, coffee and fresh foods such as salads and fruits to help spur sales in 2006 and beyond, the president of McDonald's North America, told a gathering Monday in New York.Ralph Alvarez, speaking on the second day of the National Retail Federation's 94th annual convention, said current eating trends dictate how the No. 1 fast-food chain tweaks its options.
"Beef sales have been flat year over year, while chicken product sales are growing 8 to 10 percent a year," he said. "As a brand we have to follow trends."
Is there any wonder why McDonald's is dead in the water? The president of its North American business thinks that the role of a brand is to follow trends!
Ladies and gentlemen, the role of a brand is to make the trends, not follow them. If you can't do that, if that's not your mission, then just roll over and die.
I couldn't have said it better myself (and that's why I didn't).
Posted January 30, 2006
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Tom is timely, thought provoking and all about the new brand vision packaged as a Seinfeld stand up. I went to school on his ideas.
Jeff Taylor, Founder, Monster.com and CEO, Eons.
When Tom Asacker writes, I read. Opportunity Screams is the right message for the right time.
Tom Peters
nice idea, tom.
maybe we should find a place where brands can go and die in peace.
but the stupid shareholders simply won't let go. so in come the consultants. and - what the hell - consulting is also a business.
Posted by: jens | January 31, 2006 at 04:39 AM
Thanks for telling about McCracken´s book. I find it very interesting.
Posted by: Felix Gerena | February 05, 2006 at 06:31 PM