10/23/15, 10:00 AM10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology

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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-ConsumerRelationship Today

Branding experts almost universally agree Dieselgate won’t do any long-term damage toVolkswagen’s reputation, provided it goes through the appropriate motions anddemonstrates contrition while embracing a bold new era and reminding its consumerswhy they loved the brand in the first place.

It has all the trappings of a hit pop song. Taylor Swift, are you listening?

So, in that spirit, here are 10 songs that illustrate further nuances of the modern brand-consumer relationship.

1. Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name”

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Destiny's Child - Say My Name (Of7cial Video)

It’s only getting easier to catch – and out – liars.

And consumers do.

In fact, Anthony Pensabene, digital marketing associate at SEO firm Evolving SEO,said it’s growing more difficult for brands to maintain good reputations due to thebarrage of available social signals.

“If a brand delivers on its sales promise, that’s expected. There’s no story there,” hesaid. “But if a brand wrongs the consumer or generates a cause for negative news, thesharks smell blood in the water. I don’t think there’s been a shift in that truth, yet, today,it’s way easier to spread scandalous news in real time and compound it with socialmedia commenters.”

Further, Barak Kassar, partner at digital brand-building and communications firmRassak, said screwing up is much more dangerous now and blowback is much harderto control because every consumer has a voice on social media.

“Whereas brands needed to be good at advertising, PR, and product in the past, nowthey need to be good at advertising, PR, product, and the intricacies of communicatingand participating on the social stage,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s about [history] as much

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as it’s about meaning of the brand – and of course time can increase meaning.”

2. Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive (Live 1979)

Standards are changing and consumer expectations are shifting.

In fact, Rebecca Brooks, founder of market research firm Alter Agents, noted there is ashift in which brands are held more accountable for their actions than in the past.

“Historically, we have had a certain comfort level with corporations being a bit‘evil.’ Erin-Brokovich-style activism first brought this to our attention, but there was stillthis idea that those poor people were affected, but it doesn’t affect me,” she said.“Now, people are much more likely to punish a corporation for bad behavior even if theyweren’t directly impacted. You see pressure on brands like McDonald’s to combatchildhood obesity – even though you have the option of not eating there. Chipotle hascarved out a huge niche in this space by being transparent, socially active and willing totake financial hits to keep their values – non-GMO pork sourcing problems took carnitasoff the menu for many months.”

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3. Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”

Aretha Franklin - Respect [1967] (Original Vers…

Today’s brands have to walk the line.

“Brands have to be able to deliver on their value proposition in a consistent manner thatfits the expectations of the customer,” said Callum Beattie, partner at strategic creativeagency Honest Agency. “If they don’t, I don’t think it matters if it’s Uber or Coke, theywill lose customer loyalty and market share.”

4. TLC’s “No Scrubs”

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TLC - No Scrubs

The bad boy archetype is losing its luster.

Brooks said growing resentment about income inequality mean corporations with highsales and large profits are met with skepticism and frustration.

“Local, handcrafted, artisanal are all on the rise and will only get stronger as consumerslook for opportunities to vote with their dollars on organizations that benefit and improvetheir communities,” Brooks said. “Competitors that have a strong moral position andtransparent brand will outpace competitors.”

5. Spice Girls’ “Wannabe”

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Spice Girls - Wannabe

A brand is at the mercy of a consumer’s circle of friends.

“The power is now in the hands of the consumer,” Beattie said. “Brands can’t tellpeople what they should think anymore. Consumers talk to each other and comparenotes at lightning speed.

“It’s very difficult for brands to keep up to consumer attitudes and behaviors,” headded. “The brands that are getting a lot of attention these days are brands that involvethe consumer at the very core of the brand. Uber and Airbnb are perfect examples ofthis. The consumer is both customer and employee of these brands.”

6. Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies”

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Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies

Even if some consumers disapprove of a brand’s actions, a fan who really loves it maybe willingly blind to wrongdoing.

For his part, Pensabene points to the halo effect, which he said means consumers willgenerally stick with an overall impression regarding their feelings toward an entity.

“So if we assume that those purchasing VW vehicles had positive thoughts and anoverall good impression to start, it would take more than the current scandal toaltogether doom the brand,” he said. “I believe things may momentarily seem more direbecause the majority of the public are not VW owners. It’s easier for them to thinknegatively about a brand they never thought positive about.”

7. Adele’s “Chasing Pavements”

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Adele - Chasing Pavements

Consumers care about integrity.

Further, crisis and reputation management consultant Eden Gillott Bowesaid consumers’ patience and ability to forgive and forget have atrophied.

“We’re always looking for the best, fastest and most convenient,” Gillott Bowe said. “Ifsomething new disrupts the market, we’ll jump ship like lemmings. The same goes for ifwe’ve been wronged by a brand, assuming, of course, switching to an alternativedoesn’t inconvenience us.”

Consumers are also growing accustomed, and perhaps jaded, to hearing apologiesfrom those that have wronged them.

“If you’re caught doing something wrong, a heartfelt mea culpa may help, depending onhow much goodwill you have in the bank and how inclined the public is to pounce,”Gillot Bowe said. “But it’s become overused with so many politicians, executives andcelebrities caught in compromising situations. It’s lost much of its effectiveness. Unlessyou’ve amassed a cult-like following, if you’re a new, smaller brand you’re toast.”

8. Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”

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Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time

Relationship history matters, too.

“A fracture within a singular fan base means having to build a new base from scratch.And that can be an impossible job,” said John Lane, chief strategy officer at marketingfirm Centerline Digital. “Think Saturn, from not long ago, whose base built on the ‘non-car buying fans’ but nothing more, lost momentum and could never recover.”

While longevity can certainly help a legacy brand weather a crisis, it doesn’t guaranteesuccess, particularly if the brand reacts poorly to the crisis, said Wilde Agency PresidentJohn Sisson, pointing to Enron.

9. The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”

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The Police - Every Breath You Take

The longer the relationship, the harder it is to sever.

“Older, established brands are ‘grandfathered’ in as far as general acceptance and aremore resilient to a scandal,” Pensabene said.

10. Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”

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Whitney Houston - I Will Always Lov…

Brands can weather virtually any scandal if they are truly loved by consumers.

Brooks noted other brands like Ford, Cadillac and Toyota have also experienceddeclines in consumer trust due to poor product and/or management, but they’ve allbounced back.

“Each brand did this by leveraging the love of their core fans and harking back to thecore elements that launched them,” she said.

Brand consultant Daryl Weber points to Tylenol, which was able to rebound afternumerous safety issues and recalls as well.

“Though VW is a bit worse because it was an intentional move on their part, andbecause this flies in the face of the brand’s lovable, good-natured feel, I still think theyhave the brand history and strength to eventually overcome this,” Weber said. “Theyhave built a level of consumer love that is very, very hard to break down.”

Kassar points to disruptor brands like Airbnb and Uber, which have shorter histories, buthave also amassed a great deal of meaning in a short amount of time.

“And it’s partly attitude. They’re out to create very meaningful brands,” Kassar said.“They’re not 100 percent loved by any stretch. They are, in some ways, scandalbrands…but those who love the brands love the brands.”