Lesson 7: Maintain the Mystery
Often, the hallmark of a great brand is that it does not reveal too much about the product. So it is true with the Catholic Church. While much of what the Church does is well documented and well understood, there are many secrets. From the mysteries of the Rosary to the dogma surrounding the Holy Trinity, many of the beliefs of the Church are considered to be unknowable except as revealed by God.
Many successful companies have used secrets to propel their brands. From McDonald's secret sauce to the Colonel Sander's secret recipe, keeping something behind the curtain can help generate interest and buzz in a brand. As you work to develop your organization's brand, be mindful of managing what you reveal... and what you don't.
What is Victoria's secret, anyway?
posted by M. Scott Laemmle @ 8:31 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
I would be completely remiss if I did not mention Coca-Cola. Coke is often cited as the world's most valuable brand. Along with that brand comes the world's most valuable trade secret - Coke's secret formula. Coke's formula was once rumored to be so secret, that only two Coca-Cola execs know the formula, and each one knows only half. While this rumor is false, it shows the value that a secret can have in generating buzz and interest in your brand.
Your point is a good one, but I think this is not universally applicable. A strong argument can be made that this varies depending on the product or service being offered. In some industries, full disclosure is a key element in marketing a product, i.e. no tricks up our sleeve, you can trust us. Your examples are solid and I do not argue that maintaining mystery is not effective in some markets, but I do not think it can stand the test of being a marketing tenet.
Thanks for the comment - I agree that this point may not be as universal as some of the other topics. What I hope to do as I organize these thoughts is to come up with some "Gospel Truths" in branding and lesser branding ideas that are interesting, but perhaps not on the same level. In some way, I guess I need to have my own Nicene Council.
Question - I threw out a few examples of using secrets and mysteries to build a brand - can you name any examples where full disclosure built a brand? Thanks in Advance!
This is a good thread. The only category of companies that come to mind are research companies who provide full disclosure of their research techniques and methods as a way of opening themselves up to third-party validation. Nielsen Media Research, the TV ratings people, are one example. Arguably, their numbers, upon which billions of dollars in advertising transactions occur, are more credible because everyone views them as an independent source whose product is well known and has few secrets about it.
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For an example of full disclosure, how about Breyers's Ice Cream. Didn't they run the commercials that listed the ice cream's ingredients... Cream, sugar, strawberries No additives, no preservatives... Something like that..?
Or, Tropicana OJ (maybe, I can't remember which brand) 100% Orange Juice Simply, unfooled around with.
Diana Watts
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