Wow, that's a big theme! Do I have any answer to this big question of “What it takes to be No.1”? Of course, not. I just wanted to chat some tips or source of inspiration for it today.
As always, excuse me staring with my personal matter. I do not like TOYOTA, Panasonic, NTT, and Asahi, all the leading brands/companies of Japan. Only “regret” is WWAN of my mobile PC being NTT’s Docomo’s, but I believe it is the only one I have from these companies/brands. For info, I was a big fan of NIKE in 80’s, but not any longer. (I am not particular about computer, but I am supposed to be anti-WINDOWS probably, if I have to choose. Fast is, not surprisingly, my very first computer in my life was Mac…)
Twisted way of thinking and leading life? Yeah, the title of this blog says so.
I think I am “hard to be a use of No.1 brand” kinda person.
OK, then, you can think it the other way around. Make your brand be disliked by me to be No.1?
Well, that is not very actionable. Let me discuss this a bit differently to make the point clear.
Why do people like cars that are quite boring?
Why are people willing to pay for second hand innovations?
Why are people paying obviously high cost to get mediocre service from semi-government company?
Why do people like drinking sweet and foam-less beer despite, knowing its name “Super Dry”?
Why….
The “reason” is seemingly because they like “not having particular reason, but feels good”, versus people like me wanting clear “reason” for choices.
“Seems not bad”, “Don’t think too hard, it’s been that way”, “Not bothered to think about it”, “Not like to be asked ‘Why’ for my choice”, “I trust it, so I don’t have to get bothered”, etc. Those are vague but solid reasons. They are not conscious reasons for choice, but are “best conscious choice for not being forced to choose” in other words.
I think it is quite similar to “healthy conservatism” in (Japanese) political psychology.
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has recently been retaining high approval rate by people called “national citizen” because (ironically) these people with “healthy conservatism” are supporting the party. They did not want to choose the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP – conservatives in Japan despite its name), resulting in DPJ’s historic win. DPJ’s policies, and its vision of “Yu-Ai/ the spirit of fraternity” are well based on “healthy conservatism”. Or said differently, policies are based on thinking that you do not have to be on the side of positive approval of them, but you are not clearly on the other side.
Well, this Blog is not the place to discuss politics. Let’s go back to where we were.
If you are a manager of No.1 Brand, learn from big mistakes that the LDP committed.
Particularly, be careful if you are making “Unnecessary Change on your Equity/Images”. Aren’t you committing to things that can turn off your customers with “healthy conservatism”? Something like the Prime Minister Koizumi did. It could give you “historic victory” short term, but don’t touch it.
Who are your “local farmers, construction industry, local post offices, and leaders of big industries”? You better know them, who they are, and see of you are NOT doing anything wrong to turn them off.
If you are working on brands to be but not yet No.1, learn from the DPJ’s big success.
Is your vision/equity full of “fraternity” to embrace heart of users with “healthy conservatism”? Being edgy won’t make you No.1.
Take a close look at your category’s No.1 brand. Is it making any break down, like the LDP? Or is there any chance to make the break-down happen? “Healthy-conservative” people won’t choose you with substantive reason, so you better know if the time is with you.
Is your “manifesto” list up everything, vaguely promising things that you don’t know if you really can but you hope you can? “Healthy-conservative” people do not demand “best” quality, but they are very keen if you can do things that any brands in the category should be able to.
And, to be No.1, you must be able to do very good job in providing the very category benefit/function/service, to be trusted to “lead the country (category)”.
Excuse me, It’s been quite abstract, this time.
At least, I can tell, Kao is dumping a gem into trash can, if they are milking “Revue” brand after buying Kanebo cosmetics.
“O.”
