Brand Kama Sutra

I'm loving the new plannerwiki, especially as it has bought some wonderful new blogs to my attention.

Case in point is Brian Phipps' blog Brand Create Customers, in particular this post, 'Saving brands from the missionary position':

"In this approach, the brand does not lead as much as it tries to dominate, positioning customers as docile and passive subjects. The brand assumes a superior, top-down role, dispensing thrills and goodness from on high, while grateful customers are expected to swoon with desire, and rejoice".

Actually, I fear that many brands simply take the consumer roughly from behind (appropriately enough, the Kama Sutra calls this "The Surprise") -rude, interruptive, shouty advertising that pushes its message with scant regard for the comfort or pleasure of the recipient. (Cillit Bang?)

Brands, make love to your customers. Don't just screw them.

(Oh yeah, Google threw up this gem while I looking for appropriate illustrations - AT-ST porn. For Stephen).

Comments

[Stephen]

gggggggggrgrgrrggrggggrgrghhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[richard]

Puts me in mind of my favourite quote about advertising. Its from the fictional Tory MP Alan B'stard.

"Advertising is the KY jelly that enables manufacturers to screw consumers"

Me, I prefer it with the consuemr on top.

[Jason Lonsdale]

Hi Richard. Hope you're well and good. Thanks for sharing the B'stard line. (It kinda reminds me of this ad: http://www.everythingsbeendone.com/media/manixgel.jpg)

I was thinking much the same thing ('consumer as cowgirl'?) but then started wondering if its about the brand being flexible and responsive -tantrically communicating with your consumer and being able to move fluidly from one position to another as the situation demands. (At this point it started to get tricky to write about without getting smutty and attracting the wrong sort of traffic). Then of course you get into a brand needing to be attractive, interesting and somehow seductive. And the cuddling afterwards (CRM) is pretty important too... after all, you want them coming back.

[David Byrd]

I guess French Connection really fcuked their customers!