Brands Are People Too! Harnessing the Power of Brand Warmth and Competence

Chris  Malone; Jill  Avery; S. T. Fiske

White Paper | 2011

Brands Are People Too! Harnessing the Power of Brand Warmth and Competence

by Chris Malone, Jill Avery and S. T. Fiske

Abstract

Research in customer behavior has revealed that the way humans respond to brands is simply an extension of the way they instinctively perceive, judge, and behave towards one another. Understanding how consumers judge brands using social processes akin to those used in human interaction allows us to unlock the social psychological power of our brands, making them more compelling and attractive as relationship partners for consumers.

Keywords: marketing; Brands; brands and branding; brand management; customer relationship management; CRM; brand positioning; Brand equity; Customers; Customer Focus and Relationships; Customer Satisfaction; Brands and Branding; Marketing; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry;

Language: English

Format: Print

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Citation:

Malone, Chris, Jill Avery, and S. T. Fiske. "Brands Are People Too! Harnessing the Power of Brand Warmth and Competence." White Paper Series, Relational Capital Group, Newtowne Square, PA, 2011.

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As 2018 neared its end, Laetitia Toupet, international general manager of L’Oréal’s La Roche-Posay brand reflected on the brand’s achievements over the past year. At €1 billion in revenue, La Roche-Posay had recently become the number one dermocosmetics brand in the world. While Toupet was pleased with this feat, she believed that the brand was at a critical juncture. It was time to make some significant marketing decisions related to brand positioning to try to accelerate La Roche-Posay’s future growth trajectory as dermocosmetics moved from serving a niche market to the mainstream.

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Brands Are People Too! Harnessing the Power of Brand Warmth and Competence

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