Why Even Mega Brands Must Keep Firing On All Cylinders

Not to keep citing automotive brands as illustrative examples here, but if you ever wanted simple proof of the complex interrelation of dimensions like Differentiation, Esteem, Functional Product Benefits & Quality—and the need for all to contribute to brand strength—the recent Toyota fiasco offers a textbook study.  

That is: a global mega-brand that’s been the class of its industry and consumer opinion for decades is suddenly, in mere weeks, floundering hopelessly about for its voice over a single product-related incident; once a perennially clear, focused and softly-spoken brand backed by the big-stick of its stellar reputation, I’ve recently seen no less than four different Toyota TV spots testing different PR and Sales messages from “We’re Toyota, this is an anomaly we’re fixing” to “Hey, we drive these cars so we know they’re safe” to “Thanks for (please) bearing with us through this mess” to, most recently, shopper testimonials boasting how “The time to buy is NOW on this undervalued merchandise!”

Notwithstanding the veritable feeding frenzy of competitors smelling blood for the first time ever, aided by Buy-American political pandering and congressional inquiries, it’s still an amazing turnabout. And one that reasserts the inescapable 101-level truism that no one thing ‘makes’ a brand except consumers; no matter how much you spend, how big you are, or how esteemed your engineers, brands are ultimately built in consumers’ minds, not factories.   

Like all products cars are just cars at some point, ‘widgets’ essentially. And someone is always building a newer or better one. It’s what they say about us, the people  who buy and drive them, that matters and adds value to the nameplate. So when a car like Toyota that’s become synonymous with ‘no brainer, well-built, nice mainstream decision that looks okay in my driveway and won’t embarrass me’ suddenly looks fallible, the results can be seen playing out right now. Consumers have enough trust and confidence issues these days with the world. No one needs a car that makes them look like they’re out of the loop or ill-informed.

The moral in short is this: esteem is hard-won and easily lost. Much like political incumbency, it’s easy to look like you’ve got it all figured out when you’re in the catbird seat above the din and clamor spending gazillions on understated ‘image’ advertising. But even a small fissure in the dike that holds back the vast sea of consumer doubt, bias and attitudes can quickly reverse fortunes. And then watch how quickly every brick and stone gets rearranged.   

On the upside, while the Toyota story validates the fact that all brands are a delicate balancing-act of constant management and refinement, it should make those out there with less than $35 Billion in cash lying around feel better.  

Yes, building brands is relentless hard work. But even the mightiest of them face the same challenges as the rest of us, “Everyday”  ;  )