Cultural Branding

What is cultural branding? Cultural branding is where a brand becomes a culture, the emphasis comes away from the product itself and focuses on the culture surrounding the product. Cultural branding is based on self-expression and powerful shared myths that drive the brand’s self-identity. Holt (2004) states in ‘brands’ the names, logos and designs are only the material markers of a brand. Successful brands have ‘markers’ which are filled with customer experience and they establish emotional ties with their audience. Thus, an identity value within iconic brands is when customers value a brand’s story and buy from a brand if their ideals align. Also, customers buy brands that help them express who they want to be.

According to Holt, cultural branding derives from brands who have created such compelling myths that they became cultural icons. Cultural icons are things (or people) which represent a symbol, a culture or movement, and are considered worthy of respect (Holt, 2004). Brands which are cultural icons come to represent a particular kind of myth, which are used by customers to address identity desires and anxieties. Brands become ‘iconic’ when they perform identity myths, such as simple fictions addressing cultural anxieties from afar. Brands are depicted in imaginary – ideal – worlds rather from the reality consumers face day-to-day. Over time the brand won’t only represent a symbol, but become a symbol, a physical embodiment of the myth. Then, when someone consumes a brand’s product they experience the myth.

To weave their story into a culture, brands use commercial media. As Klein (1999) says, the purpose of advertising is to inform customers about the existence of a product and then to convince people that their lives would be complete and much better with that product. The most effective way to sell a brand’s products is through emotions. This is known as ’emotional branding’. For example, Coca-Cola was originally launched as a nerve tonic and hangover cure. However, due to its innovative public relations during the Second World War, Coca-Cola soon became an iconic brand. The company sent bottles of Coke to troops on the frontline, which formed an emotional bond between consumers and product during this period. The brand’s myth, developed from that point and nowadays, tells consumers that through the act of sharing a Coke seemingly unmanageable social differences and divides will be cured and overlooked.

Symbols and ideas of a brand must conform to what society deems most important in that specific time and culture. They need to perform the right myth in the right way, and they must be able to adapt to the changing cultural values.

Scotland’s ‘other’ national drink

Irn Bru is Scotland’s most popular soft drink, just outselling Coca-Cola, and the third most popular soft drink in the whole of the United Kingdom (behind Coke and Pepsi). Whilst Coca-Cola prides itself on being a brand that is the same and popular all over the world, Irn Bru appeals to people because it is proudly Scottish. Irn Bru was first produced in 1901, though the firm in Falkirk claims the recipe dates back to the 19th century. The brand started out in the early 1900s as a small family soft drink business in Glasgow. It was originally named ‘Iron Brew’ however, in 1946 laws in the UK required the firm to re-brand as the drink was not physically brewed. The chairman of the firm then decided to respell the name, hence the well known and recognisable ‘Irn Bru’.

In the early days, from the 1930s until the 1970s, there was a long-running advertising campaign in the form of ‘The Adventures of Ba-Bru and Sandy’ comic. In the 1980s the tagline ‘Made in Scotland from girders ‘ was used for several years because the drink claimed to be the most popular soft drink in the country. ‘Girders’ was used as a reference to the industry of the country and rust colour of the drink. From the 2000s many controversial, though undeniably memorable, adverts emerged from the brand. The most infamous being an advertising campaign featuring a smiling woman in a bikini standing next to the slogan, “I never knew 4 and a half inches could give me so much pleasure”. Also, an advert featuring a goth with the catchphrase “cheer up Goth, have an Irn Bru”. These advertisements appealed to the Scottish public as they identified with the brand’s sense of humour.

Following Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign Irn Bru also began producing limited edition bottles. Further limited editions were produced over the years, such as the sports drink ‘Irn Bru XS’ and ‘Fiery Irn Bru’ (which was essentially the same as the original product but gave a tingling sensation after tasting).

Irn Bru is present in Scottish popular culture with the Glaswegian rock band ‘The Fratellis’ featuring a t-shirt in the style of the Irn Bru logo during their 2008 tour. Also, in the National Museum of Scotland there is a exhibition selected by celebrities and Sir Sean Connery choose a crate of Irn Bru. In the 2014 Commonwealth Games in 2014 advertisements for Irn Bru were everywhere and encouraged a great national pride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vowf8ztcBo

The Independence Referendum in 2014 gave an example of how the consumption of the drink could be politically and ideologically charged as Irn Bru is just as iconic of Scottish culture as either Haggis or Whisky. According to npr (2014) when asked why they’re so fond and supportive of this Scottish brand, people most often replied, “Because it’s Scottish.” Additionally, “We’re proud of what we have. That’s why it outsells Coca-Cola,” says Fergus. “Because we’re so proud of our own products.” This aligns with Klein (1999) argument that successful a brand must create emotional ties with its audience, and Irn Bru has certainly created emotional and national ties with the Scottish people.

 

References:

Holt, D. B.
(2004). How Brands become Icons. The Principles of Cultural Branding. Cambridge Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.

Klein, N.
(1999). No Logo: no space, no choice, no jobs: taking aim at the brand bullies. New York: Picador.

 

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