Monday’s first full day of sessions here at the ESOMAR 2011 Annual Congress in Amsterdam more than exceeded my expectations. Special thanks to the cruelty-free cartoonist, the costumed Dutch ladies handing out traditional fare (bitterballen and stroopwafel, anyone?) and especially to the flash mob – what a treat; you all were awesome!
While it’s a little early yet to remark on and extract the overarching themes of this year’s gathering, the presentations have been engaging, smart and full of thought-provoking ideas re: today’s research. It never ceases to amaze me how craftily researchers find – and sometimes invent – ways to answer their most burning questions about the enigmatic consumer.
One of my favorite sessions so far was from Nick Gadsby of Lawes Gadsby Semiotics in the U.K. on the consumer imagination. Gadsby discussed how all memories are selective and how we use our culturally-constructed imagination to “patch” them to mesh with our ideology. In the context of marketing? Consumers don’t always remember your brand for exactly what it was.
Part of Gadsby’s talk focused on the impact of imagination in rebranding campaigns. “A good rebranding should feel as though it’s always been that way,” he said.
His recommendation seemed to be: Look at the past through the lens of today to get the full picture of what a product means to consumers. Does the rebranding carry with it all the things consumers loved? Does it put a positive spin on the things that maybe weren’t so beloved? Does it jibe with how consumers imagine the product fits (has fit, will fit, etc.) into their lives?
The idea that rebranding should focus as much on the past as on the future may seem daunting but when there’s no such thing as a clean slate, perhaps the next best thing is a natural progression.