In preparation for an article that i'm writing about brand innovation for Globes Magazine's branding annual, I came across the following paragraph that I find insightful and disturbing: "Whatever" is a word you hear everywhere in response to all type of questions. "You want to go to the movies?" "whatever." "You want to have pizza tonight?" "Whatever." "You want to get married?" "Whatever." It's become an all purpose, generic response to, well, whatever. This ambivalent reaction, dispassionately voiced and accompanied by a Seinfeld-like shrug, is an overt symptom of our cluttered commercial world. From restaurants to movie channels, airlines to reality shows, SUVs to VCRs, there are too many choices and far too many distinctions between them. We all suffer from brand attention deficit disorder in some form or another.
- Allen Adamson, Brand Simple.
After reading this passage I tried to think about my general default response to the things around me. I mean, how else could I explain my lack of excitement towards the upcoming new Indiana Jones film or my indifference to the release of the new Coldplay album. Have I fallen victim to the whatever syndrome as well?
What are the kind of stimuli that manages to break or disrupt this default "whatever" response? I must admit that the things that evoke a real emotional reaction are, for the most part, the real life experiences. Experiences such as looking at a sonogram monitor and seeing my unborn child give me a 'thumbs up' signal, THAT was a good day. And after experiencing this, I'm not even sure if any brand experience can match this kind of excitement or thrill. One thing was made clear to me, if brands wish to break through the 'whatever' barrier they have to learn how to get up close and personal, very personal.
What kind experiences break through your "whatever" barriers?
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