Classic Brands

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CLASSIC BRANDS

Classic brands are a part of modern society that have become so deeply ingrained into our everyday experiences that they have become unobtrusive. A classic brand can be defined as one that, through careful and thorough advertising, marketing, and product positioning, has become synonymous with the product category of which it is a part. Additionally, a classic brand may also be one for which there is no other recognizable competition within its product class. In this sense, a classic brand is one that has been raised above the commodity level, creating its own product classification in the consumer's mind. This is not to say that it is the only item of its type, but rather that the other competing products hold such a small market share that they are considered obscure, making the classic brand a category killer within its market segment.

EXAMPLES OF CLASSIC BRANDS

Based on the aforementioned definition of what constitutes a classic brand, there are many products and services that may be considered classic. Coca-Cola, (or Coke, as it is commonly known) is the undisputed leader in the soft-drink industry, so much so that a consumer in a restaurant who wants a cola drink is programmed to ask for a Coke, whether the establishment serves Coke, Pepsi, or any other brand. In the same sense, an adhesive bandage is better known as a Band-Aid, facial tissue is referred to as Kleenex, and Xerox has become a verb for the act of photocopying, as well as a noun used for what the photocopy machine produces.

Household products such as Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, Clorox Bleach, and Barbie dolls provide strong examples of classic brands that have no major market competition. Of course there are other baking sodas, bleaches, and dolls on the market, but even a savvy consumer would be hard-pressed to name them. This is true not only of tangible products but of services as well. Service providers such as H&R Block and AAA (The American Automobile Association) are classic brands whose names are synonymous with the markets that they represent.

VISUAL IMPACT OF CLASSIC BRANDS

Much of the initial recognition of a classic brand stems not from its performance but from its visual impact on the consumer's memory. Granted, the product must perform superbly to maintain its status; however, the initial impression is often the result of a memorable logo. Classic brands generally have logos or brandmarks that have changed little since the inception of their product. The Coke bottle shape, the Golden Arches of McDonald's, and the yellow and red Arm and Hammer box are all brand identifiers that need no written words to explain what they represent. Consumers instantly recognize these symbols and associate them with the brands that they depict. In the twenty-first century, with Internet advertising becoming more and more prevalent, such simple images as these are a low-cost means of further perpetuating the brands' success.

HISTORY OF A CLASSIC BRAND

Taking a brand from common to classic is no small task and does not happen overnight. It involves strong commitment from many levels of the organization, along with a well-executed plan for remaining the leading player. A fine example of a classic brand through history is Coca-Cola, probably one of the best-known classics in the world.

Coca-Cola was created by Dr. John Smyth Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, in 1886 as a beverage served at his soda fountain. He described it to his patrons as "delicious and refreshing," a line still used in Coke's advertising in the twenty-first century. In 1892, Dr. Pemberton joined forces with Asa G. Candler, an Atlanta businessman who understood the power of advertising, and registered the Coca-Cola trademark one year later. In order to create brand recognition, Candler created a wide range of promotional memorabilia for soda fountains—clocks, fans, and other novelties, all depicting the Coca-Cola trademark.

In 1915, Candler introduced the contour bottle, which itself was granted trademark protection in 1977—something not usually done for product packaging. The emergence of the contour bottle, along with bottling plants, allowed consumers to enjoy Coca-Cola in their own homes. World War II had a major impact in the building of the brand, since sixty-four of these bottling plants supplied the armed forces with more than five million bottles of Coke. It was also at this time that Coke

became associated with the American spirit of a can-do attitude and became a global depiction of camaraderie and refreshment.

After the war, Coca-Cola capitalized on the technology of radio and television to continue to spread its brand imagery. Its longstanding slogans and ad campaigns, such as "It's the Real Thing," have permeated American life to the point that they are no longer just advertising; rather, they have become cultural icons. Coca-Cola's commitment to quality advertising continues in the twenty-first century through its use of not one but five well-known creative agencies whose primary focus is to maintain Coke's classic status.

This rich history, however, is not perfect. In the early 1980s, Coca-Cola tampered with perfection and launched New Coke, a reformulated version of its product with a new taste and new packaging design. Within weeks, consumers were dissatisfied with the change, and Coke moved swiftly to repair the damage that had been done. It quickly produced Classic Coke, which was the original formula that consumers had come to know and love. This proved very costly to Coke not only from the production and bottling side but also from the marketing side, where a corrective marketing plan had to be rapidly implemented. Of course, Coca-Cola rebounded with a resounding success, and it continues to be the market leader.

FORCES BEHIND CLASSIC BRANDS

The success stories of the countless other classic brands read much the same as Coca-Cola's. These classic brands all have one common thread throughout their history—successful utilization of the four Ps of marketing, which are product, placement, pricing, and promotion. It is the balance of these four significant factors that takes a brand from a name to a classic.

First and foremost is product. Brands must outperform their competition in order to become a classic. The best placement, pricing, and promotion will not raise a mediocre product to classic status, regardless of how many marketing dollars are pumped into it. Before becoming a classic brand, the product must taste better, go faster, work harder, or last longer than other products it competes against.

Second, a product must be properly placed in the market in order to overshadow the competition. Its target market must be carefully decided on and, in the case of most classic brands, be rather broad. Most classic brands appeal to a wide demographic range, rather than a small slice of consumers. People from all walks of life use most of the brands that have come to be considered classics. Band-Aids, Coke, Levi's, and Timex can be found in just about any home in America, regardless of income, geographic region, education, or age.

Next, pricing must be addressed. When looking at the cost of classic brands in comparison to their competition, the classic brands generally fall in the median price range of the product category. While higher in price than the store house brands and generics, they are not usually at the costly end of the spectrum either. In part, this is because in order to be well received by the masses, the product must be neither overpriced nor undervalued. There are many quality wristwatches on the market, but Timex, one of the least expensive, has made a name for itself as a classic brand.

Last, a product must be adequately and appropriately promoted to become a classic brand. Timex, for example, has created memorable television commercials over the years by using the same premise over and over—"Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking." The public has grown accustomed to seeing what the wristwatch can endure and remain functional. Such a promotional idea stems from a creative department committed to the success of the brand through consistent promotional processes. Promotion must also be constant. There must always be some kind of promotional vehicle in motion to keep the brand name in the forefront of the consumer's mind. Point-of-purchase displays, radio, television, print, and Internet advertising, corporate sponsorships, and contests are all used, often simultaneously, to maintain the public's awareness of the brand.

These four traditional guidelines of product marketing are crucially important for classic brands, for the competition is generally aimed directly at them. Pepsi, for example, spends millions of dollars a year targeting itself directly against Coke. Coca-Cola cannot afford to rest on its classic brand status—they must be constantly engaged in maintaining the perfect balance of product, placement, pricing, and promotion, or risk having its market share overtaken by the hungry competition.

Classic brands are not likely to change over the next several generations. They will not disappear overnight or be swept away by increasing technology. Companies fortunate enough to have classic brands in their product lineup protect their esteemed place vigilantly through careful marketing, innovative ideas, and respect for their place in history.

see also Marketing; Promotion