by Lynne Gordon (@lynne_gordon) Markets and food stalls seem to be flavour of the day in Jozi; cropping up in urban spaces and open parks, the artisan stall is the newest chapter in the homegrown marketplace of Mzanzi.
Browsing busy aisles suffused by the aromas of countless cuisines and surrounded by crafted fare, consumers select their purchase from boundless options. Decisions are mainly about the craft and beauty of the product itself — but also reflect an attraction to the philosophies that underpin many of the homegrown businesses in the market.
Here, and increasingly in the world of big brands, values are the new differentiator that attract attention, create trial, and build tribes of advocates.
More than product benefits
In a cluttered food market, with little space to bring your business vividly to life, stall owners have gotten smart and creative. They know the value of a simple and beautiful artisan product, but have also learned that winning can go beyond the functional to a clear and vocal philosophy that attracts like-minded consumers to powerful values-based propositions.
Bean There Coffee Company was South Africa’s first roaster of certified Fair Trade coffee. It sells not just a beautiful roast but a set of values deeply rooted in sustainability, empowerment and making a difference. Happy.me sells gourmet ice tea and promotes everyone’s Right to Happiness and Health. A food stall in the market serves delicious Tostadas and shares a mantra of love and inner tranquility. A toy stall simply advocates ‘Peace’.
Consumers want brands they can believe in. Amid the material melange of everyday life, brands with belief stand out and create something deeply attractive, providing a sense of authenticity and belonging. Clarity of purpose and a sense of meaning inspire and energise consumers, and are an attractive oasis from the harsh reality of transactional life. Markets flourish because they create this sense of ‘good’, of getting back to the grassroots values and providing the authenticity that is missing in their everyday commercial transactions.
Similarly, in the wider market of goods and services, it is tougher than ever before to differentiate brands based on benefits alone. As products proliferate and categories fragment, differentiation becomes increasingly driven by the character and values of brands — by what brands stand for, rather than only the functional benefits on offer.
Know your values
The power of brand values is nothing new to brand icons through the ages. Harley Davidson has never been about the bike alone. Ben & Jerry’s was more than ice-cream from the outset. But, more than ever before, brands that win — even in everyday categories such as soap and coffee — are emerging with clearly articulated and boldly activated points of view on the values in which they root their being.
Warby Parker, the über-cool American eyewear brand touted as Fast Company’s Most Innovative Brand of 2014, is all about the values. Its brand story clearly champions its mission to sell affordable eyewear and provide glasses to those who can’t afford them. It’s not a story ‘behind’ the brand — it’s the story of the brand.
Does your brand have a clear and differentiated set of values? Is it transparent to consumers? Good brand values are choices made to stand out. They go beyond the table stakes that are expected from all brands to really take a position that is unique and somewhat provocative.
By the way, is integrity a value? Could you really have chosen the opposite — to be a brand without integrity? Push harder for the real truth and active purpose within your brand to create a foundation for a unique voice in the clutter.
Speaking up
Small businesses are inherently tied to the individuals who run them. Entrepreneurs’ own personalities and passions are evident in their workmanship, their services, and their engagements with consumers. It’s inevitable that their voices and values are heard throughout the consumer experience.
But, for big brands too, it is becoming increasingly aspirational to take a stand — to speak up on issues that matter and bold views of the world. Being outspoken — even when it’s provocative and polarising — is the new ‘cool’, a demonstration of authenticity that matters in a world of vanilla brands.
Burger King launched a special edition ‘Proud Whopper’ in support of Gay Pride. The controversial BrewDog craft beer brewer has gained a cult following by opposing the machinery of mass production, and launched a ‘not for gays’ beer in opposition to Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay laws. Beyoncé has boldly stood up in support of feminism.
This is sensitive ground to tread for brands. And yet it’s increasingly expected that brands take strong points of view.
In a social media world, consumers will punish brands that take a view they don’t like. And, increasingly, they’ll ignore those brands that fail to speak up at all. Consumers are seeking participation and belonging in brands they identify with. They seek heroes who support the causes that matter. By making choices defined by the deep DNA of who you are, brands stand to gain loyalty, advocacy and passionate participation from the tribes that form around those prepared to speak up.
So here’s kudos to the market stall with a point of view. Here’s a smile to peace and love with my lunch. And here’s a challenge to brands — to stand up, speak out, and put an inspiring purpose at the centre of a future plan for growth.
Lynne Gordon (@lynne_gordon) is the managing director at strategic marketing consultancy Added Value. She learned marketing on-the-job and is fascinated by the streets of South Africa, where small entrepreneurs — untrained as marketers — apply the art and science of branding to their businesses.
Her monthly MarkLives column, “Homegrown”, explores everyday businesses and the lessons corporate marketers can learn from the streets of Mzansi. Share your own observations, photos and examples of marketing from SA’s roadside with @lynne_gordon on Twitter.
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