ADVERTISING SYMBOLS AND BRAND NAMES THAT BEST REPRESENT KEY PRODUCT MEANINGS

Abstract

In order to distinguish their brands from other brands in the same category, most consumer products companies attempt to establish a unique personality for each brand. Rather than emphasize that it is a soft drink, Dr. Pepper emphasizes, through its name and advertising, that it is an “oddball” soft drink. This article recommends that these companies instead develop advertising and brand names that communicate the best qualities of the relevant product category. Dr. Pepper, for example, might emphasize that it tastes good and quenches thirst. This article suggests that marketers use free association tests to select advertising symbols and names that best communicate key product category benefits; it suggests that they use product categories and candidate symbols and names as stimuli, then match the answers across stimuli. In a sample test, for example, the stimulus “iced tea” drew the responses “refreshment,” “cool,” and “summer.” In a separate test, the stimulus “plunge into swimming pool” drew identical responses. The Nestle Nestea “plunge” (into a pool) campaign, therefore, is thought to be a highly effective one.