OBD-Obsessive Branding Disorder

Reflection Paper

Liz Horgan
OCOM 635 Kim Gregory
June 11, 2009
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OBD = GGW. A formula of extremes. That is what Conley’s book “Obsessive Branding

Disorder” (OBD) and the MTV’s ‘Girls Gone Wild’(GGW) phenomenon have in common.

Just as all teenage girls in Cancun for Spring Break are not all dancing drunk and naked

on camera at the beach, so too all organizations and entities that develop branding

strategies are not obsessive nor bordering on disfunction. Branding has both a place

and function in today’s rapidly changing world. The challenges of differentiating

products, places and even people and getting attention in the cacophony of the

marketplace highlight the need for innovative and meaningful identity. Effective

branding stands out. Branding can also have strategic implications, protecting

innovative efforts by and recouping or enhancing return on R&D investments. However,

Conley’s book did raise valid concerns regarding branding practices done badly or

taken to the extreme. Analysis of information detailed in the book can provide

organizations lessons to learn from, and can help them make better choices about

identity.

Effective branding gives competitive advantage. “Brands offer us mental shortcuts,

helping us cut through the clutter of everything we buy and enabling us to communicate

certain concepts quickly and easily”. 1 With all of the complexity and seemingly millions

of decisions required of each of us daily, choices such as where to eat lunch, Panera, or

what shirt to buy, Polo vs. Izod, become easier because of an attachment that stems

from internalizing brand messages.

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Branding can be a strategic tool. The marketplace is complex, the world is flatter, and

companies face very real challenges of how to protect a new product from low-cost

competition. “(New) products are rapidly copied and commodified, rendering innovation

obsolete in a matter of days or weeks”.2 Yet it is just such innovation, through often

costly research and development, that drives business success. Branding done well

can protect innovation by elevating the image of the new product in the mind and heart

of the consumer, thus diminishing the price advantage from the unknown competition.

“Identity will become the most significant factor in making a choice between one

company and its products and another”3

Lessons can be learned from issues and concerns presented in this book. Don’t

substitute branding for innovation or quality. Branding as a solution for a bad thing is…

bad! Throwing money and resources at marketing and branding in the hopes of a quick

return will do more harm than good. Conley points to the example of Nigeria as what

not-to-do. Nigeria initiated a multi-million dollar Image Project in 2004, changing it

several years later.4 These rosy campaigns fly in the face of dramatic social upheaval in

the country. On-the- ground efforts are desperately needed to address the monumental

problems facing Nigeria; only when major economic changes and social progress have

been achieved would an image campaign make any honest sense.

Look at the overall brand campaign and message. Does Cheetos-brand lip balm 5 make

any sense? It is important for brand identity to be cohesive. Brand extensions can

make sense, but done poorly can dilute and denigrate a brand perception. Harley

Davidson went on an explosive merchandising path in the 1990’s that paired its iconic
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motorcycles with product offerings of Harley Davidson socks, Harley Davidson perfume

and Harley Davidson ties. The image of Hells Angels, the open road and rugged bikers

that was, and still is, the Harley Davidson brand was confused at best with these efforts.

It took effort to get the brand back on track – and no surprise, the perfume’s gone. 6

Vague, generic messages don’t work. People don’t remember them, and as a result

they are a waste of time and resources. This lesson seems especially clear in the

book’s examples of place branding: “We Love Dreamers” (Oregon--$2 million per year)

or “Endless” (Nebraska—the twelfth state slogan since 1972).”7 Yawn.

Conley’s points out that brands overpromise and underdeliver8. Consumers are

bombarded with messaging, and have become skeptical of promises without substance.

As a pet-owner, I experienced first-hand the disappointment with a cleaning product,

Resolve. It boasts an ability to get tough stains out of carpeting and discourages re-

soiling…but it didn’t work at my house. Not only will I never purchase the product again,

but I have related my experience, my narrative, to a number of friends and pet owners.

“In the end, branding is about…CREDIBILITY”9

Handle With Care – when it comes to audio logos, mystery whisperers and

neuromarketing, all of which are enlargements of the realm of branding. Conley is

concerned that the intrusive manipulation of sensory perceptions are ultimately

damaging to community and society. While “good branding seeks to create an image

that is consistently uniform”10 , these new and untested sensory add-ons are yet to be

proven as either successful or meaningful. This all sounds very “big brother”-esque.

With the concerns raised by Conley, a ‘tread lightly’ policy in this era of consumer
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skepticism makes sense. What you don’t know and others uncover could ultimately

hurt.

As organizations look to creating their identity, several points stand out from the

reading. Be authentic! Don’t fake it – it’ll cost you. Conley used the example of the

faux film critic, David Manning. Upon discovery by the media of self-serving movie

reviews engineered to be seen as independent opinion, Sony paid dearly in damages to

their reputation and in financial terms with lawsuit settlements.

Truth in identity translates to brand methodology as well. Word of Mouth marketing is an

area of both promise and peril that behooves the brander to pay close attention to ethics

and authenticity. “Seventy-six percent of consumers cite word-of-mouth product

recommendations as their primary sources of information for making purchasing

decisions”11. The temptation for organizations to gain influence in this arena is obvious.

But perception of manipulation can easily and negatively affect product or organizational

identity.

Identity shelf-life -- In the search for an identity with staying power, consistent

reinforcement of a clearly communicated vision is required. We know Avis Tries Harder,

they’ve had that message for over 40 years. Their narrative of everyone at Avis striving,

of the extra effort they put in, is widely known in large part because the core story

doesn’t change.12 Just what and who is that National Rent A Car company?

“Branding, when it’s consistent, provides us with clarity and simplicity in a progressively

hectic world.” 13
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Develop branding identity using both science and art. The launch of Coke2 showed that

success is not achieved solely by the market research or formulaic models. The

science of marketing and branding helps, “but for all the research, identifying the best

products and advertisements remains a difficult task that can be accomplished only with

true creativity and a genuine feel for the customer’s needs”.14 Art matters,

understanding what the customer wants and is willing to purchase is more than a

numbers game and one of best marketing practices.

Conley’s “OBD” book explores the excessive and negative impacts of branding. But

rather than embracing these sometimes extreme examples as gospel, analysis can

instead offer lessons that can be learned to ultimately improve potential branding

success. Perspective is crucial in applying the message to his book, just as good

judgement is needed in Cancun over Spring Break to avoid adverse television

exposure.
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Endnotes:
1Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 195-196
2 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 6
3Peters, T.(2003). Re:Imagine Chap 12 The Ultimate Value Proposition: The Heart of Branding. P
2 “from Wally Olins writing in Corporate Identiy”
4Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 29
5 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 61
6Cashberry (2006). Brand failures and lessons learned. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from http://
brandfailures.blogspot.com/2006/11/extension-brand-failures-harley.html
7 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 29
8 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 89
9 Peters, T.(2003). Re:Imagine Chap 12 The Ultimate Value Proposition: The Heart of Branding
10 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 148
11 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 121
12(n.d.), Building brands. Retrieved June 9, 2009, from http://www.buildingbrands.com/
didyouknow/16_avis_we_try_harder.php?PHPSESSID=626f80e3149bee123374f5060488d838
13 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P196
14 Conley, L.(2008). OBD Obsessive branding disorder. New York: PublicAffairs P 154