Brand Rivalries and Consumer Behavior
Brand rivalries are super common. Think about brands like Coke and Pepsi. They're always trying to stand out. Usually, it's by saying why their brand is better than the other. Like, they point out what's wrong with the competitor. But I've been reading that some brands are trying a different thing: praising their rivals. It sounds strange, but it might actually make people like your brand more. Let's look at this for the blog post.
Old Rivalries vs. Praising: What's the Difference?
Think about old rivalry ads, like Mac versus PC. Those ads were really direct. Macs were shown as easy to use, and PCs were… not so much. That's a classic rivalry strategy. Brand A says they are great, and Brand B isn't as good. The idea, I think, is to get you to choose a side and stay loyal. It's like, "We're the better choice, pick us." Brands use this to build loyalty.
But now, some brands are doing something different. Instead of being negative, they say good things about competitors. They might say, "Good job, Brand X, on that new product!" It seems odd, but I think it can make a brand seem confident. Like they're saying, "We're good, and we know our competitors are good too." That seems kind of thoughtful. And maybe that can make people feel better about buying from you. It's like they're trying to win by being positive, not just by being competitive.
Why Like Competitor Praise? And "Thin-Slice Theory"?
So, why do people like it when brands praise rivals? It's not what you expect. I think it's because it feels more real. We expect brands to compete, so when they're nice, it gets our attention. It's like, "Wait, did they just compliment them?" It can make the brand seem more human. More like people, less like just a company.
There's also "thin-slice theory". It means we make quick judgments, really fast. If a brand praises a competitor, we can get a good feeling quickly. Our brains might think, "Okay, this is a good brand" right away. And that good feeling might make us want to buy from them. It's a fast way to like a brand, just from one nice action. Interesting idea.
When Praising Might Not Work…
But, praising competitors might not always work. For example, if a really expensive brand praises a very cheap brand. It could confuse people. Like, "Are they saying they're similar now?" It could hurt the expensive brand's image. Also, if it seems like the praise isn't real, it could backfire. If people think it's fake, it can damage the brand's trust. So, I believe it has to be genuine to work.
And if the brands are too different, praise might not fit. If you sell high-tech stuff and praise a brand selling old-style products? It might just seem out of place. So, you have to be careful about when and who you praise.
My Thoughts
Overall, brand rivalries seem to be changing. Being really competitive can work, but being surprisingly nice could also be effective sometimes. It probably depends on the situation. But this idea of praising rivals is interesting. It shows that being thoughtful and positive might be a good way for brands to get customers to like them and buy their products. What do you think?
Gatesman. (2024, April 26). Purchasing behavior: Gen Z reframed \[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlek91AUKUw