10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer
Relationship Today
Branding experts almost universally agree Dieselgate won’t do any long-term damage to
Volkswagen’s reputation, provided it goes through the appropriate motions and
demonstrates contrition while embracing a bold new era and reminding its consumers
why they loved the brand in the first place.
It has all the trappings of a hit pop song. Taylor Swift, are you listening?
So, in that spirit, here are 10 songs that illustrate further nuances of the modern brandconsumer relationship.
1. Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
Destiny's Child - Say My Name (Of7cial Video)
It’s only getting easier to catch – and out – liars.
And consumers do.
In fact, Anthony Pensabene, digital marketing associate at SEO firm Evolving SEO,
said it’s growing more difficult for brands to maintain good reputations due to the
barrage of available social signals.
“If a brand delivers on its sales promise, that’s expected. There’s no story there,” he
said. “But if a brand wrongs the consumer or generates a cause for negative news, the
sharks smell blood in the water. I don’t think there’s been a shift in that truth, yet, today,
it’s way easier to spread scandalous news in real time and compound it with social
media commenters.”
Further, Barak Kassar, partner at digital brand-building and communications firm
Rassak, said screwing up is much more dangerous now and blowback is much harder
to control because every consumer has a voice on social media.
“Whereas brands needed to be good at advertising, PR, and product in the past, now
they need to be good at advertising, PR, product, and the intricacies of communicating
and participating on the social stage,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s about [history] as much
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
as it’s about meaning of the brand – and of course time can increase meaning.”
2. Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”
Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive (Live 1979)
Standards are changing and consumer expectations are shifting.
In fact, Rebecca Brooks, founder of market research firm Alter Agents, noted there is a
shift in which brands are held more accountable for their actions than in the past.
“Historically, we have had a certain comfort level with corporations being a bit
‘evil.’ Erin-Brokovich-style activism first brought this to our attention, but there was still
this idea that those poor people were affected, but it doesn’t affect me,” she said.
“Now, people are much more likely to punish a corporation for bad behavior even if they
weren’t directly impacted. You see pressure on brands like McDonald’s to combat
childhood obesity – even though you have the option of not eating there. Chipotle has
carved out a huge niche in this space by being transparent, socially active and willing to
take financial hits to keep their values – non-GMO pork sourcing problems took carnitas
off the menu for many months.”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
3. Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”
Aretha Franklin - Respect [1967] (Original Vers…
Today’s brands have to walk the line.
“Brands have to be able to deliver on their value proposition in a consistent manner that
fits the expectations of the customer,” said Callum Beattie, partner at strategic creative
agency Honest Agency. “If they don’t, I don’t think it matters if it’s Uber or Coke, they
will lose customer loyalty and market share.”
4. TLC’s “No Scrubs”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
TLC - No Scrubs
The bad boy archetype is losing its luster.
Brooks said growing resentment about income inequality mean corporations with high
sales and large profits are met with skepticism and frustration.
“Local, handcrafted, artisanal are all on the rise and will only get stronger as consumers
look for opportunities to vote with their dollars on organizations that benefit and improve
their communities,” Brooks said. “Competitors that have a strong moral position and
transparent brand will outpace competitors.”
5. Spice Girls’ “Wannabe”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
Spice Girls - Wannabe
A brand is at the mercy of a consumer’s circle of friends.
“The power is now in the hands of the consumer,” Beattie said. “Brands can’t tell
people what they should think anymore. Consumers talk to each other and compare
notes at lightning speed.
“It’s very difficult for brands to keep up to consumer attitudes and behaviors,” he
added. “The brands that are getting a lot of attention these days are brands that involve
the consumer at the very core of the brand. Uber and Airbnb are perfect examples of
this. The consumer is both customer and employee of these brands.”
6. Fleetwood Mac’s “Little Lies”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
Fleetwood Mac ​- Little Lies
Even if some consumers disapprove of a brand’s actions, a fan who really loves it may
be willingly blind to wrongdoing.
For his part, Pensabene points to the halo effect, which he said means consumers will
generally stick with an overall impression regarding their feelings toward an entity.
“So if we assume that those purchasing VW vehicles had positive thoughts and an
overall good impression to start, it would take more than the current scandal to
altogether doom the brand,” he said. “I believe things may momentarily seem more dire
because the majority of the public are not VW owners. It’s easier for them to think
negatively about a brand they never thought positive about.”
7. Adele’s “Chasing Pavements”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
Adele - Chasing Pavements
Consumers care about integrity.
Further, crisis and reputation management consultant Eden Gillott Bowe
said consumers’ patience and ability to forgive and forget have atrophied.
“We’re always looking for the best, fastest and most convenient,” Gillott Bowe said. “If
something new disrupts the market, we’ll jump ship like lemmings. The same goes for if
we’ve been wronged by a brand, assuming, of course, switching to an alternative
doesn’t inconvenience us.”
Consumers are also growing accustomed, and perhaps jaded, to hearing apologies
from those that have wronged them.
“If you’re caught doing something wrong, a heartfelt mea culpa may help, depending on
how much goodwill you have in the bank and how inclined the public is to pounce,”
Gillot Bowe said. “But it’s become overused with so many politicians, executives and
celebrities caught in compromising situations. It’s lost much of its effectiveness. Unless
you’ve amassed a cult-like following, if you’re a new, smaller brand you’re toast.”
8. Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
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Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Relationship history matters, too.
“A fracture within a singular fan base means having to build a new base from scratch.
And that can be an impossible job,” said John Lane, chief strategy officer at marketing
firm Centerline Digital. “Think Saturn, from not long ago, whose base built on the ‘noncar buying fans’ but nothing more, lost momentum and could never recover.”
While longevity can certainly help a legacy brand weather a crisis, it doesn’t guarantee
success, particularly if the brand reacts poorly to the crisis, said Wilde Agency President
John Sisson, pointing to Enron.
9. The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
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The Police - Every Breath You Take
The longer the relationship, the harder it is to sever.
“Older, established brands are ‘grandfathered’ in as far as general acceptance and are
more resilient to a scandal,” Pensabene said.
10. Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”
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10 Pop Songs That Perfectly Illustrate The Brand-Consumer Relationship Today | momentology
10/23/15, 10:00 AM
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Lov…
Brands can weather virtually any scandal if they are truly loved by consumers.
Brooks noted other brands like Ford, Cadillac and Toyota have also experienced
declines in consumer trust due to poor product and/or management, but they’ve all
bounced back.
“Each brand did this by leveraging the love of their core fans and harking back to the
core elements that launched them,” she said.
Brand consultant Daryl Weber points to Tylenol, which was able to rebound after
numerous safety issues and recalls as well.
“Though VW is a bit worse because it was an intentional move on their part, and
because this flies in the face of the brand’s lovable, good-natured feel, I still think they
have the brand history and strength to eventually overcome this,” Weber said. “They
have built a level of consumer love that is very, very hard to break down.”
Kassar points to disruptor brands like Airbnb and Uber, which have shorter histories, but
have also amassed a great deal of meaning in a short amount of time.
“And it’s partly attitude. They’re out to create very meaningful brands,” Kassar said.
“They’re not 100 percent loved by any stretch. They are, in some ways, scandal
brands…but those who love the brands love the brands.”
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