Rethinking Prestige Branding: Secrets of the Ueber-Brands
Key Takeaways
What is an “Ueber-Brand”?
Schaefer and Kuehlwein define “Ueber-Brands” as organizations that are valued beyond price and esteemed beyond size. Brands that are embracing the idea of “modern prestige” are leading their categories, bringing a new generation of consumers into the fold without isolating the existing customer base.
Balancing Inclusion and Exclusion
Many luxury brands have been reluctant to establish a presence on digital and social media, as these channels seem to be at odds with the concept of exclusivity. However, if leveraged effectively, social and digital media present marketers with the opportunity to provide exclusivity and customization to customers in a highly-visible public forum.
- Grey Poupon created the “Good Taste Society” to transform the simple act of “liking” the brand on Facebook into an entrance exam, evaluating users’ level sophistication to decide whether they can belong to the group. This created a barrier to inclusion (albeit a minor one), perpetuating the exclusive feel the mustard brand has always used to differentiate itself.
Design Target vs. Strategic Target
Nearly every brand, premium or otherwise, has both a design target (the “ideal” user) and a strategic target (the actual user). If properly leveraged, a brand’s design target can serve as the aspirational goal of its strategic target.
- Harley Davidson is a prime example of this, as the motorcycle manufacturer sells to its strategic target (affluent males in the city who use the motorcycles as a way to blow off steam on the weekends) by lionizing its design target (the tattooed, lower-income rebel without a cause).
- The design target/strategic target balance is what has allowed Red Bull, an energy drink manufacturer, to behave like a premium lifestyle brand. While its strategic target includes truck drivers and office workers who use the product to get through their day, Red Bull’s design target is the rock star daredevil, and the brand has invested heavily in creating experiences that reflect the brand’s edgy, risk-taking persona.
Source
"Rethinking Prestige Branding: Secrets of the Ueber-Brands." Wolfgang Schaefer and JP Kuehlwein, Authors, Rethinking Prestige Branding. The Internationalist 1000 Think Tank Breakfast, 10/27/15.