Iconic products

I bought my first pair of branded sunglasses. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’ve been the proud owner of a pair of Nike sunglasses for two years. I bought them on sale for € 25 in one of those outlet shopping centres in Italy. Last week, after the wrinkle cream saga, I decided it was time for me to work on a more “grown-up” look, so I went out and bought myself the sunglasses I’ve always wanted, the iconic Ray-Ban Aviators.

Why did I just call them iconic? What exactly makes a product iconic? The company’s branding strategy? The quantities sold worldwide? Celebrities flaunting it? In my humble opinion, a product becomes iconic thanks to its unique design, a good advertising campaign resulting in spectacular sales figures and… patience. My sunglasses were designed more than seventy years ago. They’ve stood the test of time. The design and quality have been perfected. They were worn in popular films such as Top Gun, they’ve surfaced on the covers of magazines, they’ve been launched in several shades and redesigned to meet the demands of various trends. And let’s face it, they’re damn sexy!

Owning an iconic product gives you a feeling of belonging to an exclusive group of discerning consumers that just keeps growing, generation after generation. Or is it just an illusion, a way to justify the fact that you’ve just spent a ridiculous amount of money on something so meaningless? Yes, that’s probably it!

Brand loyalty

Yesterday I was tweeting about coffee and I mentioned my Bialetti coffee maker. Suddenly I realised that whenever I need to buy a new coffee maker (every two to three years), I refuse to buy anything but a Bialetti. When I go to Italy, one of my favourite places to shop is the Bialetti outlet store. Why I wonder? What makes Bialetti the best brand in my little world? Why does my brain refuse to believe that other companies can make equally good coffee makers? And cost-conscious as I am, why pay more for a branded product?

The same goes for cornflakes. I only buy Kellogg’s. Not because they’re a client of the agency I work with, but probably because it’s the brand I grew up with. And having visited the Kellogg’s offices in Belgium has only reinforced my idea that its products best suit my taste buds. Then there’s make up. For me, it’s The Body Shop or nothing, even after having tried €50 Guerlain foundation.

In a way, as a translator, I’m responsible for selling products. I translate and localise press releases, product labels, marketing material, websites etc. On a professional level, I know exactly what goes into a 500-word press release. Months in advance, potential consumers are invited to try the product and give their opinion, which is then reworked into a motto or highlighted in a colourful textbox on the packaging. Translators are often sent internal guidelines and vocabulary lists. Every word is scrutinised by the marketing manager and the legal team. On a more personal level, I let my purchases be influenced by marketing and habit. Or is there more to it? I’m not sure what determines what we buy. Is it the position of the product on the shelf? Is it viral videos, ads, billboards? Or nostalgia maybe?

I’m quite sure in my case certain decisions are based on a nostalgic feeling that takes me back to my happy childhood years. My mum’s coffee (and caffè d’orzo when I was a little chipmunk) was and is to this day brewed with a Bialetti coffee maker. The only difference between mine and hers, is that hers is the traditional silver one and mine is… orange (that comes as no surprise if you read my blog). For breakfast I always had the Kellogg’s Variety packs, and I’d spend my first fifteen minutes of the day playing the games on the back of the packs. And if I remember correctly, my first lip gloss was one of those tiny pots by The Body Shop with raspberry flavour. So there you have it, brand loyalty explained from my personal point of view.

We all have brands we cherish. What are yours?