Classic Brands
| Author | Karen Puglisi |
| Pages | 118-120 |
Page 118
Classic brands are a part of modern society that have become so deeply ingrained into our everyday experiences that they have become unobtrusive. A classic brand can be defined as one that, through careful and thorough advertising, marketing, and product positioning, has become synonymous with the product category of which it is a part. Additionally, a classic brand may also be one for which there is no other recognizable competition within its product class. In this sense, a classic brand is one that has been raised above the commodity level, creating its own product classification in the consumer's mind. This is not to say that it is the only item of its type, but rather that the other competing products hold such a small market share that they are considered obscure, making the classic brand a category killer within its market segment.
Based on the aforementioned definition of what constitutes a classic brand, there are many products and services that may be considered classic. Coca-Cola, (or Coke, as it is commonly known) is the undisputed leader in the soft-drink industry, so much so that a consumer in a restaurant who wants a cola drink is programmed to ask for a Coke, whether the establishment serves Coke, Pepsi, or any other brand. In the same sense, an adhesive bandage is better known as a Band-Aid, facial tissue is referred to as Kleenex, and Xerox has become a verb for the act of photocopying, as well as a noun used for what the photocopy machine produces.
Household products such as Arm & Hammer Baking Soda, Clorox Bleach, and Barbie dolls provide strong examples of classic brands that have no major market competition. Of course there are other baking sodas, bleaches, and dolls on the market, but even a savvy consumer would be hard-pressed to name them. This is true not only of tangible products but of services as well. Service providers such as H&R Block and AAA (The American Automobile Association) are classic brands whose names are synonymous with the markets that they represent.
Much of the initial recognition of a classic brand stems not from its performance but from its visual impact on the consumer's memory. Granted, the product must perform superbly to maintain its status; however, the initial...
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