Sipping on Drama

Happy Friday, Sippers,

How was your week? Mine was a whirlwind of new school routines, a mad dash of new schedules and new beginnings. Brands are experiencing a similar moment of disruption, trying to make sense of what's happening in the world of brand-building lately. It seems like everyone is trying to "find their moment" to get noticed (intentionally or unintentionally), and it's making for some truly head-scratching brand moves.

This week, I've been pondering whether controversy is the new path to brand awareness. With campaigns like American Eagle's with Sydney Sweeney, e.l.f. Cosmetics' Matt Rife collaboration, and the Cracker Barrel rebrand, it feels like we've entered a new era of "go viral or go home."

Mind you, we've been there before with 

• The Jaguar Rebrand | The brand destroyed every code it had built since 1922. The rebrand was so significant that it managed to alienate its loyal customers while ensuring others wrote it off in under 30 seconds.

•  The Apple "Crushing Culture" Ad | The campaign missed the mark by a landslide and was criticized for crushing cultural objects and creative tools in a viral ad. This was a fundamental misstep in understanding their core brand identity.

• The Twitter to X Rebrand | Elon Musk's decision to ditch the iconic Twitter bird and name was seen as the opposite of brand building. It eradicated 17 years of brand value in the Twitter name and all the brand equity acquired over the past 17 years.

Let's break down the latest drama:

The Good, The Bad, and The "Wait, What?"

• The American Eagle & Sydney Sweeney "Great Genes" Ad: This one is a masterclass in risk-taking that paid off... for now. The campaign's tagline, "Sydney has great jeans," was a clever, double-entendre play on words. But it also sparked a furious online debate, with some accusing the brand of promoting eugenics. American Eagle's response? To double down. The company's CMO stated that the campaign "is not going anywhere" after seeing a spike in demand, with Sweeney's signature jeans selling out in under a week. The brand's stock is soaring, and it has garnered billions of impressions. They took a big swing, and it worked, proving that sometimes, being a part of the cultural conversation, even a heated one, is a win.

• The e.l.f. & Matt Rife Debacle: This is the cautionary tale of the bunch. e.l.f. Cosmetics, a brand known for its inclusivity and affordability, partnered with comedian Matt Rife, who has a history of making jokes about domestic violence. The campaign immediately faced a massive backlash from beauty influencers and consumers, who called the brand out for its tone-deafness. e.l.f. 's response was swift and apologetic, pulling the campaign and acknowledging they "missed the mark". This indicates that while attention is a powerful currency, not all attention is good attention. When you're a brand built on a strong, authentic community, alienating them for a quick buzz is a dangerous gamble.

• The Cracker Barrel Fiasco: This one is a real head-scratcher. Cracker Barrel, a brand synonymous with a nostalgic, "country store" experience, decided to simplify its logo, ditching the iconic "Uncle Herschel" and the old-timey feel. The result? Widespread outrage from its loyal customer base, a stock value drop, and even a tweet from President Donald  Trump. Within days, the company backtracked, reverting to the old logo and admitting they "could've done a better job" of honouring their legacy. This wasn't a case of a brand intentionally stirring the pot; it was a fundamental misstep in understanding their core brand identity and the deep emotional connection their customers have to it. It's a stark reminder that a logo is a symbol of a brand's entire meaning system, and if you tamper with that without care, you risk alienating the very people who love you.

Before we jump in with the final takeaway, let's talk about the two non-negotiable rules of brand building: a brand must be authentic to its purpose, and it must deeply understand its audience. Without these two, a brand is just a name and a logo, floating aimlessly in the sea of consumer consciousness (so tragic).

The Old Rules Still Apply: Authenticity and Consistency

Brand building is all about creating value by fostering an emotional connection with your audience. To achieve this, a brand must have a clear and consistent identity.

• Authenticity is a human aspiration. It's about a brand being genuine, sincere, and trustworthy. A brand's actions must align with its stated values and mission. When a brand truly lives its values, it builds an emotional connection that goes beyond a simple transaction and is much harder to break.

• Consistency is the shortcut to recognition. This isn't just about a logo and a colour palette. It's about a unified, coherent message across every single touchpoint. When a brand is consistent, it reinforces what it stands for, builds trust, and makes it instantly recognizable, even with just a fleeting glimpse.

You can't be authentic if you don't know who you're being authentic for. Knowing your audience is the key to creating a brand that resonates on a deep, emotional level. Here's how brands are digging deeper than ever before:

• Go beyond the basics. Start with demographics like age, location, income, and gender. But that's just the surface level. True understanding comes from digging into psychographics—the values, attitudes, lifestyle choices, and personality traits of your audience.

• Talk to your customers. One of the best ways to understand your audience is to talk to the people who already buy from you. You can read their reviews and learn their stories, which can be the path to differentiation.

• Analyze their behaviour. Utilize data and analytics to identify where your audience is spending their time online, which channels they use, and what content they're engaging with.

When these fundamentals are in place, a brand can take risks and even flirt with controversy. The most successful brands understand that fostering genuine connection matters more than transactions.

The Sip Takeaway

So, is controversy the new playbook for brand building? It seems controversy is a high-stakes gamble. The jackpot is a brand reset and a flood of new customers; the bust is alienating your core and losing everything. The common thread? It comes down to one simple question: Is your brand's foundation strong enough to handle the heat? The brands that win don't just get a moment in the spotlight; they earn a permanent place in their audience's hearts.

See you next week,