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The Marketing of No Marketing

30 Jun 2003 by Matthew Linderman

The Marketing of No Marketing (NY Times) discusses brands whose “identity is created not by their owners but by consumers.” The anti-Hilfiger/Nike/etc. model. Pabst Blue Ribbon is the chief example discussed.

P.B.R. needs to stay neutral, ”always look and act the underdog” and not worry about those who look down on the beer, presumably because they’re snobs whose negative opinion only boosts its street cred. The Plan B analysis even says that P.B.R.’s embrace by punks, skaters and bike messengers make it a political, ”social protest” brand. These ”lifestyle as dissent” or ”consumption as protest” constituencies are about freedom and rejecting middle-class mores, and ”P.B.R. is seen as a symbol and fellow dissenter.”

16 comments so far (Post a Comment)

30 Jun 2003 | suppafly said...

It's embrace by punks, skaters, and bike messengers is due to it being cheap, the same reason college students drink natural light, it has nothing to do with marketing.

30 Jun 2003 | Steve said...

Interesting theory, but it misses the point, I think. PBR is just enjoying that freak popularity that hits various products for brief periods of time. Pepople will latch on to seemingly odd products for whatever reason, but the attachment is short-lived. Inevitably, the new "protest" brand (what a stupid term) starts gaining in popularity, which turns off the people who started consuming it. (It's the same phenomenon that marks any band that starts enjoying commercial success as a "sellout".)

Trust me, PBR will be old news 6-12 months from now, when this group has moved on to something else.

30 Jun 2003 | Darrel said...

Cool...My PBR neon sign I bought in college might be worth a few bucks for a brief period...heading to eBay...

30 Jun 2003 | John Porcaro said...

True, but why not exploit that? I think PBR, or the actual rep in this case (not sure if it was a "company" initiative that NYT wrote about) is taking advantage of something that existed naturally. Isn't that what the field of marketing is about? Recognizing (or creating) trends, and selling while the selling's good? In this case, those drinking PBR will quit drinking it when it becomes popular, but once it's popular, PBR won't care about the niche.

While this isn't exactly the point in Chrossing the Chasm (early adopters, then mainstream), it's similar (the new book calls it a bowling alley, I think--target a small group until the brand gains popularity).

30 Jun 2003 | Chris said...

I can't get beyond the fact that anybody is drinking PBR by choice. Ugh! I need a Guinness now just wash the imaginary bad taste from my mouth.

30 Jun 2003 | Toby said...

Good lord, they still make Pabst? That beer should remain a punchline. That and those godawful trucker hats. Wasn't irony supposed to be dead?

01 Jul 2003 | ~bc said...

People still drink PBR? I thought only old guys drank that. I second that call for Guiness.

03 Jul 2003 | ratseey said...

If you can get your hands on some Hoegaarden belgium beer,buy it you wont be dissapointed,recently rediscovered it.
Its magic
>>comes with a funky hexagonal glass when bought in uk wal-mart!

Full description here> http://www.belgian-beer-cafe.com.au/beer5.htm

yours ratzy

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17 Jan 2004 | Newton said...

At WWDC, I listened to Apple representatives make some excellent points about taking the time to build a 100%-compliant Aqua application, and I think all developers need to look beyond the code and listen to what the folks at Apple have to say

28 Nov 2004 | click said...

5639 Very well said chappy.

31 Jan 2005 | compatelius said...

bocigalingus must be something funny.

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