Whether one considers Apple’s iPod, iPad or iPhone or Ty Nant’s bottled water or Giorgio Armani clothing, aesthetics plays an important role in the appeal of brands. Even the appeal of less upscale brands is often driven at least in part by their aesthetics. Consider Dove soap or the Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor or Hershey’s Kisses or the earlier version of the Hyundai Sonata that looked like a Jaguar.
In The Blake Project’s place branding work we have seen aesthetics-related criteria rate high on residents’ reasons for choosing a place to live. Attractive neighborhoods and scenic beauty rate next after good job opportunities, low crime, affordable housing and good medical care as the top reasons people choose a particular place to live.
Consider college and university brands. While many factors, including offering the right major, ranking high in selectivity, offering a competitive financial aid package, etc. contribute to brand preference, most college admissions offices will admit that once a potential student has visited the campus, the likelihood that he or she will attend that school increases significantly (assuming the experience was a good one). An increasing number of college ranking sources also rank schools based on campus aesthetics.
Elon University has become much more popular in the past decade, at least partially due to its campus aesthetics. One final item of interest on building beauty into brands. Beautiful brands almost always command a price premium, generally making them more profitable than other brands in their categories. As a brand marketer looking to build an advantage, consider how you can infuse your brand with increased aesthetic appeal.
The Blake Project Can Help: The Brand Positioning Workshop
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education
