In the recent past, different brands have tried to influence people using different marketing tools, especially through brand persuasion. Leveraging this marketing tool helps to tap into the emotional being of the consumers, hence building a culture around the product or service (Dretzin, Goodman, & Rushkoff, 2004).
This is true in the ever-growing sector of fast food. For example, McDonald’s and Subway are some of the largest fast-food restaurants in the United States, which have been able to amass a following of loyal customers through the years using brand persuasion. Brand persuasion is everywhere a person can look; for example, McDonald’s use of colors in their stores, and Subway building a sense of healthiness around its brand through the use of words such as “healthy foods” in advertisements. These are just a few examples of how brands can be able to influence consumer behavior.
Even though both brands are in the same industry, that’s as much comparison as they draw to each other. For example, McDonald’s audience is parents with young children, children, and teenagers. McDonald’s creates offers and marketing promotions that focus on these groups. For example, tailored-made menus that focus on pricing for their core audience cartoon-like atmosphere created by the use of colors and other art forms in the restaurant.
This influences the consumer’s perception of the brand and creates a great following around the brand (Kim, Magnini, & Singal, 2011). Subway’s audience comprises people between the ages of 18 to 39 who are conscious of their food consumption patterns and health. The company uses people of the same age as its core audience to convey its messages. The aggressive marketing the brand has taken to achieve this goal has created a strong psychological imprint on consumers of being a “healthy” option as compared to their competitors.
It can be noted that a brand persuasion is an important tool in advancing a brand’s agenda and also in creating a culture around it. For brands to achieve success, they must find a critical balance using brand persuasion to build greater brand personalities; this will further ensure that the brand can grow and increase its market share. In addition, a brand must seek to understand who is their target consumer to ensure they exploit the benefits that brand persuasion can bring. Nevertheless, for a brand to achieve success, it is vital for it to create a connection between the client and the brand.
References
Dretzin, R. (Producer), Goodman, B. (Producer & Writer), & Rushkoff, D. (Writer). (2004). The Persuaders [Television series episode]. In Mangini, T. (Director), Frontline. Arlington, VA: PBS. Web.
Kim, D, Magnini,P, Singal, M. (2011). The effects of customers’ perceptions of brand personality in casual theme restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Management 30(2).