Powtak, 1
Book Critique
Buying In by Rob Walker
Prepared by: Lauren Powtak
Submitted: April 21, 2016
In partial completion of requirements for BUS 310 Marketing, Bridgewater College
I. Overview of the Book
In the marketing world, research has shown there are countless factors that influence any consumer’s decision to purchase a product.Rob Walker’s workBuying In discusses brand loyalty and its effect on these consumers. He highlights specific companies and the ways each have gained the trust and loyalty of consumers. Rob Walkerhas been a writer and editor for various publications such as the New York Timesand Money.He wrote a weekly column called “Consumed” in the Times,each week focusing on a new product or consumer trend. Due to this passion Walker clearly has for branding, his book shows a range of knowledge about different products and marketing strategies that are used by different companies.With his various experience at a variety of magazines, his opinion is reputable for this book.However, as a columnist, Walker has moments throughout the book when he uses mostly opinions without backing up why he feels a certain way.He gained recognition after writing this book, which was his first book on marketing. The goal companies create are to set themselves apart from competition and showcase their products as the ultimate or most desired one in their given field. However, a common theme in Walker’s novel is the term “murketing”. He writes it is a way for marketers to blur the lines of traditional tactics formerly used, thus consumers creating their own interpretations of a company’s image. Instead of companies and their executives being in control, consumers now create their own loyalty and ties to specific items. Since the lines are now fuzzy, he relates them as murky. Rather than ignoring brands and their significances, people instead embrace them. He profiles different brands and how they have become a part of a person’s identify for many reasons.
II. Supporting Arguments
One of the main arguments the author makes is that brand loyalty is due to an emotional appeal they have to the product. For example, he uses the Livestrong wristband. The small yellow wristbands with the word “Livestrong” printed across the band went viral after the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong wore the band, as he was an inspiration as a cancer survivor. People purchased the bracelets for no rational reason. They did not solve any problems, improve the quality of life, or even help fight the battle of cancer as some were intending. However,people wore them for the emotional support. For example, they would wear them in memory of a cancer survivor or one who still battles the illness. The relationship of a wristband with no value is similar to the placebo effect Plassmann and Weber discussed in their “Individual Differences in Marketing Placebo Effects: Evidence from Brain Imaging and Behavioral Experiments” article. The point of this journal was to show the relationship the brain makes when they think they are receiving a drug that does not actually help with a marketer’s methods.1 As stated in the journal, people use the emotions they feel when making decisions about any products. The Livestrong bracelet is not for any particular reason other than emotional appeal.Before a particular product is tried, assumptions based upon price and status quo give a buyer a preconceived notion of how the product will make them feel.The increased anticipatory responses in the frontal and parietal lobe involved in emotional regulation had a higher accuracy with placebos than activities in the brain’s pain-processing regions. Thus, the brain’s activity levels using emotions were proven to be significantly higher than those when they are simply based upon pain control.In turn, the emotions buyers feel are more valuable than the physical benefits they can give us.
In addition to having an emotional connection to a particular product or brand, Walker writes about the importance logos can have on consumers. There are a countless number of logos people connect to brands. When they are extremely recognizable to a person, a company has achieved brand recognition. When people see an object that makes them think of any particular brand, they are associating their initial thoughts of an item to a company. This is extremely beneficial to businesses so that they receive purchases over their competition, and can have the ultimate market share. The examples Walker uses consist of Ralph Lauren Polo, the Ecko rhino, and Hello Kitty. Clearly, each of these brands represent extremely different items and are geared towards different groups of people. However, each are also fairly recognizable. In addition, he tells the story of Ed Templeton. Growing up in a broken home with a father who left when he was young and a mother who could not fully control the household, Templeton hid his true passions and was a self proclaimed “nerd”. After years, he finally found a passion in skateboarding. Skaters frequently decorate their boards full of stickers with a variety of different meanings. Some choose to put companies, which can further increase a following of a brand. This is another specific exampleof emotional appeal, since they have shown their appreciation of a company in a deep way, beyond a plain appreciation for the product. Templeton wanted to be a ninja as a child, since it was something extremely different than his true identify as a meek young person.Since that didn’t happen for him at any time in life, he decided to put ninja stickers over his board of a small startup company. Walker uses Templeton’s story as a way to show a very specific example of consumer control.
When the shoe company Timberland was developed, they were the complete opposite of Livestrong. Instead of being an impractical accessory, these boots were designed to be necessities for practical footwear. They were developed in 1973 to keep feet warm and dry in New Hampshire. Most of the early pairs of boots were worn in the mountains as practical footwear. The first “urban” buyers of the shoes were said to be New York City drug dealers. The guys had to stand on the streets all night and needed footwear to keep their feet warm and dry throughout the night. During the 1990s, the New York Times wrote an article about the footwear and described them as “dope and phat”.After this article, sales increased even more to cater to an entirely new target market to wear the boots for fashion and function at the same time.Although the boots were developed for pure function and not aesthetics, people now sport the footwear as a fashion statement. To this day, their highest selling pair of boots is the same- a construction looking pair. The adaption of this pair of shoes from function to fashion is a prime example of murketing. Consumers decided to buy items for a function other than the intended purpose. Similarly, Bartels argues the identity crisis that marketers see in the industry.2 He argues instead of being solely based on products, it has evolved into a generic topic used for both businesses and nonbusinesses. Thus, companies trying to sell goods are not the only ones that use marketing tactics to attract consumers. Now, people are shown marketing techniques in any aspect of life, even if a purchase isn’t the immediate goal. This is in part due to the constant changing roles products are given, like Timberland has seen over the years.In addition, the lines of which types of people are the target market to a company have faded. Instead of only trying to get those in touch with nature to use their products, Timberland realized the urban community would be a group of people apt to buy their boots as well.
When people are given a choice between different beverages, many take the prices into consideration. One of the products Walker uses in his novel is the beer Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR). This drink is now and has always been one of cheaper beers on the market. The brand hit a peak in 1975, and sales declined by a shocking 90% in the early 2000s. At first, advertisers were at a loss when their product was linked with white trash and trucker hats. However, they decided to change their tactics to tailor blue collar workers and even honor some of the heroes that included first responders of the September 11th attacks. The cheap beer begun to appeal to what was referred to as hipsters, and the cheap price tag that came with it turned it into a popular choice for college students, as they’re stereotyped for being low on cash and ready to consume large amounts of alcohol. Like many other products, a price tag on a product is likely to have an effect on the consumers willing to purchase the item. Baglyas’ journal of the taste testing of wine is very similar to Walker’s research of PBR. The journal highlights an experiment that showcased different wines and the participants’ thoughts after they found out the brands and prices of these drinks.3Many were surprised when their favorite turned out to be a cheaper option than the more expensive labels that were tested. On the flip side, there are people highlighted in Walker’s novel who choose the cheaper option of beer over the more expensive brands. There were not many who chose the drink for the taste, but rather the value it gives over spending more money on a different brand.In addition, there are people who have a loyalty to this brand due to its stereotypical nature of a good time with no high price tag attached. Without looking at the price before purchasing a product, people use other tactics to choose their item to purchase.Now, with the changes that have occurred in the marketing world, people now embrace lower quality or end products instead of being put off by them and always choosing a higher end brand.
In 1997, a drink said to give a person energy was introduced to the United States. Walker explains how his personal experiences in Miami Beach helped give him recognition to the now popular brand RedBull. The advertisers decided to hold one of their first promotions in the country on the sandy beaches of Florida on a day so perfect, it looked like a commercial. At the time of introduction, there were no energy drinks in America. The promotion was an event of “kiteboarding”, which is when a person stands on a flat, wind-powered board pulled by two boats. The goal is to ride 88 miles, which is a record for the sport. When Red Bull decided this would be their venue, they were clearly catering to adventure seeking people. One of the kiteboarders held a can of the drink as he spoke to the camera saying he does not get nervous, and is super motivated. People who drink the energy drink typically don’t use it for the taste, but instead the adrenaline rush is gives them in consuming a can. Like Pabst Blue Ribbon, the product is inexpensive and not typically sought after for taste, but instead the effects it has on people. When Red Bull decided to market on a beach scene with extreme sports fans, they made it clear they wanted their product to be for a specific group of people. Now, the brand is a popular choice for many different people, but the ultimate goal of adrenaline turns out to be the same for nearly everyone.Walker’s term of “murketing” holds to be very true in this case. Instead of using traditional methods, the company went to an event they knew there would be people willing to try their product.The history of marketing changed drastically over the years, and Red Bull took advantage of those changes during their campaigning.
III. Weaknesses/Biases
Walker brings up the point numerous times throughout his writing that consumers are in total control over the information they hear about marketing each and every day. Although advertisers have taken a completely different approach to how they market their products and brands, they still do have a level of control over what messages they give out.Specifically, they can cloud any negatives that a product might have to focus on the positive aspects. Walker didn’t take the fact that advertising and marketing of products are controlled by the companies that are selling products. If they choose to omit certain facts they don’t want people to find out about, they will do so without remorse.The article written by Katsikeas compares a firm’s success to the amount of time put into their marketing and business plans.4This argues Walker’s point, because he makes it seem as if the planning they put in does not matter due to consumers’ preconceived ideas of the brand. Conversely, Katsikeas’ study showed a significant correlation between time spent on the plan the overall success of a firm. The more time spent on a plan does give them more potential buyers in the industry.
In addition to saying advertisers’ campaigns do not matter to consumers, Walker makes a point that business ethics are more important than anything else when it comes to consumer preferences. Although ethics matter to so many people, there is also a large number who care more about the price tag that comes along with fair labor standards.However, due to the previous points Walker makes about brands such as Pabst Blue Ribbon, he contradicts himself by assuming money is not an issue when it comes to consumer behavior. In addition, class discussions have made it clear people prioritize their needs in the business world differently from one another. Walker doesn’t take different social classes into consideration.
IV. Practical Applications
Due to the broad nature of this book, Walker decided to target for consumers and those working in the marketing industry. Thus, anyone could be a target audience for this book. Since the book is about how consumers are shaped by their brand loyalty and purchasing decisions, it can be directed towards any of them. It is useful to know some of the reasons why marketing can have such an impact on anyone making any purchase. There is an extreme amount of persuasion involved in any activities that include buying or selling goods and services. Knowing why people like and dislike specific brands can help fight the urge to buy more. The book targets specific reasons consumers become attached to items. Knowing this, companies can use this information to improve their share of the market. Ultimately, profits should rise steadily if marketers can achieve brand loyalty from consumers.However, it does not focus on reasons in how to achieve a larger market share than before.
Managers of large companies and brands are frequently looking to gain consumer interest. Ultimately, they would like to have repeat brand loyalty from a customer. This is because instead of a person buying from them once, they are much more likely to make continuous purchases due to the interest they have in the particular brand. Even though this book is useful in explaining the reasons why brand loyalty evolves, it is not a guide for what managers should be doing for their companies. For this reason, the book is more beneficial to a consumer than a manager. There are ways to try and persuade a consumer to buy from one company over another. But, Walker chooses to make his main point that consumers are more in control than companies wish. For these reasons, the levels of management can each benefit equally. If they focus on the reasons on why brand loyalty occurs, they could search for their specific company’s ways in how to achieve loyalty.
Since anyone can benefit from learning about the reasons they are interested in a particular product, any student could benefit from reading this book, whether they are in the business or marketing world or not. There are many books and articles that can help a person figure out how to achieve any sought after feeling, but not as many will help someone see the reasons why brand loyalty is a part of their life. Business students can also benefit heavily from this book due to its nature in explaining reasons deeper than how to achieve recognition as a brand. This book can help anyone who would like to set themselves apart from colleagues in a possible career.
V. Conclusion
Overall, this book lies on the generally favorable side. Walker made quite a few points specific to brand loyalty in marketing. The examples of companies he used were well known brands, but the some backstories were unknown to most people, which made the text more engaging to learn even more about a popular company.The book is an overall strong attempt at the author’s attempts to sway the reader to believe his point- Walker’s being that consumers use brands as a major part of their identities. As a columnist, Walker does have quite a few moments in his book where there is an array of opinion without much evidence to support a true argument. There is a very casual tone throughout the book, which makes it engaging and an easy read for many. Overall, the message is positive in saying unlike before this generation, consumers now have much more control over their purchasing habits.