Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant - always yours

CREATING BARRIERS 285
cared more about cost and profi ts than it did about its product,
brand, and customers. When you have to talk about a quality
claim, it becomes suspect. An authentic brand doesn ’ t have to
directly point to quality, it is assumed.
Brands with authenticity usually have an organization behind
them with a heritage, values, and programs that create confidence
that the promise means something. These organizational qualities
will drive an image of authenticity. Google ’ s guiding principles,
mentioned in Chapter Eight , have resulted in a customer interface
that is clean, fast, and functional. Recall that Muji has a
values and lifestyle story that is so strong that authenticity
becomes a given. Jet Blue values safety, caring, fun, integrity,
and passion, and that shows through. 3
Research from Australia in 2009 revealed that heritage is a
driver of authenticity. 4 If there is a relevant and engaging story
behind the brand, its perceived authenticity will be stronger.
The story of Henry Ford ’ s concept of a car for everyone,
accounts of over - the - top service at Ritz - Carlton, the “ cloud ”
vision at salesforce.com , the story of Jared at Subway — all buttress
the authenticity of their brands.
When the brand carries the name of the founder, the story
behind the brand becomes more tangible. Ben & Jerry ’ s ice
cream, Oreck Vacuum Cleaners, and Ted Turner’s Teds Montana
Grill all have had active spokesmen who have carried the message
of each brand ’ s goals and vision. Others, such as L. L. Bean,
Orville Redenbacher, Eddie Bauer, Peet ’ s Coffee, and Newman ’ s
Own, carry the founders ’ names and stories even though the
founders are not around. Still others, such as Victoria ’ s Secret,
have mythical founders that still carry a story.
Authenticity can also be based on the heritage of the offering
’ s place of origin. Authenticity is likely to be ascribed to
Russian vodka, a Swiss watch, French perfume, Danish cheese,
a Japanese consumer electronics product, Argentine beef, or
Singapore Airlines. Or authenticity could come from a regional
or local association. Ben & Jerry ’ s from Vermont, Tom ’ s of