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Tried and True, or the New?

By: Janet Kalandranis

There’s comfort in something that is familiar and known with expectations that are set by one party and met by the other. It’s the reason that customers grow loyal to certain brands and become advocates for them. There’s a certain sense of ease for the customer knowing that what they’ve received in the past is exactly what they’ll get in the future.

Then there is the new guy, the new brand. The one that customers either flock towards at the onset or hesitate because their tried and true has been reliable and consistent. There’s definitely an unknown with the new brand and no prior relationship to make the customer confident. But it’s not all negative, as the new brand provides promise and something different. Customers who are looking for change are excited by the new.

So where does this all come into play? The Presidential election; one that has the current President running and a new candidate that promises change. These are two brands fighting till the end to prove that either tried and true or new will be the winner. Obama’s brand provides consistency with expectations that have been set and understood, whereas Romney’s brand provides promise of change and something different. The brand that wins, though, is the one that proves to be the most relevant and the most sought-after by the public.

It’s an interesting concept, but not one that consumers haven’t seen before. Just think of those heritage brands that go back in time and remind customers of their long relationship. Coke is always bringing back old campaigns, Zest soap is re-singing its “zestfully clean” jingle, and McDonald’s is still serving the same burgers from years ago. There’s no telling which brand will be more sought after, but each has their own unique selling proposition. There’s stability and consistency in the tried and true and change and promise in the new.