Comments on: Jargon vs. the branding power of plain english.

By: Andy Cingolani

Andy Cingolani — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:11:37 +0000

This speaks really well to a point I believe strongly in: To communicate effectively, you must hear the message you’re communicating through your audience’s perspective. The waiter is a case in point. He would have been better off telling you that a certain beer is simply their most popular. And even better, if he had offered you small samples to try. (How on earth do you describe any unique flavor with words, and effectively communicate with any accuracy?) I would add that the ability to hear your message through the perspective of your audience is universal to ALL forms of communication, from high-level branding to the e-mails you send every day, as well as the conversations you have. Excellent post. Thanks.

By: Christopher Sherrod

Christopher Sherrod — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:11:26 +0000

The pub sounds like a place only for beerheads that cater to people that know why you would want fresh hops. The server should have step their language when he/she noticed your blank stares.

Good point on Apple keeping it real. That’s why a lot of people like Apple because there is no jargon and not nearly as many options.

There is a market for almost everything and I’m sure this pub does very well. Another pub can fill in the need for beer menu interpreters.

By: @tcberg

@tcberg — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 04:58:12 +0000

As usual, John, a valuable post that is as much a pleasure to read as it is insightful.

David: My take on the point of the piece is inclusion as a tenet of the brand. This, of course, would then, by the very definition of “brand,” result in inclusion as an outcome. If inclusion is a value intentionally ingrained and appropriately executed in every point of contact a business, product, or service has with the world, then inclusion will, indeed, be the market’s experience.

Alan: Although I agree that there can be great value in a brand strategy that includes creating and nurturing an “exclusive club” as a subset of the overall market, I’m not sure it’s correct to say that “every brand should have” one. How much value is there in the jargon of Doritos or Charmin? (For that matter, how much jargon is there behind either of those brands or others like them?) And I am absolutely certain that John and his friend were NOT in the wrong place. It’s not like they crashed a private party or correctly guessed the password to get past the gatekeeper guarding the door in some dark alley. They were, in fact, two people where were hungry and thirsty, who enjoy good beer and the atmosphere of a brew pub, who happened to be in the vicinity of this particular new pub (which I assume gave no indication whatsoever that it was philosophically or operationally different than just about every other modern brew pub). Seems to me that they had every reason to believe they were in exactly the right place. If the intended brand of this pub is to be THE place for “beerheads,” it would be fair for the pub to make that obvious before even walking through the front door. Of course, I’m sure the owners of that brew pub have no desire to go out of business in record time, so they have at least been smart enough not to overtly stake the “Beerheads Only” point of differentiation.
–Tim

By: Alan 'Brand' Williamson

Alan 'Brand' Williamson — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:50:06 +0000

Here’s a slightly different take:

Every brand should have its ‘exclusive club,’ the inner circle or insiders who speak and understand the jargon – the so-called innovators and early adopters. Apple, Harley, Silicon Valley, Wall St – all have them.

You guys happened to be in the wrong place – a place designed primarily for ‘beerheads’ with a Kiss of the Frhops (Fresh Hops to you).

Let the frothy brand debate begin…

By: David Cameron

David Cameron — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:10:42 +0000

I love the point of this piece: inclusion as a brand outcome. You can’t just speak to one audience. You need to account for the wide variety of audiences you’re reaching out to. Your experience may have been different if you were given a fun explanation of what fresh hops really mean. A time and place is available, as Gil says, to educate consumers. In any case, you’re spot on… nobody likes to feel excluded. They want to feel like they belong, that there’s a place for them.

By: anxiety symptoms

anxiety symptoms — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:49:05 +0000

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By: Gil Gerretsen

Gil Gerretsen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:05:50 +0000

I drink beer, but I certainly don’t know the value of fresh hops either. Too many companies never stop to think about the ultimate end user. Entrepreneurs especially tend to assume that everyone knows what they know, not realizing that if they DID, they would likely be a competitor, not a consumer. One of the best marketing tactics is to EDUCATE your customers so they can share their new knowledge with others as well.