Product, Brands and Axes of Differentiation and Integration

Most consumer behavior including buying behavior for products and brands operates on an interplay of psychology and sociology. An individual’s self plays on these two axes in pursuit of goals of integration and differentiation. Armed with the knowledge of this pursuit, marketers devise strategies and position their offerings as means or aids in facilitating achievement of these goals.

The self is the site of contestation of materialistically oriented marketing of the West on one hand and the spiritual world of Eastern philosophy on the other.  At the core rests the question: Who am I ? The spiritual understanding of this question takes the answer to ‘nothingness’ or ‘absence of ego’ and stresses on shunning attachments with which the self is defined. On the contrary, marketing succeeds by achieving the opposite by which the consumers are made to believe they are what they have. The idea of the self is constructed around objects and experiences. The self is seen through the prism of attached materials or objects. The objects or products or brands play an instrumental role in constructing an image for others and for the self (self- perception – Who am I) though others’ eyes.

Marketers subtly put customers into the cockpit, making them the pilot. The self becomes something to be negotiated on the axes of integration and differentiation. According to Dictionary.com, integration is an ‘act of combining into an integral whole’ or ‘act of integrating a racial or religious or ethnic group’. Integration, socially, is about access, harmonization, cohesion, harmony, social and emotional

wellbeing. It’s about identification, communality and relationship. It serves the need to belong that stems from very social nature of humans. So how do marketers exploit this tendency to belong? Consider the following brands:

·       Do sports shoe brands like Adidas, Nike or Reebok create a sense of belongingness to sporting community?

·       Does Patagonia let people belong to the community of sustainability warriors?

·       How about Harley Davidson? Does the brand help forge a symbolic connection with rebel free-spirited group?

The other side of existence and hence consumption is reverse of integration. It is differentiation. It stems from discontentment arising out of sameness. Perceived similarity fuels an urge to break away and become different. It is propelled by a desire to be not be like others. Sameness robs one of identity and throws one in the pond of identity lessness. Expression of individuality is an important drive therefore the market for expression devices of uniqueness  emerges. The need for uniqueness or ‘setting oneself apart from others’ or distinction holds key to some attractive rewards like winning a sexy partner or recognition. Marketers sell illusions of uniqueness even in marketing of mass-produced brands (Maruti Suzuki Ignis was launched by the promise ‘None of a Kind’) .   

It is very discomforting for many people to be a part of

crowd. They seek ways and means to stand out. This can be observed when going to a party involves intense discussion about what one wore to same gathering last time. Mainstream brands which sell in volumes in reality are at loss in catering to this market for selling distinction or uniqueness. But nonetheless they thrive by selling illusions of uniqueness through mass produced goods by offering variety. So coffee types in a coffee chain like Starbucks or Café Coffee Day or burger range at McDonald’s though being mass or commodities allow customers to enjoy fictitious sense of ‘my burger type’.  The uniqueness is expressed by exclusion of the others (“I don’t have that”).  Consider the following:

·       The body tattooing exemplifies how body markings are used to differentiate human bodies.

·       High end designers produce uniquely crafted dresses for each client.

·       Car brands like Aston Martin and Bugatti make custom cars for customers seeking uniqueness.

·       In high end jewelry business, the pieces are created like ‘none other’.

·       Expensive pen and watch brands launch limited editions primarily to cater to the need for differentiation.

In the end, it is appropriate to remember Mark Twain who wrote,

‘Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect’.