Traditions Make Long Standing Brands

Where rights are about joining the club, and rituals are about belonging to the club, traditions are more about the rules of the club. Tradition is about attitude, culture, ethics, opinion, legend, even myth. Tradition of a brand doesn’t have to really have a basis, other than it is a tradition that is respected. Politics is a good example. Why is one person a Democrat? Very likely he came from a long line of Democrats, and even though he votes a straight ticket, he may not be able to articulate his reasons very well, because he is a Democrat out of tradition. Another man might be a Chevy man. He has always bought Chevrolets, and his father was a Chevy man. These people do exist, but they are slowly becoming extinct.

In general, we are all animals of tradition. I drank Maxwell House coffee for most of my life, as my parents did. It took a long stay in Europe to realize that I really had a choice over quality coffee beans. Cars, detergents, retail stores, lawnmowers, power tools, all benefit from tradition. When I opened my business in Puerto Rico, I learned a lot about tradition. In the event business we had always used Makita or Bosch power tools. My crews overwhelmingly voted these the best and most durable on the market. We could still burn them out, and bought them by the case, but they were the best according to my sources. Well in equipping my new crews in Puerto Rico, they absolutely refused to use Makitas, and insisted on Black & Decker. In our industry, Black & Decker was more known for home consumer use. But I couldn’t argue with the brand loyalty that my crews had with Black & Decker—and Sears as a matter of fact. These roadies had a tradition with these brands, and these were the brands of their friends and their fathers. These traditions were the sum of a group’s opinions, attitudes, and beliefs. Who’s to argue with belief?

Big brands come with long standing traditions. These traditions form a culture and a belief system. We are also creatures that stick with what we know—it’s tradition. We don’t like change very much, but Generation Y is changing that premise a bit. If we have been using a Nokia phone, we are likely to buy another. If we are used to one operating system, we want to stay with it despite the computer. If we think that we look good in a certain designer’s duds, we will continue to buy them—because he understands us.

Traditions are the strength behind a brand. If you don’t have traditions, create some. Add them to your storyline or dialogue. Traditions are the glue that keeps the emotional bond in tact.