Short Paper: Branding, Essay Example

A commonly supported marketing theorem is that successful brands are built on successful products. However, this concept is only partially true. As branding and advertising has become more and more common, we have seen that occasionally, successful marketing campaigns result in successful brands despite the efficacy of the product. We are currently living in a world that has more wants and needs, and this is reflected in our activity as consumers. Therefore, we are likely to buy products that we think we need and that sound effective even if there is no physical proof to support this.

A primary example that disproves the idea that successful brands are built on successful products involves the marketing of Hydroxycut, a weight loss supplement. Like many other weight loss supplements currently on the market, there is no scientific proof that Hydroxycut actually helps people lose weight. Furthermore, it has not received approval by the Food and Drug Administration, so it is not necessarily considered save either. However, each bottle of this supplement is labelled in a manner that convinces buyers that it will help them reduce their weight by 4.5 times more than exercise and diet alone (Discover Diets, n.d.). In addition, their television advertisements contain stories of dramatic success and celebrity endorsement. Although specific sales data is not available for Hydroxycut, the total projected sales for over-the-counter weight loss supplements in 2014 is expected to be $3.04 billion (LaRosa, 2011). This is a considerably high number of sales for a product that has been proven not to work.

Despite this, there are occasionally brands that prove the concept that good products are more successful than ineffective products with good advertising. For example, even though Proactiv Acne Treatment now is advertised on television on a large scale, the company was unable to do so initially because it was just starting up. However, users found the product so effective that they felt compelled to spread word about this product to their friends (Proactiv, n.d.). As a result, the company was able to grow and is what we see today.

It is possible that so many companies are fixated on branding rather than ultimately developing successful projects because they are interested in generating the largest profit for the lowest cost. Successful marketing campaigns that are able to market products in a manner that popularizes them and makes them trendy are likely to have a greater number of sales. This method is more likely to generate an immediate return on investment. On the other hand, product development is an extremely time consuming process and could potentially become extremely expensive due to failures that prolong the release of the finished product.

Ultimately, as a marketing executive, it is important to balance these two marketing forces. It is important to develop a good product that serves its primary purpose, but is does not necessarily have to be the best product available. This will enhance the profit that successful marketing campaigns can generate because rather than being deterred by product failure, customers who are persuaded to use the product initially because of its compelling ads will continue to use it due to its functionality. While exaggerated advertising works in some situations, it also poses a financial risk to the company involved in its production, so it is better to avoid this risk.

References

Discover Diets. (n.d.). Hydroxycut. Retrieved from http://www.discoverdiets.com/diet- supplements/hydroxycut/

LaRosa, J. (2011). U.S. Weight Loss Market Worth $60.9 Billion. Retrieved from             http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8393658.htm

Proactiv. (n.d.). Proactiv Solution – Overview. Retrieved from             http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/5/prweb8393658.htm