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MINDSPACE November 7, 2005
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MINDSPACE THE STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
By Rommey Hassman MBA
Translated from Hebrew by Lori Bull Originally published in
GLOBES Brand Index 2005, pgs 98-105
Recently I had a conversation with a good friend, an employee of
the formerly known cable company TEVEL, now known as HOT. To my
amazement, he explained that he still receives his paycheck from
TEVEL. The merger of the three Israeli cable companies wrapped up
in a new brand name sounds outwardly impressive. The logo is nice,
the slogan attractive, and both are formulated based on accepted
principles from the gospel of branding1. But it's no wonder that
some of us are confused, and ask ourselves, "Am I connected to
TEVEL now or to HOT?"; "Is my home cable converter box TEVEL
digital or HOT digital?". They say the merged company paid a
million and a half dollars to experts who wrote the HOT brand book.
At the end of the day it appears that the public has been
convinced: there is a new company, a new name, a single customer
service telephone number, but are the employees completely
convinced? According to their paychecks, one can't be sure. LOGO VS
ESSENCE The issue of an organization deciding to undergo a process
of re-branding leads to a very basic model that answers the
question, what is the depth of the selected branding process? At
the shallow end of the pendulum, the concept of Brand LOGO
dominates. Within its framework, the company decides to change its
name, logo and slogan, and the process ends here. This is what
happened with the leading American accounting firm, ARTHUR
ANDERSEN, following the ENRON stock market crash
scandal2. The company was divided into two separate units, each
one given a new name, but everyone is still confused. The same
thing happened with the local Israeli specialty retailer with the
new name: GOLF & Co. "So you can buy clothes at GOLF, and you
can buy house wares at GOLF, andwhat? What's the connection?".
Mainly the attempt to contract the GOLF apparel chain's enhanced
image, and transfer it to the area of house wares, like RALPH
LAUREN did in the USA. This is a strategic step that doesn't always
prove to be successful or correct. At the other end, the deep end
of the pendulum, the concept of Brand Essence dominates3. Within
this framework, the company decides to adopt the idea of branding
into the soul of the organization. Not only outwardly, but a new
organizational-managerial concept. This is how STARBUCKS works all
of its employees believe that they are working in an industry of
"rewarding everyday
200 METERS
3METERS
The Brand Essence Model
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moments", and not in coffee sales. In Israel, for some reason,
the company wasn't that successful. Why not? If the company chooses
the shallow end of the branding model, in most cases it won't catch
on and won't stick. The employees won't believe in the process, nor
will management, and the public certainly won't believe them. The
only way to succeed in the branding process in particular is via
the deep side path of the pendulum and not by middle-of-the-road
fakery. The question of brand depth is the first in the series of
challenges that brand managers, admen and media agents face today.
Another challenge is the death of mass marketing4, as we have known
it up-to-date. We have seen a continuing downward trend in the
effectiveness of mass advertising in Israel5, particularly in light
of Channel 2's policy, during the height of prime-time, to barrage
us with five minutes of advertising for every 15 minutes of
broadcast time, which has increased the phenomenon of zapping
channels and a resistance to ad messages. After this, the
anti-globalization movements came on the scene and shouted "No
LOGO" 6, and many adopted this gospel. At the beginning of the 21st
century, the new buzzword in the marketing world became "Nation
Branding"7, and following this, knowledgeable experts came to the
conclusion that advertising is beginning to disappear and that the
solution lies in public relations8. Due to the upward trend in the
penetration of the TiVo DVR device in the USA, the solution that
appears on the horizon is intensifying product placement and
branded entertainment in the media. If so, what is the domain of
our challenge? What is the competitive domain? Up to now we have
dealt mainly with the technological dimension. We have seen the
great potential of the internet, but only recently has it begun
to
materialize. Now, the belief is in the increasing potential of
the new cellular communication systems, although Israeli cellular
companies are the most locally despised corporations in the market.
It is true that over 960 million people across the globe are
connected to the internet9, 720 million people to CNN10. It is also
true that 1.75 billion people own cellular phones11, but technology
is not necessarily our answer. More than 15% of the population of
the earth may know what is happening at the other side of the globe
in real time, and this has a major impact on the development of the
consciousness of modern man, especially over the last 5 years. But
the question is Is the technological space the competitive space,
or perhaps only the channel, the means of transport? Indeed, real
competitive space is found in the changing consciousness of man, of
the consumer, and it is not cyberspace or outer space, but
MINDSPACE. This is where the real competition is conducted12. THREE
DIMENSIONS OF REALITY IN CONSCIOUSNESS Now that we have defined the
essence and the domain of the challenge, we must characterize the
competitive space. The first and central characteristic of
MINDSPACE is the fact that the consciousness of modern man is
divided into 3 dimensions of reality. The first dimension of
reality is the VIRTUAL dimension. This is the outer dimension of
consciousness, which collects information via a mediator, such as
radio, newspapers, television, internet, road signs, or mail. All
of these mediators feed us experiences, events and information in
an indirect manner. What does this mean? Let's take the 2004 Indian
Ocean tsunami, for example. Someone who experienced the tsunami via
the news on TV, the internet or newspapers, has experienced the
event in the virtual dimension.
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The second dimension of reality is the REAL dimension. In this
dimension, information comes to us directly, via the five senses.
These are events that we experience within the square meter of our
lives. Something we have seen, heard, tasted, smelled or felt. For
example, someone on the island of Phuket during the tsunami
experienced the event in the REAL dimension, directly. The third
internal dimension is Factor X: the depot of the consciousness.
This depot contains everything we define in psychology as ego,
super-ego and id, or soul, spirit and the higher-self by New Age
definitions. What does it do? It stores all the information
received in the past, as well as all genetic data, and mixes them
all together. The result? An independent scenario system that is
often totally disconnected from reality, as transferred to us via
the VIRTUAL or REAL dimensions. In the case of the tsunami,
terrifying dreams of monster waves washing away half of Tel Aviv
into the Mediterranean.
It is important to state that the given size of any one of the
three dimensions of reality is fluid and can change as a result of
a decision or a situation that is beyond our control. And what does
this mean? A situation may be created where the VIRTUAL dimension
dominates the
central portions of our consciousness. This happens, for
example, if we decide to rent a DVD of a full season of the TV
series "24" and watch all 24 episodes back to back. We'll pick up a
pizza on the way home and disconnect ourselves from the world
outside. The REAL will be set aside, Factor X will be totally
repressed and we'll live only the VIRTUAL dimension. The opposite
may occur if we decide to cut ourselves off from the VIRTUAL
dimension. We won't read newspapers, surf the web, or watch Channel
2. Factor X can also dominate the consciousness. When? Under the
influence of drugs, in psychotic episodes, while dreaming, or even
during a daydream. Who hasn't experienced leaving the house late,
troubled by the events of the day, and then suddenly remembering
before getting into the car, "Did I lock the house? Turn off the
gas? Shut the water?". In this tiny moment, Factor X dominates the
consciousness and the REAL dimension disappears. TOOLS FOR THE
COMPETITIVE SPACE The first immediate tool at the service of the
marketer is the tool of SPIN13. Spin is an articulation that within
its framework contorts reality a little, but isn't actually a lie.
It is said that one who has been caught in a spin can be forgiven,
but one who is caught in a lie would not be. When McDonald's tries
to convince us that their junk food is healthy, this is a kind of
spin. When Bill Clinton was asked by Larry King in an interview for
CNN: "Monica claims you two were in the room alone, and you claim
there were others in the room. Who's telling the truth?". He
answered: "There's Monica's truth and there's my truth, and both
truths can exist side by side!". This is classic spin. When Bibi
Netanyahu says that within a decade Israel will become one of the
ten leading economies in the world, this is also pure spin.
The MINDSPACE Model
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The reaction to spin differs among nations. The British are
really sick of spin, Americans still suffer the phenomenon, and in
Israel, you're a "mensch" if you've managed to spin the media. The
difference between spin, marketing communications and propaganda is
measured on the ladder of truth and lies. In marketing
communications we do not tell the entire truth. With spin we
navigate ourselves within the range between truth and lies. With
propaganda, however, most of it is just lies. HOW TO ENTER
MINDSPACE The central tool we will work with in the operation of
MINDSPACE is the BLOCKBUSTERS model14. Within the framework of
attempting to simplify strategic thought processes, this model
assumes that we must address four basic questions.
WHERE? This question provokes us to conduct a SWOT (strength,
weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of the brand, the
product, the company, the competition, the environment, future
trends and the consumer that will assist in drawing a current map.
It is clear that the operating space is found within the MINDSPACE,
but the
question is in which one of the three dimensions of reality? If
we have located a problem of lack of knowledge among brand
consumers, it is a sign that there is a logic problem. Logic
problems are expressed in the VIRTUAL dimension. For example: Green
tea has healthy qualities that fight cancer, and this is
information. If there is a problem of, say, lust or fear, this is
an instinctive issue. The dimension of reality within whose
framework we deal with instinctive issues is the middle dimension,
the REAL dimension of real life. For instance, the threat of terror
makes us fear flying. Here we have a problem that can be overcome
by building a safe environment, as El-Al has done in its messages
to the public. However, if we have a problem of, say, desperation,
hatred or anger, the brand deals with an emotional issue, and
emotional issues are expressed within the innermost dimension of
consciousness, in Factor X. Here, we express all burdens of the
past and everything is mixed together. An example is the present
consumer anger in Israel at the cellular corporations. This is an
issue whose resolution is not yet clear definitely not by the
one-sided raising of rates or by messages that are difficult to
believe, such as that Cellcom will bring us love. WHERE TO? After
we have answered the "where?" issue, we must answer the "where to?"
Where do we intend to take the brand? What are its targets - the
brand's goals, ambitions and desires? If we don't provide an answer
to "where to?" any direction we take will lead nowhere15. If we
discover that the brand must deal with an emotional issue, what we
will want to do is to make the consumer public believe in a new
idea or a dream. We do this by planting a vision an ideal image of
the future16. One of the classic examples of vision placements for
human beings over the last century is the dream
The BLOCKBUSTERS Model
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of the late Walt Disney of a better world, conveyed to us up to
today via the films, TV programs and theme parks he founded, and
which are expressed under the roof of the brand concept "Fun Family
Entertainment" 17. If we have come to the conclusion that we are
dealing with an instinctive issue, what we'll want to do to
generate movement is to cause the consumer to dare. The way to do
this is to plant a mission within the REAL dimension. An example of
a super mission is expressed in Nike's slogan Just do it, which
instills in its customers the courage to try what they haven't
dared to do before. If we have come to the conclusion that we are
only dealing with a logic problem in the VIRTUAL dimension, what
we'll want to do is to make the target audience come to a decision.
There is no need for them to believe in a new idea or to try to do
something they've never dared before. An example: the longstanding
Israeli campaign of "every drop is a waste" within whose framework
our consciousness was instilled with the need to conserve water.
BARRIERS? Now we move to the third question in the model, which is
the question of barriers: what are the blocks the brand faces in
reaching its goals? Or in other words, what prevents us from
getting to the "where to?". Just like the computer's firewall the
mechanism to prevent entry of viruses, the MINDSPACE also has a
firewall to prevent the entry of new ideas into the
consciousness18,19. In the VIRTUAL dimension, the capacity blocker
operates. It isn't likely that all 2500 communication messages that
we are bombarded by daily will succeed in penetrating our
consciousness. Zapping is another information blocker, or the TiVo
device, which enables us to digitally record TV programs and
automatically skip over commercials. This also explains the
existence of the attention blocker, in cases where the
information transmitted to us does not interest us. In the REAL
dimension, the principal barrier is the physical block. Our
inability to see the entire range of colours, or the whole expanse
of space, or to detect the entire range of sounds and decibels. And
in the reality dimension of Factor X, information processing
blockers are the principal operators. For example, information that
comes too swiftly or too slowly from what we are used to, or in too
great a quantity for the capacity of the memory mechanisms in our
consciousness to absorb. Here we also have the information block:
mostly preconceived opinions or attitudes which prevent the entry
of ideas that oppose the database of existing information. HOW? The
fourth question, how, is the dream question of every businessman
"How to bust the blocks? Break the barriers?". This is the question
that usually trips us up if we haven't provided a sufficient answer
to the first three questions. If we have reached the conclusion
that we must deal only with the VIRTUAL dimension, we will relay a
logical message containing information to our audience, thus
inducing our consumer to come to a decision that in the end will be
expressed in action. However, we must understand that although it
is very easy to instill a logical message, its rejection is also
easy. Another problem is that a logical message is not always
appropriate, nor does it always work. For years, environmental
activists relayed logical messages: "If we don't switch the type of
fuel we use to run our automobiles, we'll raise the level of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere, which will create a hole in the ozone
layer, causing the earth to overheat, changing weather conditions,
melting icebergs, raising sea levels and leading to the
disappearance of major coastal cities".
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This still doesn't convince us. The same goes for the Swiss STOP
AIDS campaign that relays a simple message: "Wear a condom and stop
the spread of AIDS". This suited the Swiss very well, who don't
have a problem with sex, with condoms or with AIDS. However it
isn't suitable for Israelis, who have a problem with all three. In
this situation, we must move to a higher dimension in our
consciousness, and relay our message in the REAL dimension of
reality. If we load our consumer's consciousness with an impulsive
message containing passion, instinct or something sensual, our
mission will be complex, but so will its rejection. For example: a
message of fear regarding saving the environment, as expressed in
the film "The Day After Tomorrow", highlighted the destructive
personal significance of overheating the earth: a tsunami in
Manhattan. As fate would have it, the film hit the screens six
months before the actual tsunami in south-east Asia. Despite this,
what happens when we deal with a company like PHILLIP MORRIS, the
manufacturer of MARLBORO cigarettes, who for decades have instilled
in our consciousness a message of passion via the macho cowboy
riding his horse in the western plains? The logical message working
against him in the VIRTUAL dimension has no chance. The only option
is to relay a message either in the same dimension or in a higher
one. The solution is a message of fear, of which we must also be
very careful, because as we raise the level of fear, the message's
effectiveness also increases until we reach the apex, beyond which
the effectiveness drops and the message becomes a source of
ridicule. Where is the apex? No one knows. If we have reached the
conclusion that the region to be dealt with is not in the given
dimensions but in Factor X, we will have to use other tools. For
example, emotional message, like hope, love or
joy. It is very difficult to instill a message like this, but as
soon as we have done so, it is internalized and deeply hidden.
Music can be an amazing tool for the instilment of emotional
messages into our consciousness. This is what the Americans are
trying in their attempt to instill emotional messages in the hearts
of Islamic youth in the Middle-East when they launched Radio SAWA
(Together Radio), relaying pro-Western messages while broadcasting
the music of Britney Spears and Janet Jackson20. Another effective
tool is film. Within the framework of the film "I AM SAM", starring
Sean Penn, and relating the story of a mentally challenged father
fighting for custody of his daughter, Penn works at STARBUCKS. For
long moments we see him working behind the counter in his uniform,
repeating company product names over and over. This is classic
branded entertainment and product placement, because as the film
viewers relate emotionally to the film they also relate emotionally
to the brand, the company, to its employees, to its products and
its messages. A contrasting example brings us back to NIKE, which
has managed to instill a message in its most loyal of customers
African American youth living in inner-city neighborhoods in the
USA a message of hope in the Factor X dimension, and a message of
courage in the REAL dimension. "Convince your mother who's on
welfare to give you $150 to buy the last pair of NIKE AIR JORDAN
running shoes and you can fly out of your neighborhood like your
all-star national basketball hero." It is very difficult to counter
these messages. A logical message from human rights organizations
explaining to these same kids that destitute youth in the
Philippines, in Indonesia and today in China as well, work for
starvation wages under inhuman conditions to manufacture your shoes
does not work and is not internalized.
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A logical message in an emotional environment has no effect at
all. This is how REMEDIA dealt with the recent crisis involving its
major product breast milk substitutes resulting in the deaths of
two babies and the hospitalization of several others which shook
Israel: with a logical message: "It wasn't us, it was the Germans,
there was an error in the wording". Why doesn't this work? Because
a crisis usually awakens fear, on the one hand, stirring up the
REAL dimension, and it then awakens anger, which stirs up the
Factor X dimension21. A classic example of proper crisis management
was displayed by Rudy Giuliani, the mayor of New York City, during
the 9/11 terrorists attacks22. Moments following the attacks we saw
him wandering through south Manhattan under clouds of dust, urging
residents to move north. It was an enormous display of courage,
which worked in the REAL dimension against the horrible fear which
froze the city's residents in their tracks. At the same time, he
exhibited great sensitivity, both towards the victims and the
rescue teams. NATION BRANDING In 1997, Britain launched its first
branding campaign, Cool Britannia. The campaign tried to deal with
Britain's problematic international image as a conservative
country, and emphasized only the new, and not the old. The world at
large didn't quite get the messages, although London is truly a
global center representing cultural and culinary progress, as well
as advances in fashion, design and the arts. They were unable,
however, to detach the old from the new. The Cool wasn't
internalized and received cries of derision. Not Cool Britannia,
but Cruel Britannia. In 2001, the campaign was halted, and in 2002
a new campaign was launched, UK OK, stressing the commonalities
between the old and the
new, and this campaign continues to run today. In the area of
nation branding, one must take into account that we are operating
in the Factor X dimension. Preconceived attitudes and opinions
instilled in our consciousness towards countries comprise a very
heavy emotional load. A fascinating survey performed many years ago
found that people have biases towards the host country of certain
products23. We will eagerly consume Bulgarian cheese, but we won't
touch German cheese. At the same time, we won't touch Bulgarian
beer, whereas German beer is welcome. And all this has nothing to
do with the brand or product attributes, but only with the country
of origin. In other words: all activity in the area of nation
branding necessitates the instilment of emotional messages. For the
same reason, an Israeli government official appearing on CNN
explaining the professional rationale behind the separation fence
in locally accented English and jargon, has no chance against the
devastating sobs of a Palestinian mother who, blocked by the fence
and the roadblock soldiers, cannot bring her infant daughter to
dialysis at the hospital in the neighboring town. A logical message
has no chance against a very convincing emotional one. This is how
it is, at least before the realization of every marketing
communications professional's wet dream: to penetrate Factor X
directly, as expressed in the film MATRIX, via total blurring
between virtual reality and the real world around us as
comprehended in our consciousness.
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The MINDSPACE MODEL Framework Dimension of Consciousness
Access to Consciousness
Where? SWOT Analysis of the three Dimensions
Blocks? Marketing media must overcome
Where to? Methods moving Target audience
How? Busters
VIRTUAL
Via mediator, such as the media
Logical Capacity overload, resistance to receipt or
disinterest
Instilment Goal: to reach a simple decision
Logical message: passage of information
REAL
Direct, via the 5 senses
Sensual Physical barriers: sight or hearing limitations
Mission purpose: to dare to do what one has never dared
before
Impulsive message: passion or sensuality
Factor X
MIND Depot, via emotions, subconscious
Emotional Knowledge Limitations or info processing
Instilment of vision: faith in dream
Emotional message: love, hope or joy
The author is a strategic marketing communications expert,
lecturer and consultant. He has directed the strategic planning and
research departments at the Gitam/BBDO and Fogel-Levine/O&M
advertising agencies in Israel, has headed the department of
advertising studies at the
Tel Aviv College of Management, has served as secretary of the
Israeli IAA (International Advertising Association) chapter and as
Chairman of the Board of the IATF (Israel AIDS Task Force). Contact
him at [email protected]
1 Building Strong Brands/ D.A. Aaker/ The Free Press, 1996 2
Wall Street Scandals at a glance/ BBC News, 26.6.2002 3 A New Brand
World/ S. Bedburry/ Viking, 2002 4 The Vanishing Mass Market/
BusinessWeek, 12.7.2004 5 The Israel Advertising Effectiveness
Project/ R.H./ OTOT, Feb 1995 6 NO LOGO/ N. Klein/ Picador, 1999 7
Nation Brands of the 21st Century/ S. Anholt/ Market Leader, NTC,
www.warc.com 8 The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR/ A.
Ries, L. Ries/ HarperBusiness, 2002 9
www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm 10 As reported by officials at
CNN International HQ 11 ITU Cellular Mobile Subscribers (2004) 12
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind/ A. Ries, J. Trout/
McGrawHill, 1986 13 SPIN This/ Bill Press/ Pocket Books, 2001 14 In
GITAM/BBDO we developed the BLOCKBUSTERS Model/ A. Kroll/ Globes,
10.2.94, pg 45
15 Where there is no Visionary, Companies Falter/ S. Marino/
Industry Week, 15.03.99, vol 248, is 6, pg 20 16 The Mission
Statement Book/ J. Abrahams/ Ten Speed Press, 1999 17 The Disney
Way/ B. Capodagli, L. Jackson/ McGrawHill, 1999 18 The Tipping
Pont/ M. Gladwell/ Little, Brown & Co, 2002 19 Spatial
Diffusion of Innovations/ T. Hagerstrand, 1967 20 Strengthening US
Public Diplomacy requires organization, coordination and strategy/
S. Johnson, H.C. Dale, P. Cronin/ The Heritage Foundation, 5.8.05,
no. 1875 21 The Crisis Counselor/ J.R. Caponigro/ Contemporary
Books, 2000 22 LEADERSHIP/ Rudy Giuliani/ Miramax, 2002 23 Country
of origin as a factor in developing biases towards products in
advertising/ R.H., Y. Nevat/ Hebrew U, School of B Management,
1987
