Enduring Love

Brand Strategy, December '07/January '08, By Maeve Hosea

Companies and brands which are the most successful at achieving longevity share two characteristics, argues Sarah Essex, senior partner at brand consultancy Prophet: “To achieve longevity you need a lot of consistency over time. Guinness, for example, has rituals, such as the ‘double pour’ associated with drinking which really helps to anchor the brand and create a brand that lives over time.”

Guinness has consistently used messages of health and strength in its communications. By the 1970s when alcohol was revealed as possibly not that good for you, the messaging evolved to talk about intelligence and pure genius. Essex adds: “The goodness idea still lives on in consumer perceptions in a way that is palatable today. It also led the evolution of technology with the launch of the widget and Guinness draught in cans. That fitted with the message around intelligence as well as consumer needs for great tasting product.”

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