Commentary: Peter Behrens and the AEG; the man who started it all…

As you may have read in my review of the text Branding with Brains, I am currently ploughing my way through another of my birthday books, Peter Behrens and a New Architecture for the 20^th Century by head of architecture at MIT, Stanford Anderson. This one is a rather more academic text aimed at art historians, and not such an easy read but very interesting nonetheless. The book’s thickness (which, to be honest, made me yelp when it arrived) is actually deceptive; the last third is taken up with notes and bibliography –testament to the author’s thoroughness and a relief for those with short attention spans.

I for one am crazy about the work of Peter Behrens; I actually went on a little ‘tour’ with a friend of mine the Humbolthain factory complex in Berlin-Wedding a few weeks ago; check out my photography section for some (hopefully) atmospheric pictures. My friend, herself an art history graduate of the University of Vienna, has written several papers on the façades of the Voltastraβe, and was thus able to teach me a few things. Of course we went to the Turbinenfabrik in Moabit as well, but that somehow doesn’t have the same magic as these other buildings which, in my opinion are best viewed in the freezing cold Berlin winter as the quality of light is really something special against all that red brick.

Behrens acted as artistic advisor to the AEG (Allgemeine Elekricitäts-Gesellschaft, or General Electric Company, now defunct and not to be confused with Electrolux domestic gadgetry using the AEG name) and had been responsible, not only for the company’s ‘branded environments’ (i.e. factories, offices and pavilions) but for their entire public image, including advertising, product and graphic design. He was appointed in 1907 following several attempts by the company to create a unified corporate identity, and created, as Richard Poulin points out in his article for RockPaperInk Peter Behrens and the AEG Brand, “the first seminal example of corporate identity and branding, that would inevitably become a primary force within the design professions in the later part of the 20^th century.” 

Commentary: Branding and Religion

The particular form of Buddhism I practice (usually known as ‘Nichiren Buddhism’) has existed, in one form or another since 1279, when 13^th century Japanese monk Nichiren enscribed a scroll called the Gohonzon after expounding that all of mankind could achieve enlightenment in his present form through basing his life on the Lotus Sutra, which Nichiren believed to be the highest of all Buddhist teachings. The name of this sutra is ‘Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo’, and Nichiren taught that enlightenment could be achieved simply through repetitive chanting of this phrase, along with study of relevant teachings and sharing of Buddhist wisdom with others. Today there are over twelve million people practising this Buddhism worldwide, many of which belong to a lay-organisation called Soka Gakkai (‘value creation society’) International, or SGI.

So it struck me this morning whilst chanting (as I do every morning and evening) for, among other things the best outlet for my skills (i.e. an awesome job), that religious ideology is perhaps similar to branding in its promotion of a fixed set of ideals, each one promising to be ‘the way’ to solve one’s problems and become happy. These religious ‘brands’ are identifiable in much the same way as private companies through the presence of various components – ideology (the ‘message’), symbols (logos), preaching (marketing) and of course, churches/temples (branded environments).

In this manner, Buddhism is no different to other religions. What does set it apart however is the fact that Buddhists do not pray for an external being to give them salvation, but rather strive to take personal responsibility for their problems and seek to effect a change in their environment through personal growth. Buddhists believe that all phenomena are interconnected, and thus that one’s environment is a reflection of one’s inner life state –when that inner life state changes, the environment changes, just as your shadow moves when your body does. It is taught that chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is the means to manifest one’s highest life condition (don’t ask me how it works, but it does) and thus to make these positive changes.

But which religious ‘brands’ are the most popular? Well, in ranking order (as reported by Adherents.com via Wikipedia -sorry), Christianity takes the lead at between 1.4 and 2.1 billion, followed by Islam at 1.57 billion, next are the ‘irreligious’ at 1.1-1.5 billion, followed by Hinduism at 900 million, and finally Buddhism at 500 million people. Many see religion as outdated and irrelevant to modern life -what’s the appeal after all these years? Well, it wouldn’t be right for me to speak for the others, but the success of Nichiren Buddhism (which it must be said only forms a part of the Buddhist section) can perhaps be explained using Tjaco Walvis’ three laws of branding (see last article); relevance, coherence and participation.

First of all Buddhism, like all religions, promises to enable a person to ‘attain enlightenment’ or become happy. Having repeated this promise over and over for thousands of years means that Buddhism, as one of the world’s major religions, is pretty likely to come to mind for those (on neutral ground) seeking the right faith for them, and to be perceived as relevant to a person’s “cocktail of needs”, for example one might want a religion that yields results, is inclusive, accessible and uncomplicated. Indeed a great deal of people I meet, upon learning of my own Buddhist practice comment that were they themselves religious, they would choose Buddhism -often they can’t tell me why, but it’s likely down to subconscious associations with Buddhism as ‘peaceful’, ‘enlightening’, non-theistic and non-exclusive.

Nichiren Buddhism is indeed promoted as being relevant to the everyman, as Nichiren taught that “earthly desires are enlightenment”, meaning that man need not remove himself from daily life in order to achieve a happiness that does not depend on external circumstances. In other words: no need for monasteries, shaved heads or saffron-coloured robes.

Second of all, unlike many other major religions, Buddhism offers a ‘suck it and see’ approach, where members are actively encouraged to test out the precepts the organisation teaches to assess their effectiveness. This fosters trust with sceptics who are wary of religious dogma and fanaticism, and when successful, establishes a bond based on concrete experience on the part of the individual, rather than the promise of good things to come by the organisation. This also demonstrates coherence, where the ‘brand’ literally practices what it preaches, and encourages confidence in those it touches. Things do happen of course where those in positions of responsibility abuse their power, and coherence is lost; this is why the SGI takes a ‘top-down’ approach, consistently sticking to the teachings of Nichiren and discouraging members from acting on altered interpretations of these precepts.

Thirdly, participation is an intrinsic element of Nichiren Buddhism, as it is with most religions, in the attendance by members of meetings in church/mosque/synagogue etc. As I mentioned earlier however, Nichiren Buddhism goes one step further in the fact that it calls for members to take responsibility for the resolving organisation and carrying out of these meetings (which often take place in members’ homes, but also in purpose-built meeting centres –see my thesis project, and to participate actively rather than attend passively. Buddhist meetings are thus perceived by members as opportunities for personal growth and inner change as a result of overcoming the obstacles that are invariably encountered. Members thus feel empowered and motivated to move forward, creating their own experiences and associations with the organisation along the way.

www.sgi.org

Book Review: Branding with Brains by Tjaco Walvis (Financial Times Prentice Hall)

Dutch branding luminary and two-time master’s graduate (economics and philosophy) Tjaco Walvis is a partner at THEY, an Amsterdam-based brand management, consulting and communications firm headed by Roland van der Vorst. Since its establishment, this small firm’s brand management/advisory portfolio has expanded to include around 25 companies, many of them based in the BeNeLux area but also a number of multinational corporations. I first became aware of Walvis when doing research for a paper I wrote for the ICD last year on the relationship between architecture and diplomacy (which I will post here later), at which time I read a report from the Reputation Institute, which included a section written by Walvis regarding the effectiveness of world expo pavilions in promoting a nation’s global image. Truth be told, he’s kind of who I want to be in 10 years…

So come my birthday (last Monday/26/thank you) and a gift of an Amazon voucher from my Dad (which I actually did ask for), I purchased Walvis’ first book, Branding with Brains: the Science of Getting Customers to choose your Company, along with another by Stanford Anderson on the work of architect Peter Behrens for the German AEG company –more on that later (when it finally arrives and I’ve actually read it). Oh, and I finally bought Mumford & Sons’ first album. The book itself is just over 200 pages divided into ten chapters, and gives a smart and concise overview of Walvis’ take on the branding model, and the tactics needed to propagate brand awareness successfully.

True to its title, the book bases its ideas on modern advances in neuroscience and the knowledge we now have that most mental processes which lead to a decision being made (in this case with regards to which brand of car/jeans/insurance etc. to choose) are in fact subconscious. This goes against the traditional ‘conscious-choice’ model, which adheres to an acronym created in the early 20^th century known as ‘AIDA’ –attract attention, create interest, create desire, get action. Walvis argues that this model, despite frequent revision (its current form being that of the ‘marketing funnel’) is outdated, and represents a “distorted view [of] how customers decide about brands.”

Walvis maintains that the successful branding model (that which takes modern neuroscience into account) is made up of three components or ‘laws’: relevance, coherence and participation. The first refers to the notion that brand choice will only become relevant when a potential customer has a goal in mind –Walvis uses the example of a young couple who have recently had a child and wish to purchase a more ‘appropriate’ automobile, analysing which brands will ‘compete’ for attention in their minds according to their “cocktail of criteria/personal needs. The trick here is increasing the brand’s relevance through constant repetition of the same message, for example Volvo = safety, Coca Cola = happy, Levi’s = quality etc. The second notion, coherence describes the need for brands to ‘practice what they preach’, maintaining consumer interest by sticking to a unified brand philosophy or what we used to call in architecture school ‘the diagram’ in all of its business decisions, not just in its advertising.

The third notion is certainly the most interesting one for designers –the law of participation. This law states that brands which cease to try and control its brand identity and allow its followers to create their own connections to the brand through multisensory interaction are infinitely more successful. As his main example Walvis uses that of Nike Plus and its creation of a ‘branded environment’ where customers’ use of the Nike Plus equipment, its website, its music playlists etc. while exercising allow them to forge more memorable associations between the Nike brand and their own health. As I was of course hoping he would, Walvis also touches on the relevance of architecture and design in strengthening brand identity, using the examples of the Prada store in New York (Rem Koolhaas, 2001), the Dutch Pavilion (pictured below) at the Hanover World Expo in 2000 and the Avoriaz ski resort in the French Alps. Walvis describes the latter as possessing a “characteristic design language, reflected in each and every building [to create] a uniquely relevant and coherent branded experience.”

Interestingly, Branding with Brains also examines in depth the ethics of using neuroscience -something originally intended to improve peoples’ health- as a means to “sell more branded products and services.” Using the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Aristotle and John Stuart Mill as comparative devices, Walvis poses the argument that the answer to this question entirely depends on the intentions of those employing the three laws; “the principles themselves are value-free. It is the intention, the disposition or the consequences that make their application moral or immoral.”

So, to wrap this up I’d say that this is one heck of an important book for anyone either just starting (like me) in the world of branding, as well as for those already working in the field who are looking for fresh ideas on how to rejuvenate their own brand portfolios. In that sense it kind of has a dual function as an introductory guide and as a straight-talking reference, and it gets my seal of approval.

Image from Welt Online

Commentary: Abercrombie and Fitch’s Casual Luxury Wonderland

So following my introductory article, its time to tell you in real terms what I’m on about. Let’s take for example the extraordinary interior design of the Abercrombie & Fitch clothing company stores and the role this plays in the company’s public image. Being European this is something I have (thankfully) experienced only once, however the impression the place left on me has stayed with me in the two years since -snaps to Interbrand (the firm responsible for A&F’s image) for that one.

So yes, gone are the days when wearing your €100 A&F hoodie meant you had just come back from a posh trip to the States -most of those sporting these sought after garments this side of the Pond have either purchased online (and paid the ridiculous €25 shipping fee/bought from a dubious reseller) or queued for hours on end at one of the 8 or so stores we have here. For those who haven’t experienced this I can recommend it, if only for the unprecedented sensory impact; the only thing I can compare it to is stepping into the basement of Berlin’s Tresor techno club at 3am on a Sunday when things are just starting to warm up.

The A&F ‘experience’ (and it is an experience -buying from the comfort of your living room just doesn’t have the same magic/trauma) begins even before entering the store with a half hour queue, at the end of which is waiting a (6ft/blue-eyed/chiseled/freezing cold) male model to pose with you for a complementary Polaroid taken by pretty little thing in a plaid miniskirt and flipflops (in London… in December). Aside from ensuring the store adheres to fire regulations, this queue is likely intended to build anticipation for what lies ahead -although in my case it might also have had something to do with the fact that it was a week before Christmas (what was I thinking?) Upon receipt of treasured photo (in its own little A&F frame -oh the memories!), one is directed (by another model; this time with a clipboard and a headset) through enormous timber and glass doors, past a giant billboard of a freshly-waxed sixpack and into the A&F ‘Casual Luxury’ wonderland. You can’t possibly leave now; you’ve come so far!

Potential first impressions once finally inside? Its dark; the store uses just enough lighting to make out the (hopefully fake) wall-mounted moose head and the murals of half-naked college boys doing (rather homoerotic) sporty things over a very grand curved stone staircase -I can feel my plastic sprouting a boner already. Its loud; A&F play happy-go-lucky pop music at the most ridiculous volume… although it does kind of make you wanna get down to some good ol’ PWL four-on-the-floor and whip out your Mastercard. It honks; A&F ‘models’ (no, they’re not ‘employees’ or ‘floor staff’ thank-you-very-much) spray litres of the company’s ‘signature’ male scent Fierce into the air every (it seems) ten minutes to enrich the atmosphere… oh but it does smell sexy -where’s my wallet? 

Secondary impressions? High ceilings, a whole forest of timber panelling, and a sea of brightly coloured (plaid, plaid and more plaid) clothing hanging from the most amazing joinery, stacked on beautiful oak tables and encased in - that’s right - glass cabinets. It has to be said at this point that A&F clothing is really nothing special; cheap Chinese imports with logos sewn on everywhere, tailored for tall v-shaped boys and size-0 girls and marked up to just-out-of-reach prices -but boy do the people want it! Why? Because everything about the A&F brand, including the ‘far-too-good-for-you’ environment is designed to make you. The dimness is broken up with spotlights directed at such items as the Boulder Brook shorts and the Douglass Mountain zip-through; items named to evoke images of those beautiful places you might (but are unlikely to) wear them.  And when you’ve chosen your coveted hoodie/sweatpants/plaid shirt/keyring (feeling the pinch were we?) you can join the anaconda of a queue for the (it seems) four cash desks available through the entire store where yet more ‘models’ will flash you some fabulous dental work, swipe that Mastercard and send you on your way with some soft pornography (the bag… oh the bag).

It must be said, however, despite the aforementioned sensory overload and the fact that I had only recently finished Naomi Klein’s No Logo (and thus knew that these clothes were made by subcontractors, and not actually by ‘A&F’),that I totally bought into the ‘brand experience’ of Abercrombie & Fitch. I loved the theatrics of the space and the fact that everything was made up to be so ‘special’, expensive and (in some cases literally) out-of-reach. So it was perhaps partially out of the intended seduction but also my feelings of kudos to the company for trying so hard that I was happy to part with my money to own a piece of the magic (a ‘Lost Pond’ dark blue gilet with an embroidered moose, which is now falling to bits). I was thrilled to walk out of there with that big cardboard bag with a half-naked man on it, and was already planning my next purchase (the Deer Brook shirt perhaps? Or maybe even the Rocky Falls jacket?) for when I finally had that dream job and could afford it. *SIGH*

So what about figures? Well as anybody who owns an A&F item will know (from the giant label sewn into the back), the company was founded in New York in 1892 and has a rather colourful history. Originally a gentlemen’s outfitter and supplier of sporting goods to the likes of Herbert Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower, margins fell sharply in the latter half of the 20th century on account of an ‘old fashioned’ image. Enter the (some say) eccentric Mike Jeffries in the late 80s, and the company has since been completely re-branded as the American label for young people wishing, themselves, to project a certain image -preppiness, heteronormativity, ‘east coast’, ‘Ivy League’ or just plain ‘rich’. The company is well aware of its portrayal of a fantasy world however; something reinforced through the introduction of subsidiary company Hollister Co. just over a decade ago, which came with its own ‘pseudo-establishment’ story, telling of the fictitious John M. Hollister who founded the company in Laguna Beach, CA in 1922 -a date plastered (oh sorry, “rugged applique’d”) over much of the company’s clothing. During his tenure, Jeffries has erased A&F’s outdated image and created one of the most successful (and imitated) brands in history simply through the projection of focused desirability: as he said to Time Magazine in 2000, Jeffries compares the image of the company to that of ‘movie’ on account of the ‘fantasy’ that plays out instore: “you buy into the emotional experience of a movie… and that’s what we’re creating. Here I am walking into a movie, and I say, “What’s going to be [on] at the box office today?”“

View high resolution

Expo 2000 Dutch Pavilion by MVRDV

Welcome! The relationship between branding and space… (that is, indoors-y kind of space, not planets and rockets)

So, for those reading who don’t know me, my name is Ed, I come from the north east of England and I’m a graduate of the Master of Architecture programme at the University of Liverpool. I relocated to Berlin last year to do an internship at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy which is where I got into the idea of using architecture as a component of corporate branding and communication strategy.

So how does this work? Well, as Christine Astorino, founder and CEO of Pittsburgh-based research, design and strategy firm Fathom writes in her January 2010 article for Design Intelligence entitled The Promise of Space; Branding and Architecture in Theory and Practice, places can “hold special meaning” [‘spatial meaning’/’Spætial Meaning’? I think this could be the name of my future consultancy…] for us through such phenomena as symbolic association, memory, history and social interaction. As such, using spatial [spætial] forms and associated tools (height, depth, light, shadow, colour, sound, smell etc.) to evoke these feelings in target audiences can be an effective means of creating a consumer ‘experience’, reinforcing a ‘brand identity’ and subsequently selling a product. 

This product does not necessarily need to be a ‘thing’ (like a car or a shirt) however, but can also be an idea, culture or set of values, as expressed by governments and corporations through monuments, embassies, pavilions and ‘cultural centres’ worldwide. This is where marketing/public relations and ‘public’ or ‘cultural diplomacy’ merge, by bringing people to a point where all their senses are intentionally stimulated (and thus their mind manipulated) to fulfill an agenda -and its remarkably effective. As Dutch branding expert and author of Branding with Brains: the Science of getting Customers to Choose your Company Tjaco Walvis stated with regard to World Expo pavilion design in the Reputation Institute’s publication Building Brand Locations:

“Architecture plays a crucial role in this process [of ‘brand’ communication]. First, a self-created edifice with a distinct facade provides more opportunity for expression than a uniform building. Secondly, the architecture operates on visitors like the colours and petals of a flower do on bees, attracting them and seducing them to go inside. Thirdly, the exterior prepares visitors for what is to be found inside. Fourthly, the architecture can communicate part of the pavilion’s message to visitors and journalists just passing by, making a memorable impression.”

As it happens, the associated investigation conducted by the RI into why governments take part in World Expos (in this case Hanover 2000) found that the most common reason was indeed to “enhance national image,” a form of communication known as nation branding. It also emerged that the average rate of return (gleaned from increased levels of foreign investment, trade and tourism) was around ten times the cost of participation -well worth the trip!

So if you care to read on, I’m going to be blogging on such topics as branding (duh…), nation branding, neuro-marketing, graphic design and of course the role of architecture in communication through a mixture of my own writing (commentary/case studies and general chit chat), re-blogged articles, interesting images/videos and links to other websites. Come join me on a trip to brand[ed] paradise!

Also while we’re here; I’m not for a second claiming that any of my work is ‘good’ or ‘correct’, its simply my own personal take on things and is not intended to cause offense if what I’m writing is perceived as controversial. I talk a lot of rubbish so don’t feel like you have to wade through it (no really, I’ll be fine… *sniff*), but do feel free to comment -particularly if you like it but also if you don’t; debate is very important and everyone should have their voice. Also if I end up posting someone else’s image on here just let me know and I’ll be happy to take it down.