I must start out by warning all of you terrific readers that I am feeling quite contrary this week. Perhaps winter has just dragged on wayyyy too long here in Washington, DC, or perhaps it is the fact that I just moved house and have had it up to here, as my mother would say, with contractors, flooding basements, and all the other joys of homeownership.

But for whatever the reason, contrary I am. So this week I am deviating from my usual brand mantra that “brands are about long-term relationships.” Instead, I am saying that maybe brands are about the short-term, at least some of the time.

Now, while some of this can be chalked up to the contrary mood I am in, I have been thinking a lot recently about this idea, and specifically about whether there is a place for branding in a short-term format. And, honestly, I think there is.

I do realize that this flies in the face of much of the theory of branding. After all, brands are all about building equity--which takes time--and about creating a niche in the marketplace that is sustainable and virtually unassailable from the competition. Brands are about creating loyal, long-term relationships that are bankable winners for companies. Loyalty, commitment, value, trust: Those words are sacred to brand managers and the touchstone on which they plan all brand marketing efforts. And by and large they should continue to be.

However, maybe consumers do at times need brands that are more like dating, and less like marriage. After all, sometimes you have a specific need--one that exists just in a moment, one that is not long-lasting. We are a fast-moving global society, and sometimes we want--or need--something now.

We don't want the chore of setting up a relationship, but the thrill of trying something new. We want to be on the cutting edge and to embrace the unknown, rather than be comfortable with the known. Consumers want--and even seek out--variety. Here is one place where short-term brands can fill a niche.

What Exactly Is a Short-Term Brand Anyway?

It is a brand that has a short “shelf life,” and also leverages the infidelity customers have with brands in order to succeed. With the rise of the global marketplace, and the ability for consumers to be more familiar with a greater variety of brands than ever before, comes a need on the consumers' behalf to try more of these brands.

However, to take the idea a step further, what if the idea of short-term brands were to be combined with the strategy for long-term brand success?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristine Kirby Webster is Principal of The Canterbury Group, a direct-marketing consultancy specializing in branding and relationship marketing. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Direct Marketing at Mercy College in NY. She can be reached at Kristine@canterburygroup.net.