Image © Brian E. Faulkner One of The Masters luminaries who didn’t appear on this year's leaderboard was Mercedes-Benz. The German marque was far less a presence during the pinnacle golf event than 2012 tournament winner Bubba Watson and his 20-year-old playing partner, Jordan Spieth, but was well worth noting -- if you’re a brand marketer.
In addition to introducing the newest iteration of their S-Series super luxury car (complete with a zingy digital dash and a cabin perfuming option), Mercedes dedicated a portion of their Masters advertising to a philosophy voiced years ago by Gottlieb Daimler: “The best or nothing.”
Quality is a difficult idea to wrap your head around. Philip Crosby once said that “quality has much in common with sex. Everyone is for it.” As Professor Phaedrus says in Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, “I think there is such a thing as Quality, but as soon as you try to define it, something goes haywire.” Even so, Mercedes seems to have figured it out.
“The best or nothing” has been around as a Mercedes-Benz marketing device since 2010. They call the phrase a “brand claim,” and their employees have taken it up as a rallying cry. A long-time brand claim by the founder of eminent piano maker Steinway & Sons, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg, expresses a similar philosophy: “Build the best piano possible. Sell it at the lowest price consistent with quality.”
That common note may be why, late in the 19th century, Heinrich’s son William and Gottlieb Daimler came together in New York to manufacture The American Mercedes, “an exact copy – part for part – of the great car of international reputation,” an enterprise cut short by William’s death at age 61.
In addition to introducing the newest iteration of their S-Series super luxury car (complete with a zingy digital dash and a cabin perfuming option), Mercedes dedicated a portion of their Masters advertising to a philosophy voiced years ago by Gottlieb Daimler: “The best or nothing.”
Quality is a difficult idea to wrap your head around. Philip Crosby once said that “quality has much in common with sex. Everyone is for it.” As Professor Phaedrus says in Robert M. Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, “I think there is such a thing as Quality, but as soon as you try to define it, something goes haywire.” Even so, Mercedes seems to have figured it out.
“The best or nothing” has been around as a Mercedes-Benz marketing device since 2010. They call the phrase a “brand claim,” and their employees have taken it up as a rallying cry. A long-time brand claim by the founder of eminent piano maker Steinway & Sons, Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg, expresses a similar philosophy: “Build the best piano possible. Sell it at the lowest price consistent with quality.”
That common note may be why, late in the 19th century, Heinrich’s son William and Gottlieb Daimler came together in New York to manufacture The American Mercedes, “an exact copy – part for part – of the great car of international reputation,” an enterprise cut short by William’s death at age 61.
PURPOSE OF A TAGLINE:
The purpose of a tagline, as distinct from a brand claim like Mercedes', is to speak with authority about competitive advantage, to set a business, product or service apart in a way that attracts qualified prospects and compels them to want to become customers. Taglines are marketing heavyweights that speak directly to strategic benefits. Of course, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t really need a tagline. People who aspire to purchase a Mercedes already “get it.” Most brands do need a tagline, however – and a muscular one at that. But occasionally, like Mercedes-Benz, they also may have an opportunity to whisper about their brand, to tell their story in a softer voice than that with which their primary tagline speaks.
Which is precisely what Mercedes-Benz has accomplished with their elegantly crafted Masters spots.
TakeAway: Consider complementing your primary tagline from time to time with a “brand claim” that speaks to both present and future customers in a softer, but no less compelling, voice.
Tags: Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, The Masters, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, brand marketing, Mercedes S-series, Gottlieb Daimler, The Best or Nothing, quality, Philip Crosby, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Steinway & Sons, Heinrich Engelhard Steinway, best piano, William Steinway, The American Mercedes, tagline, purpose of a tagline, competitive advantage, strategic benefits, brand claim
© Brian E. Faulkner
Which is precisely what Mercedes-Benz has accomplished with their elegantly crafted Masters spots.
TakeAway: Consider complementing your primary tagline from time to time with a “brand claim” that speaks to both present and future customers in a softer, but no less compelling, voice.
Tags: Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes, The Masters, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, brand marketing, Mercedes S-series, Gottlieb Daimler, The Best or Nothing, quality, Philip Crosby, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Steinway & Sons, Heinrich Engelhard Steinway, best piano, William Steinway, The American Mercedes, tagline, purpose of a tagline, competitive advantage, strategic benefits, brand claim
© Brian E. Faulkner
About Brian Faulkner:
Brian Faulkner is a Key Message expert. He helps clients come up with words to set their businesses, brands and products apart and attract the customers they want most. His strategic insights, and the words that go with them, have made a significant, often immediate difference for client companies over many years. He thrives on strategic communication problem solving, complex subjects, new ideas, concepts-as-products, challenging marketing situations and demanding deadlines. His "sweet spot" is smaller to moderate sized consumer products, retail, service and manufacturing companies that may have struggled to find just the right words to position their business, brands or products to competitive advantage.
Brian also is a three-time Emmy award winning Public Television writer and narrator of UNC-TV’s popular Our State magazine series, on the air since 2003.
Brian also is a three-time Emmy award winning Public Television writer and narrator of UNC-TV’s popular Our State magazine series, on the air since 2003.
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