Grow A Backbone
Tyrone Tellis on why the advertising industry doesn’t just need creativity – it needs a conscience.
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The Power of Reframing
I suppose I’ve come a long way from staring blankly at my mum as a child when she told me about a person called Pavlov and his dogs. It wasn’t exactly traumatic, but it did stick in my brain and leave me somewhat confused. Fast forward to my MBA, where I was introduced to psychology and, through my brand teacher Raeda Latif, to positioning and David Aaker.
Positioning is an amazing method to use, and it’s not rocket science – it’s psychology. Changing the information someone possesses to suit your argument or strengthen your case is nothing new. I recall a debate at Karachi University where someone recounted a story about the Quaid-i-Azam in which his opponent kept saying, “I cannot imagine Pakistan.” Mr Jinnah repeated the statement back to him, and the man reiterated that he indeed couldn’t imagine Pakistan. Mr Jinnah, being the sharp and savvy man he was, replied, “If you, sir, cannot imagine Pakistan, how can you oppose its idea?” Mic drop.
Great lawyers and statesmen aren’t the only ones who can wield the weapon of repositioning information – or reframing. I witnessed an incredible example of a reframe while working at a fintech. A colleague of mine, N, was being pitched by an insurance agent from a Takaful company. N kept insisting that State Life Insurance had better policies and rates. The agent silently listened for a while and then asked if N was married. When N replied that he wasn’t, the agent continued, “When you do get married and your wife needs to deliver a baby or choose a school for your child, would you prefer a government or a private hospital and school?” N answered that he’d prefer a private institution. The agent then asked, “So why, when it comes to insurance, do you prefer the government option?”
A Brand Reframe
A brand example of reframing that thoroughly impressed me was when in 2016 Lipton launched an ad campaign declaring that “Lipton Lajawab.” In the mental hierarchy of strong teas, Lipton had always been ranked below Tapal (known for its stronger blend). However, the ad challenged our perceptions and made us question the status quo. Even planting a seed of doubt about an unchallenged belief was a win for Lipton, an international brand.
The Art of ReframingDavid Aaker, whom I ‘met’ during my MBA, offers valuable insights into reframing. He argues that the most effective reframes don’t focus on yourself or your competitors but on the category or subcategory – rendering competitors irrelevant.
He outlines three strategies for reframing:
1. Define What the Customer Is Buying
Elevate your offering by redefining what the customer is buying. Aaker highlights brands like Whole Foods, which focuses on organic products, and Patagonia, which champions sustainability. Locally, we can consider Pizza Hut, which once emphasised delivering pizzas in sleeves to ensure they remained piping hot.
He also suggests defining a category in multiple ways. For example, Esquires Coffee in Karachi is popular for its food. If Karachiites became more conscious of fair trade, Esquires could focus on providing good quality options while exclusively using fair trade coffee – ensuring that those who grow the coffee get a fair share of the proceeds.
2. Reframe Competing Subcategories
Aaker cites Tesla as an example. Amid concerns about videos of their electric cars catching fire, Tesla reframed the narrative by highlighting that petrol-fuelled cars are four times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles. Locally, EV brands could emphasise the high cost of petrol, making traditional vehicles seem less viable.
3. Expand the Perceived Category Decision
Expanding the perceived category can also be powerful. Aaker mentions UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business launching an ‘Evening & Weekend MBA Programme.’ Before this, prospective MBA students had to choose between evening or weekend classes. Locally, Levi’s redefined workplace fashion in Pakistan by introducing Dockers, offering men the option of wearing chinos instead of formal dress trousers to work.
Why Is Reframing Important?Aaker concludes that a strong frame dominates perceptions and the flow of information. He quotes UC Berkeley Professor of Linguistics George Lakoff: “Frames are mental structures that shape how we see the world. If a strongly held frame doesn’t fit the facts, the facts will be ignored, and the frame will be kept.”When planning your marketing and advertising, don’t just look at the big picture – examine the frame.
Source: Prophet
Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo.tyrone.tellis@gmail.com
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A brand example of reframing that thoroughly impressed me was when in 2016 Lipton launched an ad campaign declaring that “Lipton Lajawab.” In the mental hierarchy of strong teas, Lipton had always been ranked below Tapal (known for its stronger blend). However, the ad challenged our perceptions and made us question the status quo. Even planting a seed of doubt about an unchallenged belief was a win for Lipton, an international brand.
The Art of ReframingDavid Aaker, whom I ‘met’ during my MBA, offers valuable insights into reframing. He argues that the most effective reframes don’t focus on yourself or your competitors but on the category or subcategory – rendering competitors irrelevant.
He outlines three strategies for reframing:
1. Define What the Customer Is Buying
Elevate your offering by redefining what the customer is buying. Aaker highlights brands like Whole Foods, which focuses on organic products, and Patagonia, which champions sustainability. Locally, we can consider Pizza Hut, which once emphasised delivering pizzas in sleeves to ensure they remained piping hot.
He also suggests defining a category in multiple ways. For example, Esquires Coffee in Karachi is popular for its food. If Karachiites became more conscious of fair trade, Esquires could focus on providing good quality options while exclusively using fair trade coffee – ensuring that those who grow the coffee get a fair share of the proceeds.
2. Reframe Competing Subcategories
Aaker cites Tesla as an example. Amid concerns about videos of their electric cars catching fire, Tesla reframed the narrative by highlighting that petrol-fuelled cars are four times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles. Locally, EV brands could emphasise the high cost of petrol, making traditional vehicles seem less viable.
3. Expand the Perceived Category Decision
Expanding the perceived category can also be powerful. Aaker mentions UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business launching an ‘Evening & Weekend MBA Programme.’ Before this, prospective MBA students had to choose between evening or weekend classes. Locally, Levi’s redefined workplace fashion in Pakistan by introducing Dockers, offering men the option of wearing chinos instead of formal dress trousers to work.
Why Is Reframing Important?Aaker concludes that a strong frame dominates perceptions and the flow of information. He quotes UC Berkeley Professor of Linguistics George Lakoff: “Frames are mental structures that shape how we see the world. If a strongly held frame doesn’t fit the facts, the facts will be ignored, and the frame will be kept.”When planning your marketing and advertising, don’t just look at the big picture – examine the frame.
Source: Prophet
Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo.tyrone.tellis@gmail.com
Read Comments
Related Stories
David Aaker, whom I ‘met’ during my MBA, offers valuable insights into reframing. He argues that the most effective reframes don’t focus on yourself or your competitors but on the category or subcategory – rendering competitors irrelevant.
He outlines three strategies for reframing:
1. Define What the Customer Is Buying
Elevate your offering by redefining what the customer is buying. Aaker highlights brands like Whole Foods, which focuses on organic products, and Patagonia, which champions sustainability. Locally, we can consider Pizza Hut, which once emphasised delivering pizzas in sleeves to ensure they remained piping hot.
He also suggests defining a category in multiple ways. For example, Esquires Coffee in Karachi is popular for its food. If Karachiites became more conscious of fair trade, Esquires could focus on providing good quality options while exclusively using fair trade coffee – ensuring that those who grow the coffee get a fair share of the proceeds.
2. Reframe Competing Subcategories
Aaker cites Tesla as an example. Amid concerns about videos of their electric cars catching fire, Tesla reframed the narrative by highlighting that petrol-fuelled cars are four times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles. Locally, EV brands could emphasise the high cost of petrol, making traditional vehicles seem less viable.
3. Expand the Perceived Category Decision
Expanding the perceived category can also be powerful. Aaker mentions UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business launching an ‘Evening & Weekend MBA Programme.’ Before this, prospective MBA students had to choose between evening or weekend classes. Locally, Levi’s redefined workplace fashion in Pakistan by introducing Dockers, offering men the option of wearing chinos instead of formal dress trousers to work.
Why Is Reframing Important?Aaker concludes that a strong frame dominates perceptions and the flow of information. He quotes UC Berkeley Professor of Linguistics George Lakoff: “Frames are mental structures that shape how we see the world. If a strongly held frame doesn’t fit the facts, the facts will be ignored, and the frame will be kept.”When planning your marketing and advertising, don’t just look at the big picture – examine the frame.
Source: Prophet
Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo.tyrone.tellis@gmail.com
Read Comments
Related Stories
Aaker concludes that a strong frame dominates perceptions and the flow of information. He quotes UC Berkeley Professor of Linguistics George Lakoff: “Frames are mental structures that shape how we see the world. If a strongly held frame doesn’t fit the facts, the facts will be ignored, and the frame will be kept.”When planning your marketing and advertising, don’t just look at the big picture – examine the frame.
Source: Prophet
Tyrone Tellis is Senior Manager, Corporate Sales and PR, Bogo.tyrone.tellis@gmail.com