Owning the Kitchen

There's nothing more important in marketing than a well-crafted brand definition.  You have to know who you are if you are going to be able to build a compelling brand experience for your customers.

There's a fine balance you have to strike, however:  defining your brand broadly enough to open new business opportunities yet specifically enough so that customers know who you are.

KitchenAid seems to be finding that perfect balance, as exhibited in the brand's latest television advertising campaign.

KitchenAid is firmly owning the kitchen.  No other room, just the kitchen ... "the best room," as they say.  "Nobody know the kitchen like KitchenAid."

It's very smart, ownable, and doable for this brand (three very important criteria in developing a brand definition).  KitchenAid has outlined a territory and is attempting to dominate it.  They are not trying to be all things to all people, but rather the leader in one thing.  A big thing, by the way.

My only wish would be that they carry that theme-ology to other parts of their marketing.  Their leadership is ever-present, that's for sure, but I love that language so much that I'd love to see it asserted in other areas as well.  Of course, you don't have to use that language to show leadership, I just like it so much that I'd like to see it used more.

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
Author, The Experience Effect series
Marketing Professor, NYU