A tale of two brands... Sticks or carrots? You decide.
Today I look at how two brands have responded to attacks against their competitive moats.
I hate unnatural monopolies (unnecessary monopoly is a prime evil and key reason for the gross inequality we have in this world) have little sympathy for legal defences thereof, but both today's signals link to more creative ways of protecting your USP and your market share.
The stick : The first case study relates to HP using AI to spy on its own customers and stop their own purchases printers from working unless the customer purchases "real" ink from the creepy manufacturer.
The carrot : The second case study looks at how, in contrast, Lululemon offered to swap "dupes" (read illegal knockoffs) for the real deal; being confident enough in its own offering that customers in the know would know the actual goods are worth the full price once they've experienced the difference.
Do you hate your customers enough to punish them for not supporting your full product offering?
Do you need to threaten people into buying you goods or protecting your "IP"?
Are you confident enough in your own brand to let the products speak for themselves?
What is the future of branding? Legalised (anti)competitive moats or good old goodwill?
Read more:
New rules of engagement : https://www.fluxtrends.com/new-rules-of-engagement/
Insane confidence inside the world of the brands that believe in themselves : https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/lululemon-offers-free-align-leggings-at-first-dupe-swap
Insane paranoia inside the heads of surveillance capitalism : https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/11/23635168/hp-printer-update-brick-third-party-ink-dynamic-security
A tale of 2 brands, a carrot and a stick