Brand Narcissism |?närs? siz?m|
noun
Excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's appearance. A belief that you have the power to not only satisfy the traditional consumer need and want but to harness your greatness for the good of all mankind. A tendency for a grandiose view of your talents and a craving for not just the acquisition and satisfactory use by your consumer but a deep requirement for their admiration as well.
Brand Narcissism, a new higher order form of marketing where globally recognised drink brands no longer feel compelled to reward their users with advertising entertainment, but to use their ubiquity to create a QR code which allows, due to the wonders of modern technology, for the brand to finally, wonderfully, have not just a tone of voice, but an actual real voice! And what does the voice say when after all these years it finally has the ability to speak . . . well, it chooses not to tell me a joke or even to simply provide me with entertainment. No, it says 'together we can change the world'.
No longer, in this new amazing marketing paradigm of brand narcissism, do we simply try to sell mouthwash on quality ingredients. No, we need to solve third world unemployment via the power of fresh breathe.
But it even gets better in this brand narcissist world. A brand can now be the entertainment that people will apparently seek out. Indeed brands can be their own media, be the star they have always craved to be, write a song, build a statue to their greatness, be the game changing, world famous star they could only previously imagine at their most conceited times.
Wiki tells me Thoedore Millon indentified five variations of narcissist. Which one of these will help you build your business in this new Brand as Narcissist world.
* unprincipled narcissist: including antisocial features. A charlatan—is a fraudulent, exploitative, deceptive and unscrupulous individual.
* amorous narcissist: including histrionic features. The Don Juan or Casanova of our times—is erotic, exhibitionist.
* compensatory narcissist: including negativistic (passive-aggressive), avoidant features.
* elitist narcissist: variant of pure pattern. Corresponds to Wilhelm Reich's "phallic narcissistic" personality type.
* fanatic type: including paranoid features. An individual whose self-esteem was severely arrested during childhood, usually with major paranoid tendencies who holds onto an illusion of omnipotence. These people are fighting delusions of insignificance and lost value and are trying to re-establish their self-esteem through grandiose fantasies and self-reinforcement. If unable to gain recognition or support from others, they take on the role of a heroic or worshipped person with a grandiose mission.
Russel Howcroft
Chief Executive, Australia and New Zealand
Y&R Brands