There was a time, not so long ago, when advertisements for consumer products routinely made claims about how well those products were made. The stitching was tight. The ingredients were pure. The manufacturing process was painstaking. Then, for a period of some years, such assertions fell out of favor, replaced by appeals to lifestyle, identity and the ineffable feeling a purchase might provide.
Now, it seems, quality is making something of a comeback.
Patagonia, the outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, Calif., that has long positioned itself as an alternative to disposable fashion, is among a group of brands that have returned to emphasizing the tangible attributes of their products, according to a recent analysis. Milani Cosmetics and Bogg Bag, a maker of waterproof totes, were also cited for campaigns that foreground durability, materials and craftsmanship rather than more abstract brand values.
The shift represents a modest correction in an industry that had, by some accounts, drifted rather far from the straightforward product demonstration. (Whether consumers had been clamoring for this return, or simply accepting whatever emotional appeals were put before them, remains an open question.)
For marketers who came of age in the era of "purpose-driven" branding, the renewed interest in quality claims may require some adjustment. Making a verifiable assertion about thread count or ingredient sourcing is, after all, a different exercise than associating one's product with a feeling of belonging or a commitment to social change.
The brands cited in the analysis operate in quite different categories, which suggests the trend, if it is one, may have broader applicability than a single sector would indicate.
Whether this represents a lasting realignment or merely a seasonal variation in the prevailing winds of Madison Avenue thinking, the products themselves will eventually have to answer.
Original story published in adage.com: "Adidas storms the World Cup with Timothée Chalamet and a host of soccer greats - Ad Age"