What’s the best way for a brand to engage with its competition? Many brands focus their marketing efforts exclusively on their own strengths rather than acknowledging competitors — and when they do talk publicly about competing brands, it’s typically to criticize them. Consider, for example, the “Mac vs. PC” TV ads that pitted a stodgy, suit-wearing PC user against a younger, hoodie-clad Mac user; the decades-long “Cola wars” between Pepsi and Coke; and today’s ongoing battles among light beers.
Research: When Praising the Competition Benefits Your Brand
When it comes to engaging with competitors, most brands take an antagonistic approach — think the age-old rivalry between Coke and Pepsi, or the memorable “Mac vs. PC” ads. However, new research suggests that praising the competition can actually boost a brand’s image and profitability. For example, in one study, consumers who saw a tweet in which KitKat praised Twix were 34% more likely to buy a KitKat in the next two weeks. This effect is driven by consumers’ perceptions of a brand’s warmth: Praising competitors makes brands seem more thoughtful, kind, and trustworthy, ultimately making consumers more likely to buy their products. Of course, this approach won’t work for every brand in every context — but the research suggests that praising the competition can substantially benefit brands, both in terms of consumers’ perceptions and bottom-line sales (not to mention the side-benefit of adding a bit of positivity to a world rife with conflict and negativity).