Why Clock Radios Hold the Secret to Great Branding
I spent the weekend dismantling a perfectly functional Panasonic clock radio. Not a new one, either. Mid-90s. Beige plastic. The kind of device you’d find lurking in your nana’s guest room, frozen forever at 6:32 with faint talkback radio static humming underneath. But here’s the thing — that clock radio had a philosophy. It made choices. Sharp edges, no touchscreen, a button for 'sleep' that actually meant something. It had a purpose, and it wasn’t trying to be cool.
Which brings me to brand strategy. Lately, I’ve noticed how many brands have forgotten the value of specificity. Not everyone needs to be 'dynamic', 'disruptive', or, heaven forbid, 'youthful'. Strong brands, like strong products, pick a lane and stick to it. I’m talking about the brands that are deeply in touch with how they’re used. Think about Zero Co's refill pouches or The Beer Spot’s rotating taps. They don’t scream. They just nail their thing.
In contrast, so many campaigns now feel like they’ve been designed by committee, blurred into blandness by well-meaning ideation sessions and safe objectives. They want to appeal to 'everyone', so they end up resonating with no one. The clock radio didn’t care if you liked it. It just worked, every single morning, with brutal clarity. Imagine if a brand had that kind of self-assurance.
There’s a beautiful honesty in brands that commit. Not retro for the sake of it, not ironic. Just considered. Like that sleep button. It didn’t offer guided meditations or sync with your smartwatch. It just turned the sound off, and, in doing so, gave you the space to decide what mattered next. That, to me, is marketing genius.
Which brings me to brand strategy. Lately, I’ve noticed how many brands have forgotten the value of specificity. Not everyone needs to be 'dynamic', 'disruptive', or, heaven forbid, 'youthful'. Strong brands, like strong products, pick a lane and stick to it. I’m talking about the brands that are deeply in touch with how they’re used. Think about Zero Co's refill pouches or The Beer Spot’s rotating taps. They don’t scream. They just nail their thing.
In contrast, so many campaigns now feel like they’ve been designed by committee, blurred into blandness by well-meaning ideation sessions and safe objectives. They want to appeal to 'everyone', so they end up resonating with no one. The clock radio didn’t care if you liked it. It just worked, every single morning, with brutal clarity. Imagine if a brand had that kind of self-assurance.
There’s a beautiful honesty in brands that commit. Not retro for the sake of it, not ironic. Just considered. Like that sleep button. It didn’t offer guided meditations or sync with your smartwatch. It just turned the sound off, and, in doing so, gave you the space to decide what mattered next. That, to me, is marketing genius.