Seth, Double, Double is a Consumer Generated Brand
“Double, Double”, she says. Seth Godin just posted about a woman he observed while he was standing in line in a strange town to buy a tea.
He noted that the Barrista stares blankly, not understanding the request. The woman repeats it, louder.
Seth reflects and says, “Sometimes, we get hung up on catch phrases and jargon that work great when everyone understands what we mean, but fail to bring understanding to outsiders.”.
Isn’t that, however, the power of a brand and the way brand association is propagated? When I first heard the term “Grande Mocha”, I didn’t understand it so I had to ask about it. Now I know it as a Starbucks product.
“Double, Double” has become a brand. It is a Tim Horton’s coffee (yes, with double sugar, double cream). The remarkable part is that it is a 100% consumer generated brand. Unlike the “Grande Mocha”, Tim Horton’s has never uttered the term.
The brand is so powerful in Eastern Canada (and Atlantic Canada, in particular) that it has transcended the brand “coffee” just like Kleenex has come to mean “tissue”, regardless of the brand. The community owns it and they are fiercely loyal.
“Can you pick me up a large Double, Double?”, is readily understood even by Barristas (a European term which, arguably, is a catch phrase made popular in America by Starbucks).
The Double, Double is so deep, it is a cultural icon. If one of our soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan said, “I can’t wait to order a Double, Double”, you would know he was expressing his longing to be back home.
Eh?
May 23rd, 2008 - Posted in branding | |
on May 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
But that expression, “double, double” has existed to Southern California natives for decades. But it is the term used to order the GREATEST hamberger on the planet….. A “double meat, double cheese” burger at In and Out Burger.
For those of you who have never had an In and Out Burger,….I am sorry for you. Those who have will know what I am talking about and their taste buds are now craving this wonderful culinary delight.
I grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs just miles from the original In and Out Burger. While I have lived in Texas for 17 years, I still dream of having a “double, double” and it aint coffee.
Hmmmmm, now I need to find a reason to fly to LA so i can have one. I assume they don’t FedEx very well.
thom
on May 23rd, 2008 at 7:51 pm
“Double, Double” is certainly catchier than “pigs in a blanket”.