Brands do not exist in a vacuum, but are living organisms formed by marketing, advertising and most importantly: consumers. They are personalities that express themselves in marketing measures and „dress“ in packaging. The promise advertising gives is to be kept by the packaging and proven by the product! Brands transform consumers and provide them with a „Gestalt“ or form and consumers shape brands in reverse. Our explorations reveal brand dimensions below the surface and unmask their secret messages. For example, IKEA promises eternal change and continuous life adjustment: „With IKEA, you don‘t have to stop and settle, you can have an ever-changing environment to match you.“ Even what could be considered a flaw plays into this dynamic: the lower product quality and low prices allow consumers to change without regret.

Successful brands are able to draw us into their sphere, which is usually the case when we sense something mythic and tempting about them. Apple, for example, subtly conveys the myth of being almighty with its products. It miraculously lets us access (and change) the world by a touch of our fingertips.

Successful brands unify cover and impact story and speak to our unconscious. They move. We analyze the complete interplay of people and brands to explore the psychological mechanisms behind the scenes. We explore brand personalities and provide psychological profiles and recommendations for positioning, market strategy and brand career. rheingold‘s understanding opens doors for line extensions, brand repositionings and innovations.