Branding for All Seasons

People think – and speak – in terms of seasons as a measurement of time. Are you planning a vacation this summer? I hear we’re in for a rough winter. I hope we have an early spring. The fall colors have been especially vibrant. We wear winter white, save the pastels for spring and pull out the red in September. Every sport has a season, although some, like pro hockey and basketball, have really blurred the lines. Even our appetites have been divided into four parts. Thanks to the garden-to-table movement, our food has gone from very well-seasoned to well, very seasonal.

Brands can’t afford to be seasonal. Oh, sure, Chevy Truck Month may come in March, and April, and May for the dealers who keep extending it. But Chevy sells trucks all year. That’s why the company’s advertisements feature trucks performing in all kinds of weather, and conditions – and seasons.

Many brands that one might think have limited seasons are smart enough to produce year-round sales. Sunscreen only for the summer? Not when it can be marketed to vacationers who choose Hawaii’s beaches in January over Minnesota’s frozen 10,000 lakes. You prefer snowboarding over surfing? No problem. Sunscreen advertising reminds us how the bright snow can amplify the suns damaging rays.

To be successful, brands have to communicate usefulness in any climate and every location. They must be adaptable. They can aim for a niche audience, but that audience needs to sustain sales year-round. Once a brand thinks in terms of a season, as though spring is the only good time to fertilize your lawn, it becomes self-limiting. That’s why Scotts came up with the idea of lawn “winterizer.” A product to fertilize your lawn when it isn’t growing. Kudos.I love all four seasons. And I’m all for locally-sourced vegetables and meats. But I’m also the kind of person who likes roast turkey and dressing in April, and I think December is the perfect time for a steaming pot of corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes.

Heck, I’ve even grilled outside in January. And I make certain I put on plenty of salt, pepper – and sunscreen.