Is perception more important than facts? Is having a better brand better than having a better product?

Perception isn't always half the battle; sometimes it's the entire battle. In the marketing community, there is a constant grapple between two schools of thought. One school is product-focused, and the other is brand-focused.

The product folks believe the ultimate winner in every marketing battle is the better product. If this is so, then here goes the thinking, the role of a company's marketing program is to communicate the features and benefits that make a company's product superior to its competitors. It's simple, logical and fits the fact that “everybody knows.” Take for example, if you ask what the best smartphone is? It's an iPhone of course. But the critical insight is perception.

There are no facts. Everything is based on perceptions. There are no superior products; there are only superior perceptions in consumers' minds. And so it is with many other "facts" we assume to be true.

There's no question, iPhone has the impression of being the best smartphone.

What else do we know about perceptions? They are difficult to change. Once a person holds a strong opinion of a specific brand, it's challenging to change that perception. Developing a better smartphone than an iPhone is a simple task compared to developing a better perception than iPhone in consumers' mind. In fact, it's almost impossible. Perceptions are difficult to change.

When was the last time you changed your mind?

The product-based school doesn't need to be bothered about when a brand should be launched. It might be a good move to delay the launch of a new brand to have the time to build a better product. The brand-based school thinks differently. Since perceptions seldom change, it's crucial to get into consumers' minds before your competitor does. The brand-focused school believes "it's better to be first than it is to be better."

Take for example the story of Robert Galbraith vs. J.K. Rowling. "J.K. Rowling is the first author to become a billionaire by writing books. Her "Harry Potter" books were translated into 55 different languages in over 180 countries and sold more than 400 million copies worldwide. J.K. Rowling also wrote a novel (The Cuckoo's Calling) and had it published under a different name (Robert Galbraith). In spite of favorable reviews, "The Cuckoo's calling" sold less than 1,000 copies. Then word got out that J.K. Rowling actually wrote the book and it immediately jumped to the top of the best-seller lists. In a matter of few months, the novel had sold 1.1 million copies.

So what's more important, the book or the author?

The product or the brand?

What school do you belong to Product-focused or Brand-focused? Or are you in the middle?

If history is any guide, it won't change your mind. It's the same with perceptions.

They hardly change.