Here Comes The Amish Brand
I was watching TV today when I saw a commercial for a product called Heat Surge. It’s some kind of electrical heater/fireplace. But here’s the kicker….they’re branding it as Amish built.
Now I’m certainly no Amish expert but isn’t electricity against their code?? Here’s an excerpt from a site as it pertains to technology:
The Amish are averse to any technology which they feel weakens the family structure. The conveniences that the rest of us take for granted such as electricity, television, automobiles, telephones and tractors are considered to be a temptation that could cause vanity, create inequality, or lead the Amish away from their close-knit community and, as such, are not encouraged or accepted in most orders. Most Amish cultivate their fields with horse-drawn machinery, live in houses without electricity, and get around in horse-drawn buggies. It is common for Amish communities to allow the use of telephones, but not in the home. Instead, several Amish families will share a telephone in a wooden shanty between farms.
If you’re going to focus your brand built by the Amish and tie it to quality why open the door for questions? And is quality associated with the Amish? Does this brand identity make sense to you?
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December 26th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
We?re an established company with millions of satisfied customers whose focus is to exceed customer expectations.
To accomplish this, along with other successful methods, we?ve set up a Web site to share the facts about our company at http://heatsurge.wordpress.com to address any questions or concerns you may have.
December 26th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Hey Chris, I’m not questioning your product or service. I bet they’re great. But why build the brand around the Amish? Especially when technology/electricity is something most Amish are concerned with?
January 13th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Just a thought. From my understanding, what the Amish are building is the wooden shell for the heater not the electrical insert. So that wouldn’t go against their belief. They’re just doing good work right?
January 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I’ve worked previously in the bedding industry (creating sleep product websites and advertising) , and the majority of the box frames were – you guessed it – Amish made. They provided a US-based manufacturing of wood products that were incorporated into premium industry products…
February 18th, 2009 at 10:49 am
It’s really a great mistake of the marketing team , That has worked on the product heat surge. The Amish people have a swiss-german origines . I ‘ m german and have read a lot of articles about their beliefs and I ‘m sure that using electricity is against their code.
They think, that the easy access to the electricity could lead to many temptations and the deterioration of church and family life.The marketing people must have a clear vision of their strategy by launching a new product. It doesn’t make any sense: the electrical heater target the market of the Amish people while they are against electricity.