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fonction d'estime

English translation: esteem function

23:16 Feb 28, 2007
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Materials (Plastics, Ceramics, etc.) / product design
French term or phrase: fonction d'estime
need a marketing phrase to describe the want factor. When competing products (cars, vacuum cleaners) all have similar functionalities and performance, what makes the buyer slaver over one and not the other. The word for this quality, anyone?

It may seem curious to some (as it does to me) that the phrase "fonction d'estime" is used to mean everything except the function... which they call "fonction d'usage".
Paul Hirsh
France
Local time: 19:10
English translation:esteem function
Explanation:
Here's an example of "esteem function" used in a thoroughly marketing context:

Value/ Benefit = Use + Esteem function. of a product (service). 4. Price, Cost, Profit vs. Value. Required. Desired. (Value) Increasing ...
www.qualitywaves.com/Conference Paper/CVM DQG FINAL1.ppt

Perhaps some marketing specialist can throw more light on all this "function" terminology.

My reason for not answering straight off was the fact that there aren't a huge number of examples of "esteem function" used in the relevant context. The signs are that "aesthetic function" is used a lot more often in English. There are examples where "esteem function" and "aesthetic function" seem to be treated as alternatives meaning the same thing:

When the project manager returned to report the outcomes of the workshop to his client, he found to his surprise that the owner was not at all interested in knocking off two storeys from the proposed building. He had another (hidden) agenda which was to own the tallest building in the city! Here we see a vital esteem/aesthetic function of which no one at the workshop was even remotely aware. Had we known that, we could possibly have still achieved his objective in some other, creative way (whilst still knocking off two storeys from the actual building). Anyway, the moral of the story is clear."
www.brookes.ac.uk/other/veamac/feb98.html

products from a semantic and esteem/aesthetic. point of view. A study on such products (wine. glass) was proposed in Matsuoka (1999) where the ...
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0169814104000058

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days11 hrs (2007-03-03 10:19:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Your question first set me thinking on the lines of "must-have" (which I see CMJ has suggested) and so on, but there are enough examples of "fonction d'estime" to give a very definite impression that this is a standard term used in marketing, and that it's all to do with the consumer's taste and how the product is perceived or "esteemed".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days11 hrs (2007-03-03 10:21:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"wow factor" and so on are the right idea, but if we're dealing with a system of terminology here, then it's appropriate to look for similar terminology in English.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days12 hrs (2007-03-03 11:58:27 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad it's some use, even though it's the boring, bleedin obvious answer.

As an afterthought, I think "esteem value" is worth considering too:

Esteem Value - This value reflects ego or esteem values associated with a product in addition to its actual use value. A good example is the possible esteem associated with wearing designer clothing as opposed to basic brands. Prestige brands of products that are psychologically pleasing usually include esteem value as well as actual use value.
When determining value, factors such as use value, esteem value, market value, ... the actual supply and demand, product attributes, cultural patterns, ...
www.ces.ncsu.edu/resources/education/sd8/
Selected response from:

Dylan Edwards
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:10
Grading comment
This seems to be right. I guess function can be understood as a design aim, in that the first duty of a design is to sell itself. Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +2ideas ....
CMJ_Trans (X)
4zing factor
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
2 +1wow factor?
French2English
3esteem function
Dylan Edwards


Discussion entries: 8





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
wow factor?


Explanation:
Based purely on the type of expression you describe... I have heard this used ... anyway, it is just a suggestion... let's see what else comes in!

French2English
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:10
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Rachel Fell: http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=431&storyCod... http://www.robots-dreams.com/2005/12/the_robot_wow_f.html (n.b.drool detail!)
9 hrs
  -> just drooling over my robot! Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
ideas ....


Explanation:
probably refers to the product's reputation - as in everybody wants a big German car, a certain make of watch, clothes from the brands worn by the stars, etc.

The "must have" factor,

The "brand impact" factor

The fact that a product is known to be quality goods....

I'm sure there is a better word in English and it may yet come to me but, from your very minimal context, this is the direction I think you should be looking

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2007-03-01 08:30:31 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

the PRESTIGE factor - just flashed through my mind

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 19:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
Notes to answerer
Asker: nice ideas CMJ, keep them coming, I have until midday to deliver !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cjohnstone
18 mins
agree  Jacqui Audouy: I think 'the must-have' factor is spot on
35 mins
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
zing factor


Explanation:
I reckon that you can really put your personal touch to this one. This is a pure "Nikki-ism", in reaction to things, people. Whatever.

Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Local time: 19:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 13
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
esteem function


Explanation:
Here's an example of "esteem function" used in a thoroughly marketing context:

Value/ Benefit = Use + Esteem function. of a product (service). 4. Price, Cost, Profit vs. Value. Required. Desired. (Value) Increasing ...
www.qualitywaves.com/Conference Paper/CVM DQG FINAL1.ppt

Perhaps some marketing specialist can throw more light on all this "function" terminology.

My reason for not answering straight off was the fact that there aren't a huge number of examples of "esteem function" used in the relevant context. The signs are that "aesthetic function" is used a lot more often in English. There are examples where "esteem function" and "aesthetic function" seem to be treated as alternatives meaning the same thing:

When the project manager returned to report the outcomes of the workshop to his client, he found to his surprise that the owner was not at all interested in knocking off two storeys from the proposed building. He had another (hidden) agenda which was to own the tallest building in the city! Here we see a vital esteem/aesthetic function of which no one at the workshop was even remotely aware. Had we known that, we could possibly have still achieved his objective in some other, creative way (whilst still knocking off two storeys from the actual building). Anyway, the moral of the story is clear."
www.brookes.ac.uk/other/veamac/feb98.html

products from a semantic and esteem/aesthetic. point of view. A study on such products (wine. glass) was proposed in Matsuoka (1999) where the ...
linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0169814104000058

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days11 hrs (2007-03-03 10:19:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Your question first set me thinking on the lines of "must-have" (which I see CMJ has suggested) and so on, but there are enough examples of "fonction d'estime" to give a very definite impression that this is a standard term used in marketing, and that it's all to do with the consumer's taste and how the product is perceived or "esteemed".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days11 hrs (2007-03-03 10:21:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"wow factor" and so on are the right idea, but if we're dealing with a system of terminology here, then it's appropriate to look for similar terminology in English.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 days12 hrs (2007-03-03 11:58:27 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Glad it's some use, even though it's the boring, bleedin obvious answer.

As an afterthought, I think "esteem value" is worth considering too:

Esteem Value - This value reflects ego or esteem values associated with a product in addition to its actual use value. A good example is the possible esteem associated with wearing designer clothing as opposed to basic brands. Prestige brands of products that are psychologically pleasing usually include esteem value as well as actual use value.
When determining value, factors such as use value, esteem value, market value, ... the actual supply and demand, product attributes, cultural patterns, ...
www.ces.ncsu.edu/resources/education/sd8/


Dylan Edwards
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:10
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
This seems to be right. I guess function can be understood as a design aim, in that the first duty of a design is to sell itself. Thanks!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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