Posts Tagged ‘ Brand ’

Can Short-Term Brand “Candidate Obama” Transform Successfully Into Long-Term Brand “President Obama”

26 April 2012 by

A spate of recent articles about the Obama brand have, in my view as an expert on marketing, neglected the brand’s strategy and focused its verbal or visual expressions. But far more important is the distinction between the short-term brand, “Candidate Obama,” and the long-term brand, “President Obama.”


So far candidate Obama’s campaign exemplifies perfect wizardry in short term branding. For those who had not yet encountered this terminology, a short term brand is a pre-planned meteoric and relatively short-lived marketing success. “The Da Vinci Code,” is a classic example. Huge success ? but fleeting.


Short term branding entails the kindling of enthusiasm, expertly and speedily, in a selected target group. Its usual purpose is to motivate members of the group to buy a product promptly and buzz about it.


Other times, as in our case, it is to propel the group to volunteer, donate, evangelize and vote on a certain date. In contrast, long term branding endeavors to establish a long term demand (or support) based on an enduring preference and trust. Think of your allegiance to a particular brand of toothpaste.


The relevance of short term branding to political campaigning is evident. This is true especially when the candidate is relatively unknown, and his or her political and leadership records are too limited to flaunt.


Every brand, short or long term, holds a promise of benefit to its target audience. It is the expectation of this benefit that stimulates desire. A short term brand (as opposed to a long term one) presents a transitory opportunity to achieve such a benefit. Thought of this way, the Obama campaign’s promise is clear and unique: “here we are giving you a one-time opportunity to impact history by electing the first African-American President of the United States”.


But isn’t this promise similar to that of the Clinton campaign, if we, say, substitute “female” for “African-American”? It could have been, but it is definitely not. The main reason is that Senator Clinton’s campaign is not about this equally momentous opportunity. It is about “Clinton as president”.


Therefore, Clinton is already running a presidential campaign, i.e., attempting to build a long term brand. She is trying to inspire trust, while Senator Obama is spreading enthusiasm, taking advantage of the benefits of short term branding.


My 80%-20% Marketing Hits Formula postulates that a successful STB (Short Term Brand) will be 80% conventional format and 20% innovation. The 80% part is meant to dissolve resistance and to ease acceptance and, therefore, will challenge the consumer only minimally to learn and adjust. Prima facie, the Obama campaign has all the elements of such a campaign. It has a logo, an emblem, a slogan and it employs all the customary one-to-many communication tactics. That is the 80% part.


However, it is the other 20%?the innovation?that delivers on the brand’s promise and drives the STB phenomenon. The Formula says that the 20% must be innovative in a way that will entice action. One of the main rules of short term branding is to use something very contemporary and cool, or something which stimulates a Wow response of pleasant surprise and wonder, or something that is twisted, unexpected and provocative in some manner.


The chieftains of the Obama campaign team opted for cool. Personal expression and activism as well as social networks constitute the cool “now”. These are the exact trends that the Obama campaign has used in a pioneering fashion.


Its remarkable use of the Internet is all about inviting, empowering and enabling people “to make history” on their own. On BarackObama.com people can find plenty of means to do that. They can create their own blogs, send in policy recommendations, find other supporters in their area (thus creating a quasi-social network), organize events, set up their own fund raising mini site, get call lists and scripts, download videos, photos, ringtones and any other “now” cyber service you can think of.


The use of social networks from FaceBook to niche demographic ones such as Blackplanet and Asianwave sends a message that everyone is included and reinforces the feeling of brotherhood amongst people from all races and origins. The many viral clips on YouTube produced by supporters and fans are a natural outgrowth: people doing their own thing within the framework of a “history making” movement.


All of that understood, does the success of the short-term brand ,”Candidate Obama,” foretell similar success for the completely different, long-term brand, “President Obama?” Not necessarily!


If Senator Obama wins the Democratic Party nomination, we must expect a switch in voters’ perceptions. They will then begin to give increasingly more weight to the potentially long-term “President Obama” brand, at the expense of the weight they had given to the “Candidate Obama” brand previously. It will not suffice to be a part of a history making movement.


Voters will be interested in the promise of the “President Obama” brand, which has to be a promise in which they can believe. In other words, they will want to know how President Obama will function as president at these challenging times for America, regardless of his racial identity.


The open-ended, “let’s do it together” leadership style that is such a powerful element of the “Candidate Obama” brand may even become a setback during the presidential campaign stage. To win against Senator McCain, Obama will have to more distinctly shape the “President Obama” brand as well as its promise to Americans in a strongly persuasive manner.


Among other tasks he will have to explain in a crystal clear manner how he is going to redefine the leadership of the United States in the world and how he is going to integrate its economy with the global economy in a healthier manner.


If he wins the nomination, then this will certainly be the next challenge which the “President Obama” campaign masters will have to overcome: to smoothly handle the transition from short-term brand “Candidate Obama” to long-term brand “President Obama”. Time will most certainly tell.

Dr. Dan Herman, a globally renowned strategy consultant, an author and a lecturer, is the author of “Outsmart the MBA Clones: The Alternative Guide to Competitive Strategy, Marketing, and Branding”
( http://www.outsmart-mba-clones.com ).

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How to Create Brand Loyalty

19 April 2012 by

Our saturated market place makes it even harder to entice consumers to our brands; especially when a large proportion of our competitors are using the ‘product plus’ strategies and claiming they have the competitive edge.   These activities are no longer enough to really gain the loyalty of our consumers.   If companies are to create a brand that customers love, are passionate about and would recommended, an understanding of the psychological drive that creates those emotions in humans is required and then it should be applied to brands.

 

In the 1990’s markets started to become saturated, the launch of premium products and products with added value were methods to differentiate one’s brand against a competitors.  Marketing was focused on ‘push’ tactics, where additional product features were heavily promoted.  This phase also contributed to the point that most markets are now overcrowded and however companies design, advertise and promote their products, it is becoming increasingly difficult to demonstrate that ‘point of difference’.  This in turn makes it harder for consumers to decide which brand they will regularly purchase, as they may often feel no particular brand stands out any longer.

 

‘Push’ marketing can no longer create the effect it once could as basic consumer needs have been met; the continuation of added values to products has resulted in a large amount of ‘me to’ promotions.   This leaves consumers desiring a brand that is refreshing and new.  As with the 1980’s consumers can now be swayed towards products that offer to fulfill a fundamental need; their needs have changed and companies need to recognise that and develop and promote brands that offer something profound instead of just something better.

 

 

 

 

 

Our economic environment has also changed, in a way that the consumers lead the way in the types of products and services they demand.  Producers should now be listening to consumers needs more than ever before as we face a world of demand instead of supply.   Products now have to be designed and promoted so that they will trigger the consumers desire to purchase which lies within their subconscious.   Companies should recognise that to create brand loyalty, consumers need to feel they are not just buying something but buying into all the brand qualities that will enhance their lifestyle.

 

In light of these developments, industry professionals are swapping the term ‘premium’ and replacing it with ‘precious’.  In order to create a brand that consumers become loyal to it needs to have someone unique about it and not just offer a premium.

 

 

To create a ‘precious’ brand companies should be recognising how and why consumers define themselves by the brands that they purchase and use.  Brands that have successfully done this have tapped into the subconscious of their target audience and created values that they feel match their desires and ambitions as people.  They then transfer these values onto the brand via marketing, design and through every communication point with the consumer.  For example; brands such as Heinz and Kellogg’s reflect their consumers motivation to belong, fit in and be part of popular culture.  Whereas, the Apple brand appeals to those that want to be independent, creative and often outsiders.

 

It is not unusual for consumers to assign a brand as having an extremely high status, so much so that the products ‘own’ the consumer.  For example, a collection of fine wines can be kept until the content and the status of the wines become good enough to drink.  Or an expensive sports car can be stored and used on those special occasions only.  This type of relationship with a product is more likely to occur with luxury brands, such as a Tiffany necklace may only be worn when attending an event that has enough status and class to reflect the values of the brand. 

 

 

To create a precious brand that consumers will become loyal too, companies should thus consider if their consumers would place a certain status on their brands; would the product be something they purchase to use for special occasions, if so it can be marketed as holding the values of class, status and eminence.

 

Each consumer carries a set of rituals, which encompass a host of actions, and routines that surround the use of a product and can reflect the value they place upon that brand.   For example, a consumer owning a Rolex watch may put it on and take it off and store it in a box or drawer every night.  Rituals such as these enhance and pay tribute to the values associated with the brand.  When developing a brand that consumers will become loyal to, it is worth considering how they will use the product, and where and why; this helps informs the types of values that they would attach to it.  In turn. This can reveal how the brand can be presented in a way that it appeals to that audience and taps into their subconscious. 

 

By companies adopting these insights and consumer developments, combined with working with a marketing agency that understands these brand approaches, they will be able to create, position and develop brands that will stand out in our saturated market place and lead to brand loyalty in their consumers. 

 

Skala are an International team of marketing consultants that provide practical solutions to grow your business through consultancy, outsourcing and a full range of marketing services.  For more information about how Skala can become your ladder to success, please visit: www.skalamarketing.com

 

 


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Brand Marketing Can Put You on Top of the Competition

17 April 2012 by

Brand marketing is the process of ascertaining, developing, and finally bringing a company’s image to the marketplace. It is important to know who will represent your target market. You want to know their age, gender, and location. You also want to know the potential consumer’s spending habits, and if your target market shows brand loyalty or if they can be swayed to another brand by a promotion or special offer.


How to Develop a Unique Brand


Always ask yourself what your brand can provide that no other brand can. Concentrate on your strengths. Remember to ask yourself what a potential consumer wants. Making a consumer believe that your brand is special or unique is an important part of brand marketing.


Why do Businesses Need Brand Marketing?


Businesses need brand marketing because it can increase sales. If a consumer knows your brand and says, “Hey, your company has a reputation for really getting things done,” then your chances of increasing sales are pretty good. You don’t want your brand to ever be forgettable because people will not spend money for “forgettable”.


Businesses also need brand marketing because successful brands will help generate business prospects. It’s just like in high school, the popular people always get their phone calls returned and are asked to go to all the social events. The same is true for recognizable brands. If you’re in the popular crowd, you get business lunch meetings and your phone calls stay at the top of the pile.


Brand Marketing Benefits Your Bottom Line


Brand marketing that is successful will help your business fetch premium fees and pricing for your product or service. If a consumer expects top quality from your brand, he is more willing to pay more for your product or service. This will also give you a leg up over the competition.


Implementing Brand Marketing


* Businesses can implement brand marketing by investing in its’ product, employees, and advertising. All of these factors are important in marketing your brand and serve to increase your brand value.


* Hire a professional graphic designer to design a unique look and feel for your logo, print, and online media. The result should reflect your market and current trends in brand design.


* You always want to be seen as unique in the eyes of potential consumers. They should only want to buy the product or service you offer, from you instead of your competition.


* Advertising should focus on your distinctiveness and consistency of service. This will affect consumer mind set.


* Remember to keep your brand up with the times. Use online advertising with an interactive feature. You want your brand to be seen by as many people as possible.


* Have your employees wear clothing with your brand logo on it. This gets people talking and asking questions about your product.


Brand marketing can prove to be another way for your business to increase revenues.

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Brand Films?then and Now

1 April 2012 by


Part of what continues to fascinate me about advertising is the rare opportunity to define a brand—to make tangible the intangible—using mere words and images in a “strategic” or “brand essence” film. It’s a slight honor to own the task. Typically, you get all the trappings of a TV shoot, but with less money, less time, more attention from the client and no category in which to enter the finished piece in an awards show. But it pays the bills, and really, the value’s in the learning and doing the thing itself; in other words, in the writing.
 
Before anything is filmed, before anything is edited, before the celebrity VO steps up to the microphone, before the audience of skeptical regional sales managers settles in to watch what you’ve created—there is nothing. There is the blank screen.
 
Lucky you. There’s a story about Hollywood that says the reason everyone hates the writer is because the writer gets to see the film before anyone else; same goes for defining brands. If you’re writing (doesn’t matter if you’re a copywriter, art director or a designer), you’re privy to the idea way ahead of everyone else.
 
My memory is foggy. I think the first strategic film script I wrote was at Heater|Easdon, back in 1995 or 1996. We did a lot of new product development for Anheuser-Busch. They’d send us a case of unlabeled bottles filled with…something. We’d get a briefing from a brewmaster over the phone, then come up with a name, logo, label, tap handle, neon sign and some kind of script for a video about the new beer.
 
We were creating brands from almost nothing. Oftentimes, our success seemed to have more to do with luck or synchronicity or personality. And maybe skill had something to do with it. Reminds me of the brand-making process seen in Mad Men. There’s a heroic appeal to being The One Who Figures It Out. But the truth is, you probably owe a thousand people equal credit for helping get your head, your heart and your hands in the right place at the right time.
 
The strategic films we created for Volkswagen during the “Drivers wanted” era were rarely made from nothing. More often than not, we had too much information. Skill had as much to do with reading, researching and editing as the writing. For example, you might sense a connection between Juliet Schor’s The Overspent American and interviews the planners made while researching Jetta rejecters. You’d sense there’s a headline or a sequence in there, somewhere. Then you just kept writing until they appeared.
 
The other distinction about any strategic film I made back then and those I do now is the Internet. Well, not really the Internet per se, but the significant changes in media, business models, measurement, access to data, consumer empowerment and all those other factors that have come to define the business and advertising worlds post-Internet.
 
In my experience, strategic or brand essence films made to define a brand pre-Internet were done so with a very important, but tacit understanding: The brand is in charge, the brand is primarily communicated via words and images, and the brand has something very important to tell its customers. This understanding very much affected how you put down the words.
 
As plenty of other pundits and authors (including myself) have pointed out, we’re not in Kansas anymore. That old point of view is probably one you want to avoid. Today the brand likely isn’t in charge, there’s a lot more to the story than mere words and images can tell, and the brand’s customers might actually have something more important to say about the state of affairs than the brand itself.
 
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write the script. Defining brands is still incredibly important and film is still a wonderful and very effective device for communicating what a brand is all about. You might not end up creating just a film, however.
 
What’s changed now is the scope of the writer’s assignment. It’s not strictly about communicating what the brand means metaphorically anymore. Creating a brand film can be an opportunity to affect how the brand operates in the real world. In many ways, the writer’s task when defining a brand now is in setting down principles for manufacturing, customer service, distribution policy, pricing as well as communications. It can be a conduit for improving relationships between a brand and its customers.
 
We live in an age of such transparency that to create a brand’s strategic film that glosses over how products are made and transported, or how service is delivered is to invite investigation and potential ridicule. To try and define a brand without involving its evangelists in the process is risky. To ignore the opportunity to try and define, fix, alter or improve the company itself in the process of creating its brand is to abdicate responsibility for that brand.
 
In many ways, the process of writing brand films today can and should be a broader act.


As a writer, creative director and drummer, Tim started in advertising in 1993 after receiving a B.A. in Jazz from the University of Cincinnati. Since then, he?s worked with TBWA/Chiat Day, Heater/Easdon, McKinney & Silver, Arnold Worldwide, OgilvyOne, Mullen and Carmichael Lynch. Tim now works for his own entity, Hello Viking.


Tim has provided strategic and creative leadership to A.G. Edwards, Anheuser-Busch, Brown Forman, Goodyear, Harley-Davidson, Porsche, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Volkswagen.

You may also find articles by Tim at the TalentZoo.com website under Marketing Moxie.

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