Branding

There's a problem with a lot of marketing. It's anchored in the core concept of a brand, and it ripples out through most communication - internal and external - to lap at the sides of the consumer consciousness. Many [brands] don't know who they really are, and what their true value proposition is Many [brands] want everyone to like them, as the de facto measure of success Okay, so that's actually two problems.  My argument stands. The problems, as I see them, are inherent to us humans....

Great at what you do? Does word of your fantastic service, speed, or skill spread organically like wildfire?  Having a reputation that sells itself is a word-of-mouth objective most business owners dream of. It's the stuff integrated marketing communications and operationalized branding (along with a lot of hard work, engagement, and ingenuity) is born from. But that buzz and interest doesn't amount to a bushel of beans if the brand itself isn't memorable (a tagline can help).  If  people in need...

Brand personality is individual character expanded to an enterprise-level frame. Sometimes when the skin is stretched over that frame, things get out of whack. We think about the framework in abstract, but not about (or less than we should) how human customers intersect with theory. Our favorite people are close to our hearts because of their blend of humor, perspective, intellect, carriage, grace, style, values, and energy. Their wit, intuition, drive, selflessness, curiosity, honesty, and dependability...

I'm attracted to pithy, so-right-it-sings taglines. The kind that sum up the brand position in a way that makes me, the consumer, feel understood. The brand gets why I buy; the product was made for me. Take this tagline from Pepperidge Farm ( I was parked. I swear). It says "Good is in the details." While some of you may think there's nothing original about this particular phrasing, I think it's quite remarkable in its simplicity. It harkens back to hand-crafted foods lovingly prepared with attention...

This is a guest post contributed by Princess Jones, owner of P.S. Jones Communications. The story of your brand is a love story. It starts with a spark and you flirt with the idea of making into something more permanent. As the  relationship develops, you learn more about what works for your brand and what doesn’t. In the end, you and your brand become tied together in something that resembles a flourishing marriage. But as with every marriage, it takes continuous work to build and maintain...

Trust. Now there's a word we marketers drop like bright shiny pennies from a well-worn coin purse with a faulty closure. We say it's important, a vital part of our sales and marketing strategies. Builds a strong brand. Gain the customer's trust and we'll hold onto them with a ferocity that makes Velcro look like your weak-armed, pasty-faced cousin from Omaha. When customer trust is violated, when it's threatened or compromised through purposeful intent or inadvertent oversight, the damage to the brand...

When you’re trying to build your company’s brand, one clear focal point is the marketplace and another is the target consumer.  An often overlooked (or under considered) leg of the stool is your work force, and subsequently, everyone those people know. Internal branding. Do your plans for steadily building a sustainable brand place enough weight on those internal audiences so crucial to your success? One of my favorite quotes related to branding is from Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com. ...

Co-branding is a partnership formed between two brands which have complementary audiences and profiles (or that's the idea).  The jist is that each brand will reinforce the other's favorable attributes and bolster their respective weaknesses.  The two superpowers will collide and rise to the top of the consideration set, acting in cooperation for the sake of differentiation. There are many cases in favor of joint venture co-branding; it can introduce a mature brand to new markets, help brands...

The people that buy your product in a downturn?  Those are your fans. The pennies saved by choosing a less expensive option  just aren't attractive to those guys.  It's a non-option.  In the scheme of things, the money isn't important.  In fact, your product may seem like a safety net of normalcy when all else is going haywire.  A trusted beacon when one's 401(k) statement looks like 3rd grade math homework.  They're sticking with what they know, thanks. The people that remain customers...

Brand development is an important part of building a business, and often relegated to a few perfunctory tactics.  Have you stopped to consider the overall image your brand projects, and effect that image has on the aggregate long term? If you're with a start-up, chances are you've had your head down in financial projections and your back end seated in chairs at the bank and the accountant's.  Your ideas are gelling and long-laid plans are emerging into a reality.  Along the way, you may have...