Know, do, and be the environment of your brand!
You cannot separate a brand from where your "product" is used, created, or distributed.
It's also not very distinct from its users or representatives.
So... if you want to have a flowery smelling grease and grime remover, specifically made for bikers to use in a "chop shop," you're probably in for a big disappointment.
How then, do you figure it out? Well some things are just obvious...but other things may not be. Following are some ideas to help you start figuring it out.
Ask yourself:
Is your product local or global?
In other words, is what you do or sell taking place here are someplace else? Wherever it’s taking place, that place is important. What or where is that place? Is it consistent with the audiences expectations?
As an example, in a mission organization, can you balance the idea that your work may take place in villages in Central Africa while maintaining a corporate or business like appearance here in the U.S.? Does that make sense to your audience?
Is it obvious to local audiences that what you do or sell is done someplace else?
Does your audience care about that “other place”?
Does the audience have a preconceived notion about what that other place is like?
What are some examples of the environment your product works in? The mail? The Mall? A farm? A house?
Whatever you decide, your brand must reflect honestly, where your product works, as well as the expectations your audience has on where that product works. If you can align them, your brand environment will make sense.
Any questions?
One Step Closer,
Sean
Brand Manager
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Defining The Value of a Brand
A GOOD brand does not stand on it's own.
It absolutely requires the acceptance or ownership of the audience it is trying to engage—or it won't be successful. It has to have some sort of value.
Technically, you can't even use the term "brand" without an audience of some sort... I mean the idea that it is a brand intrinsically suggests that someone notices it. In order for that to happen, there must be a value. You could create a brand full of wonders but if it's not valued, even if everything else about it is "right"—it simply won't matter.
So ask yourself this:
Is acceptance of your brand going to add Functional Benefit to someone's life?
Or Emotional Benefit?
Or Self-expressive/Tribal benefits?
What is meant by Functional Benefit?
What is meant by Emotional Benefit?
And finally, the Self-expressive/"Tribal Benefits that a brand could address:
Generally speaking though, you can find automobile ads and manufacturers that fit into all of these categories, and honestly just about everything else out there. It's really just a matter of knowing what you're looking for.
So think about it. Where does your product / message / organization / idea fit? Wherever you decide the value is, it should lead you to the next step of figuring out via market research what your audience will accept as a brand.
One Step Closer,
Sean Stark
Brand Developer
It absolutely requires the acceptance or ownership of the audience it is trying to engage—or it won't be successful. It has to have some sort of value.
Technically, you can't even use the term "brand" without an audience of some sort... I mean the idea that it is a brand intrinsically suggests that someone notices it. In order for that to happen, there must be a value. You could create a brand full of wonders but if it's not valued, even if everything else about it is "right"—it simply won't matter.
So ask yourself this:
Is acceptance of your brand going to add Functional Benefit to someone's life?
Or Emotional Benefit?
Or Self-expressive/Tribal benefits?
What is meant by Functional Benefit?
- Is our brand/product/message/idea adding practical value in the marketplace?
- As a mission or non-profit does your brand bring practical benefit to someone?
- Do you do something that cannot be accomplished by someone else?
- Do you do what you do better than anyone else?
What is meant by Emotional Benefit?
- Is your product going make the audience feel better about themselves?
- Safer?
- Happier?
- More valued?
And finally, the Self-expressive/"Tribal Benefits that a brand could address:
- Is your brand unique enough and identifiable enough to have value as being elite or distinct?
- Can involvement connect with the need for self-expression?
- Will brand acceptance differentiate you?
Generally speaking though, you can find automobile ads and manufacturers that fit into all of these categories, and honestly just about everything else out there. It's really just a matter of knowing what you're looking for.
So think about it. Where does your product / message / organization / idea fit? Wherever you decide the value is, it should lead you to the next step of figuring out via market research what your audience will accept as a brand.
One Step Closer,
Sean Stark
Brand Developer
Monday, August 9, 2010
Effective Brand Considerations
In my first post I laid out the basics of what a good brand does but if you missed that, here is the summary. A good brand develops trust.
In my last post I laid out the idea of communicating your brands value effectively to your audience through Marketing.
Today, I thought we could get into those avenues or considerations that we can communicate to our audience with by using good marketing strategy.
Consider each of these areas a potential category of opportunity to communicate your brand and depending on the brand itself, some may be more or less engaging to your audience, as determined by your marketing research.
All will probably have at least some impact.
The main considerations of an effective brand are:
Have you ever picked up fast-food at your local drive-thru window?
Here is a breakdown of how this could work for a fast-food restaurant.
When you get your food do you expect it warm or hot or cold? If so, was it actually what you expected? Why did you think it should be warm or hot or cold?
Should your food taste good? Or average? Or do you expect it to just be filler? Why do you think that way?
Is the price high or low or mid-range and how does that compare with the food you actually received or expected to receive? Why?
Do your kids choke on the fun meal toys making you pull over to resuscitate them? Does the lead-based paint come off in their mouth? Does it break immediately? Is it even fun? What does that matter?
Is the soda flat? Why do you expect it to be right?
Environment
When you get your food, is the place clean enough to eat at? Are there straws in the dispenser? Are the napkins strewn all over the place?
Is the food something that you can even eat in a car? Is it too messy? Does it require a change in driving habits to effectively eat?
Are the restrooms disgusting? Would you feel confident that everyone who works there has washed their hands?
Do your feet stick to the floor, peeling the actual rubber from your shoes when you try to move?
Why do you have these expectations?
Behavior
Are the people who are taking your order courteous?
Do they get your order correct? Do they listen well enough that you feel confident your order is going to be correct? Why do you think your order should be correct?
When working with them face to face, are they talking on a cell-phone or otherwise distracted? Does that bother you?
If you interact with anyone at the restaurant—even customers—are they polite?
Communication
Is what's expected of you clear? Are the menus easy to read and find what you want?
Do the restaurant staff mumble or speak clearly?
Do the restaurant staff make you wonder if secretly they hate you and would rather drag you behind a car rather than give you a burger?
Is it clear where to stand and what to do next?
Do they respond in a language you understand and can they understand you?
From this list, we can see a pretty good range of how this works. Maybe the next time you go through a drive-thru at some unnamed restaurant you can evaluate their brand.
Your product may not be fast-food but these principles of evaluation can still be used. Perhaps, in the long-term you can evaluate your own brand? Most people have never been taught to think about it but all people respond to it—positively, negatively or with indifference.
If you want to make your brand an Effective Brand begin to consider how it fits these ideas and be honest in your evaluation. You can't say "Have it your way." and give me something I didn't order, expecting me to be satisfied. Or "Hot, Fresh, and Fast" and it's cold, old, and slow.
One Step Closer,
Sean Stark
Brand Developer
In my last post I laid out the idea of communicating your brands value effectively to your audience through Marketing.
Today, I thought we could get into those avenues or considerations that we can communicate to our audience with by using good marketing strategy.
Consider each of these areas a potential category of opportunity to communicate your brand and depending on the brand itself, some may be more or less engaging to your audience, as determined by your marketing research.
All will probably have at least some impact.
The main considerations of an effective brand are:
- Product
- Environment
- Behavior
- Communication
Have you ever picked up fast-food at your local drive-thru window?
Here is a breakdown of how this could work for a fast-food restaurant.
- Product - The food, drinks, childrens toys, price, etc.
- Environment - The restaurant or even your car
- Behavior - The service at the restaurant
- Communication - Everything that was used to communicate
When you get your food do you expect it warm or hot or cold? If so, was it actually what you expected? Why did you think it should be warm or hot or cold?
Should your food taste good? Or average? Or do you expect it to just be filler? Why do you think that way?
Is the price high or low or mid-range and how does that compare with the food you actually received or expected to receive? Why?
Do your kids choke on the fun meal toys making you pull over to resuscitate them? Does the lead-based paint come off in their mouth? Does it break immediately? Is it even fun? What does that matter?
Is the soda flat? Why do you expect it to be right?
Environment
When you get your food, is the place clean enough to eat at? Are there straws in the dispenser? Are the napkins strewn all over the place?
Is the food something that you can even eat in a car? Is it too messy? Does it require a change in driving habits to effectively eat?
Are the restrooms disgusting? Would you feel confident that everyone who works there has washed their hands?
Do your feet stick to the floor, peeling the actual rubber from your shoes when you try to move?
Why do you have these expectations?
Behavior
Are the people who are taking your order courteous?
Do they get your order correct? Do they listen well enough that you feel confident your order is going to be correct? Why do you think your order should be correct?
When working with them face to face, are they talking on a cell-phone or otherwise distracted? Does that bother you?
If you interact with anyone at the restaurant—even customers—are they polite?
Communication
Is what's expected of you clear? Are the menus easy to read and find what you want?
Do the restaurant staff mumble or speak clearly?
Do the restaurant staff make you wonder if secretly they hate you and would rather drag you behind a car rather than give you a burger?
Is it clear where to stand and what to do next?
Do they respond in a language you understand and can they understand you?
From this list, we can see a pretty good range of how this works. Maybe the next time you go through a drive-thru at some unnamed restaurant you can evaluate their brand.
Your product may not be fast-food but these principles of evaluation can still be used. Perhaps, in the long-term you can evaluate your own brand? Most people have never been taught to think about it but all people respond to it—positively, negatively or with indifference.
If you want to make your brand an Effective Brand begin to consider how it fits these ideas and be honest in your evaluation. You can't say "Have it your way." and give me something I didn't order, expecting me to be satisfied. Or "Hot, Fresh, and Fast" and it's cold, old, and slow.
One Step Closer,
Sean Stark
Brand Developer
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Brands and Marketing
Previously I posted what I believe is the main point of branding. The big idea. The whole enchilada encapsulated in a single thing. Building trust.
The idea of trust being one of honesty and consistency between what you say your product is, does or will do and what it actually is, does or will do. Easy enough right?
So let's carry that through a bit. Let's say you are a non-profit organization. One that purports to do something good around the world. On some level it doesn't really matter what that is at this point. The assumption is that it could be clean drinking water, or cultural preservation or whatever. Or, let's assume that you own a somewhat successful retail electronics store chain. It doesn't matter. The idea is, you can't tell me you have great products, if they are ultimately not so good.
Even if they don't suck, if you tell me they are great products I will expect great products. If you tell me they are good prices I will expect the prices to be good—I may not worry so much or expect the quality to be good. Figure out what your brand is about then build it.
As you can see, the best brands will consider marketing. Being a brand developer I think the world revolves around branding. Unfortunately, if you develop a good brand, one that is honest and could build trust, it may not ever matter if you don't understand what your audience wants.
Marketing is that piece. Marketing is understanding what your audience wants and delivering it to them in that way. Brand, especially a brand that is conceived in completeness, is a significant element of that.
What does that mean? Well, if you're a good brand developer you'll understand and desire that you have good marketing, specifically good marketing research to know what matters to your audience. With that, your brand can become even more focused and more signfiicant to those who would use or support your product or services.
The idea of trust being one of honesty and consistency between what you say your product is, does or will do and what it actually is, does or will do. Easy enough right?
So let's carry that through a bit. Let's say you are a non-profit organization. One that purports to do something good around the world. On some level it doesn't really matter what that is at this point. The assumption is that it could be clean drinking water, or cultural preservation or whatever. Or, let's assume that you own a somewhat successful retail electronics store chain. It doesn't matter. The idea is, you can't tell me you have great products, if they are ultimately not so good.
Even if they don't suck, if you tell me they are great products I will expect great products. If you tell me they are good prices I will expect the prices to be good—I may not worry so much or expect the quality to be good. Figure out what your brand is about then build it.
As you can see, the best brands will consider marketing. Being a brand developer I think the world revolves around branding. Unfortunately, if you develop a good brand, one that is honest and could build trust, it may not ever matter if you don't understand what your audience wants.
Marketing is that piece. Marketing is understanding what your audience wants and delivering it to them in that way. Brand, especially a brand that is conceived in completeness, is a significant element of that.
What does that mean? Well, if you're a good brand developer you'll understand and desire that you have good marketing, specifically good marketing research to know what matters to your audience. With that, your brand can become even more focused and more signfiicant to those who would use or support your product or services.
One Step Closer,
Sean Stark
Brand Developer
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