Building brands a hundred years ago was hard work. Back then, consumers were uncomfortable with the idea of identifying with products and companies.
As a result, early pioneers of consumer branding often created a fictional identity to personify the brand to make it easier for consumers to relate to them.
In 1921, for example, US food giant General Mills invented Betty Crocker as the personification of many of its brands. It created a kitchen, a portrait, even a signature for its all-American homemaker. It was a strategy many brands adopted. Consumers were encouraged to form relationships with fictional characters from Aunt Gemima, the African-American face of pancake mix, to the Marlboro Man. In so doing, they also formed relationships with the brands that sponsored them.
As consumer culture evolved, the vocabulary of branding became increasingly anthropomorphic. Consumers 'adopted' brands, built brand 'relationships' and eventually became brand 'loyal'. Words once reserved for personal relationships were increasingly applied to material goods. Consumers grew adept at identifying directly with brands.
Recently, we have entered a third stage in this process. Not only are consumers comfortable relating to brands, they have now begun to use the language of branding to help them relate to themselves and to others.
Where once consumers needed fictional people to help them form relationships with a brand, now brands help us define how we relate to ourselves and others.
A sociologist published the results of a study analysing Australian birth registries. In the past decade there has been a big increase in newborns christened with brand names. We can expect a generation named Chanel, Lexus, Bentley and Armani.
In America a whole industry has sprung up around 'personal branding', in which consultants apply the theories of brand management to career planning and life goals. In Managing Brand Me: How to Build Your Personal Brand, authors Thomas Gad and Anette Rosencreutz observe that in this 'increasingly transparent world it is becoming harder to grasp who you really are. Time to brand yourself as you would an exciting new product'.
In London, snooker player Jimmy White announced he was changing his name to Jimmy Brown as part of a sponsorship agreement with HP Sauce. And while Kerry McFadden was announcing to the press that she had received laser surgery to remove the tattoo of her former husband's name from her derriere, the ex-husband in question was announcing to the press that he was rebranding himself from Bryan to Brian to reflect his new outlook on life.
In Hollywood, the decision to scrap the production of Nicole Kidman's movie Eucalyptus was blamed on co-star Russell Crowe and his row with the film's director. In a furious email exchange between the two, Crowe attempted to assert his superiority with the words: 'I am a Ferrari, you're just a VW'.
It is what sociologists call the 'postmodern turn' in society and what Marx predicted as the 'commodification of self'. People have become so absorbed into consumer culture it now obscures all other aspects of their lives. They see themselves as brands, and see others in the same way.
Yet people are not brands. Brands are things we buy and use and discard.
When we apply the concepts of branding to individuals or to ourselves we lose something very important. We are supposed to love our families, not our cars; be loyal to our partners, not a supermarket. The sad lost souls that are today's celebrities are an important illustration of what happens to people who completely forget that they are different from the products they consume.
30 SECONDS ON... JIMMY WHITE'S HP SAUCE DEAL
- Jimmy White reportedly received £100,000 from HP Sauce for changing his name by deed poll to Jimmy Brown. HP also sponsored the brown ball in the recent Masters snooker tournament at Wembley.
- White said he wanted to attract new sponsors to the sport following restrictions on tobacco deals.
- During the tournament, White ditched the customary black tuxedo for an all-brown outfit.
- He began his Masters challenge confidently, stating: 'I am definitely having James Brown on the Masters trophy. I'll be the "godfather of snooker".' Such dreams were ended when he lost 6-1 in the semi-final to eventual winner Ronnie O'Sullivan.
- The change of name has confused broadcasters. The BBC referred to him by his name of birth, while Sky has opted for Jimmy 'White' Brown in coverage of the Premier League of Snooker.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Benefits of Building Strong Brands
- Increased revenues and market share
- Decreased price sensitivity
- Increased customer loyalty
- Additional leverage with vendors and retailers (for manufacturers)
- Increased profitability
- Increased stock price, shareholder value and sale value
- Increased clarity of vision
- Increased ability to mobilize an organization's people and focus its activities
- Increased ability to expand into new product and service categories
- Increased ability to attract and retain high quality employees
The Brand Differentiation Mandate
In 1960, an advertising agency chairman named Rosser Reeves was known as the high priest of hard sell. He wrote a very popular book titled "Reality in Advertising." His book was translated into twenty-eight languages and was widely used as a college textbook. In many ways it was the beginning of modern-day marketing.
In his book he introduced and defined a concept called the unique selling proposition, or U.S.P. for short.
The Definition
To Rosser, the U.S.P. was a precise term so he gave it a three-part definition:
1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Not just words, not just product puffery, not just show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: "Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit."
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique -- either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising.
3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions (i.e., to pull over new customers to your product).
He went on to say that most advertising in that day was "the tired art of puffery." There was no real message. Copywriters who did not understand reality wrote these advertisements.
Well, you might think that this was an argument of the past and that Mr. Reeves's ideas have long been accepted by today's advertising practitioner.
Wrong.
The Argument Still Rages
What's stunning is that the argument still rages on Madison Avenue. A front-page article in "Advertising Age" that was published thirty-seven years after Mr. Reeves's book proclaimed:
"Poets vs. killers": Perpetual ad debate -- stress art or stick to hard sell? -- is reaching fever pitch with fortunes hanging in the balance.
This article, that went on for pages, laid out the battle of the creatives that see their work as artful and emotional and the marketers who want advertising that is factual and rational.
One group wants to bond with the customer. The other group wants to sell the customer.
It's time we stopped arguing and faced not reality in advertising, but reality in the marketplace.
Where's Rosser Now That We Need Him?
When Mr. Reeves was talking about being different, the world was an easy place. Global competition didn't exist. In fact, by today's standards, real competition barely existed.
The concept of being unique or different is far more important in the year 2008 than it was in 1960.
While "to sell or not to sell" arguments have been raging, the New World Order has suddenly arrived. Today many companies have bigger sales than many countries have gross national products. The top 500 global companies now represent 70 percent of the world's trade.
Mergers and acquisitions are everywhere as the rich get richer and bigger. Not only is there more competition, there is tougher and smarter competition.
What this new competition is often able to exploit is the fact that buying behavior isn't just about people and income, it's also about how dissatisfied consumers are with present alternatives.
Step 1 in Building Brands
There are books and books on branding but very few books talk much about differentiation. And if it does get mentioned, rarely do authors go much beyond talking about the fact that branding is important to do.
Consider Young & Rubicam, a very large and talented global advertising agency that has developed a system they call "brand science." They say that "differentiation is first." It defines a brand and distinguishes it from all others. It is how brands are born and how they die as differentiation declines. (I do believe they've got it.)
But rather than really get into the subject, they quickly segue to things like relevance, esteem, knowledge, and brand power grids.
Well, good readers, I plan on going further. If differentiation is about the life and death of a brand, I feel it's worth your while to explore this subject in depth. (Good old Rosser would have wanted it that way.)
The Importance of Being Different
Choosing among multiple options is always based on differences, implicit or explicit. Psychologists point out that vividly differentiated differences that are anchored to a product can enhance memory because they can be appreciated intellectually. In other words, if you're advertising a product, you ought to give the consumer a reason to choose that product. If you can entertain at the same time, that's great.
Unfortunately, the fact is that many advertising people don't appreciate the need to offer the prospect a unique selling proposition.
Most of these people feel that selling isn't cool and that people only respond to companies that don't try to sell them. Besides, many will argue, there often isn't enough "difference" to talk about in the products. What they ignore is the fact that, whether or not people like to be sold, in a sea of choice a prospect still has the problem of figuring out what to buy or not to buy. In other words, alternatives are but the raw material of decision making.
And decisions must be made.
How People Figure Things Out
Psychologists think a lot about how people solve problems. They've come up with four functions that come into play: intuition, thinking, feeling, and sensing. People tend to lead their decision-making process with one of these functions. Let's look at these functions from a selling point of view.
Differentiating with "Intuitives"
People who use intuition concentrate on the possibilities. They avoid the details and tend to look at the big picture. This type of person would be very susceptible to a differentiating strategy based on your product being the next generation in its category. When the makers of Advil positioned their new ibuprofen as "advanced medicine for pain," they were differentiating themselves perfectly for the big-picture crowd.
Intuitives are very interested in the possibility of what's coming next. This is why selling to intuitives is often a very effective way to present a new type of product.
Differentiating with "Thinkers"
Thinkers are analytical, precise, and logical. They process a lot of information, often ignoring the emotional or feeling aspects of a situation. While they may appear to be ruthless or uncaring, that isn't really accurate. They are just thinking (Henry Kissenger types).
These people are susceptible to a logical argument of facts about a product. BMW's differentiating strategy of "the ultimate driving machine" probably works very well with this crowd, especially when they present facts like ergonomic design, maneuverability, non-overweight engine, and lots of expert reviews on how BMW's drive.
Differentiating with "Feelers"
Feelers are interested in the feelings of others. They dislike intellectual analysis and follow their own likes and dislikes. They enjoy working with people and are capable of great loyalty.
This type of person is ideal for third-party endorsements from experts who look and sound real. The Miracle-Gro campaign that differentiates itself as the choice of experts is perfect for feelers. Nice people surrounded by beautiful flowers and talking about the wonders of Miracle-Gro is a perfect strategy.
Differentiating with "Sensors"
Sensors see things as they are and have great respect for facts. They have an enormous capacity for detail and seldom make errors. They are good at putting things in context.
Hertz's differentiating strategy of leadership (there's Hertz and not exactly) is a great program for the sensors, who instinctively know that Hertz is indeed number one. (Twenty-five years of telling us they are number one doesn't hurt.) To them it's just common sense that Hertz is the best.
What should be noted is that people often are a mixture of these functions. "Intuitives" and "feelers" both tend to dislike too much detail. "Thinkers" and "sensors" work with more information. But they all are trying to make a decision on what to buy, one way or another.
You Can Differentiate Anything
Theodore Levitt, the Harvard marketing guru, wrote a book titled "The Marketing Imagination." He was definitely on Rosser Reeves's side when he stated in chapter 4 of his book that you can differentiate anything.
His point is that products must be augmented by offering customers more than they think they need or have come to expect. This could be with additional services or support.
General Electric does this by advising customers on the nuances of doing business around the globe. GE also added service capability so its customers didn't have to keep service people on staff.
Otis Elevator uses remote diagnostics as a way to differentiate itself. In high-traffic office buildings, where servicing elevators is a major inconvenience to occupants and visitors alike, Otis uses its remote diagnostics capabilities to predict possible service interruptions. It sends employees to carry out preventive maintenance in the evening, when traffic is light.
Oral-B created a powerful source of differentiation with a toothbrush that tells customers when they need a new one (a patented blue dye in the center bristles).
Differentiating Commodities
Even the world of meats and produce has found ways to differentiate itself and thus create that unique selling proposition. Their successful strategies can be summed up in five ways:
1. Identify -- Ordinary bananas became better bananas by adding a small Chiquita label to the fruit. Dole did the same for pineapple with the Dole label, as did the lettuce people by putting each head into a clear Foxy lettuce package. Of course, you then have to communicate why people should look at these labels.
2. Personify -- The Green Giant character became the difference in a family of vegetables in many forms. Frank Perdue became the tough man behind the tender chicken.
3. Create a new Generic -- The cantaloupe people wanted to differentiate a special, big cantaloupe. But rather than call them just plain "big," they introduced a new category called Crenshaw melons. Tyson wanted to sell miniature chickens, which doesn't sound very appetizing. So they introduced Cornish game hens.
4. Change the name -- Sometimes your original name doesn't sound like it would be something you would want to put in your mouth. Like a Chinese gooseberry. By changing it to kiwifruit, the world suddenly had a new favorite fruit it wanted to put in its mouth.
5. Reposition the category -- Pork was just pig for many years. All that did was conjure up mental pictures of little animals wallowing in the mud. Then they jumped on the chicken bandwagon and became, "the other white meat." A very good move when red meat became a perceptual problem.
Where there's a will, there's a way to differentiate.
In his book he introduced and defined a concept called the unique selling proposition, or U.S.P. for short.
The Definition
To Rosser, the U.S.P. was a precise term so he gave it a three-part definition:
1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Not just words, not just product puffery, not just show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: "Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit."
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique -- either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising.
3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions (i.e., to pull over new customers to your product).
He went on to say that most advertising in that day was "the tired art of puffery." There was no real message. Copywriters who did not understand reality wrote these advertisements.
Well, you might think that this was an argument of the past and that Mr. Reeves's ideas have long been accepted by today's advertising practitioner.
Wrong.
The Argument Still Rages
What's stunning is that the argument still rages on Madison Avenue. A front-page article in "Advertising Age" that was published thirty-seven years after Mr. Reeves's book proclaimed:
"Poets vs. killers": Perpetual ad debate -- stress art or stick to hard sell? -- is reaching fever pitch with fortunes hanging in the balance.
This article, that went on for pages, laid out the battle of the creatives that see their work as artful and emotional and the marketers who want advertising that is factual and rational.
One group wants to bond with the customer. The other group wants to sell the customer.
It's time we stopped arguing and faced not reality in advertising, but reality in the marketplace.
Where's Rosser Now That We Need Him?
When Mr. Reeves was talking about being different, the world was an easy place. Global competition didn't exist. In fact, by today's standards, real competition barely existed.
The concept of being unique or different is far more important in the year 2008 than it was in 1960.
While "to sell or not to sell" arguments have been raging, the New World Order has suddenly arrived. Today many companies have bigger sales than many countries have gross national products. The top 500 global companies now represent 70 percent of the world's trade.
Mergers and acquisitions are everywhere as the rich get richer and bigger. Not only is there more competition, there is tougher and smarter competition.
What this new competition is often able to exploit is the fact that buying behavior isn't just about people and income, it's also about how dissatisfied consumers are with present alternatives.
Step 1 in Building Brands
There are books and books on branding but very few books talk much about differentiation. And if it does get mentioned, rarely do authors go much beyond talking about the fact that branding is important to do.
Consider Young & Rubicam, a very large and talented global advertising agency that has developed a system they call "brand science." They say that "differentiation is first." It defines a brand and distinguishes it from all others. It is how brands are born and how they die as differentiation declines. (I do believe they've got it.)
But rather than really get into the subject, they quickly segue to things like relevance, esteem, knowledge, and brand power grids.
Well, good readers, I plan on going further. If differentiation is about the life and death of a brand, I feel it's worth your while to explore this subject in depth. (Good old Rosser would have wanted it that way.)
The Importance of Being Different
Choosing among multiple options is always based on differences, implicit or explicit. Psychologists point out that vividly differentiated differences that are anchored to a product can enhance memory because they can be appreciated intellectually. In other words, if you're advertising a product, you ought to give the consumer a reason to choose that product. If you can entertain at the same time, that's great.
Unfortunately, the fact is that many advertising people don't appreciate the need to offer the prospect a unique selling proposition.
Most of these people feel that selling isn't cool and that people only respond to companies that don't try to sell them. Besides, many will argue, there often isn't enough "difference" to talk about in the products. What they ignore is the fact that, whether or not people like to be sold, in a sea of choice a prospect still has the problem of figuring out what to buy or not to buy. In other words, alternatives are but the raw material of decision making.
And decisions must be made.
How People Figure Things Out
Psychologists think a lot about how people solve problems. They've come up with four functions that come into play: intuition, thinking, feeling, and sensing. People tend to lead their decision-making process with one of these functions. Let's look at these functions from a selling point of view.
Differentiating with "Intuitives"
People who use intuition concentrate on the possibilities. They avoid the details and tend to look at the big picture. This type of person would be very susceptible to a differentiating strategy based on your product being the next generation in its category. When the makers of Advil positioned their new ibuprofen as "advanced medicine for pain," they were differentiating themselves perfectly for the big-picture crowd.
Intuitives are very interested in the possibility of what's coming next. This is why selling to intuitives is often a very effective way to present a new type of product.
Differentiating with "Thinkers"
Thinkers are analytical, precise, and logical. They process a lot of information, often ignoring the emotional or feeling aspects of a situation. While they may appear to be ruthless or uncaring, that isn't really accurate. They are just thinking (Henry Kissenger types).
These people are susceptible to a logical argument of facts about a product. BMW's differentiating strategy of "the ultimate driving machine" probably works very well with this crowd, especially when they present facts like ergonomic design, maneuverability, non-overweight engine, and lots of expert reviews on how BMW's drive.
Differentiating with "Feelers"
Feelers are interested in the feelings of others. They dislike intellectual analysis and follow their own likes and dislikes. They enjoy working with people and are capable of great loyalty.
This type of person is ideal for third-party endorsements from experts who look and sound real. The Miracle-Gro campaign that differentiates itself as the choice of experts is perfect for feelers. Nice people surrounded by beautiful flowers and talking about the wonders of Miracle-Gro is a perfect strategy.
Differentiating with "Sensors"
Sensors see things as they are and have great respect for facts. They have an enormous capacity for detail and seldom make errors. They are good at putting things in context.
Hertz's differentiating strategy of leadership (there's Hertz and not exactly) is a great program for the sensors, who instinctively know that Hertz is indeed number one. (Twenty-five years of telling us they are number one doesn't hurt.) To them it's just common sense that Hertz is the best.
What should be noted is that people often are a mixture of these functions. "Intuitives" and "feelers" both tend to dislike too much detail. "Thinkers" and "sensors" work with more information. But they all are trying to make a decision on what to buy, one way or another.
You Can Differentiate Anything
Theodore Levitt, the Harvard marketing guru, wrote a book titled "The Marketing Imagination." He was definitely on Rosser Reeves's side when he stated in chapter 4 of his book that you can differentiate anything.
His point is that products must be augmented by offering customers more than they think they need or have come to expect. This could be with additional services or support.
General Electric does this by advising customers on the nuances of doing business around the globe. GE also added service capability so its customers didn't have to keep service people on staff.
Otis Elevator uses remote diagnostics as a way to differentiate itself. In high-traffic office buildings, where servicing elevators is a major inconvenience to occupants and visitors alike, Otis uses its remote diagnostics capabilities to predict possible service interruptions. It sends employees to carry out preventive maintenance in the evening, when traffic is light.
Oral-B created a powerful source of differentiation with a toothbrush that tells customers when they need a new one (a patented blue dye in the center bristles).
Differentiating Commodities
Even the world of meats and produce has found ways to differentiate itself and thus create that unique selling proposition. Their successful strategies can be summed up in five ways:
1. Identify -- Ordinary bananas became better bananas by adding a small Chiquita label to the fruit. Dole did the same for pineapple with the Dole label, as did the lettuce people by putting each head into a clear Foxy lettuce package. Of course, you then have to communicate why people should look at these labels.
2. Personify -- The Green Giant character became the difference in a family of vegetables in many forms. Frank Perdue became the tough man behind the tender chicken.
3. Create a new Generic -- The cantaloupe people wanted to differentiate a special, big cantaloupe. But rather than call them just plain "big," they introduced a new category called Crenshaw melons. Tyson wanted to sell miniature chickens, which doesn't sound very appetizing. So they introduced Cornish game hens.
4. Change the name -- Sometimes your original name doesn't sound like it would be something you would want to put in your mouth. Like a Chinese gooseberry. By changing it to kiwifruit, the world suddenly had a new favorite fruit it wanted to put in its mouth.
5. Reposition the category -- Pork was just pig for many years. All that did was conjure up mental pictures of little animals wallowing in the mud. Then they jumped on the chicken bandwagon and became, "the other white meat." A very good move when red meat became a perceptual problem.
Where there's a will, there's a way to differentiate.
Brand Positioning: Remember This
What seven concepts are critical to positioning?
1. Perception (their’s, not your’s)
2. Differentiation
3. Competition
4. Specialization
5. Simplicity
6. Leadership
7. Reality
To sell concepts, products and services, you have to understand how the mind works:
1. The mind is a limited container.
2. The mind creates "product ladders" for each category (cars, toothpaste, accounting services, hamburgers, etc.) There is always a top rung and a bottom rung in each category.
3. The mind can only remember seven items in a high interest category. Most people remember only two or three items in a category.
4. On the product ladder, Positions One and Position Two typically account for more than 60 per cent of the sales in that category. In other words, Positions Three, Four and Subsequent are not profitable.
5. The mind hates complexity. To the mind, complexity equals confusion. People don’t have time to figure out confusion.
6. The best way to enter the mind is to OVER-SIMPLIFY the message.
7. The most powerful positioning is to reduce your message to one simple and easily understood word.
8. Minds are insecure. Most people buy what others buy: this is the "herd mentality." 9. Minds don’t change—easily.
Color Psychology in Marketing
What colors have you chosen for your marketing materials? What were your reasons for making that particular choice? Was it because you liked those particular colors, or did you have a particular marketing message in mind? While visual appeal is an important consideration, your color choices could be sending a specific message to the people who view them. Are you sure you know what that message is?
You'd be wise to consider the psychology of color when designing your marketing materials. Be it business card, brochure, web site, posters or other material, you'll be making color choices. Colors not only enhance the appearance of the item -- they also influence our behavior. You will do well to consider the impact that the colors you use will have on your target audience.
For instance, have you noticed that most fast food restaurants are decorated with vivid reds and oranges? It's no accident that these colors show up so frequently. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave -- and that's exactly what fast food outlets want you to do.
It's also no accident that you see a lot of reds and blacks on adult web sites. These colors are thought to have sexual connotations.
Ever notice that toys, books and children's web sites usually contain large blocks of bright, primary colors? Young children prefer these colors and respond more positively than they do to to pastels or muted blends.
Market researchers have had a field day identifying the colors and the likely effect they have upon us.
However, the effects of color differ among different cultures, so the attitudes and preferences of your target audience should be a consideration when you plan your design of any promotional materials.
For example, white is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors; people from northern climates prefer the cooler colors.
In North American mainstream culture, the following colors are associated with certain qualities or emotions:
Red --excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger.
Blue --(listed as the most popular color) trust, reliability, belonging, coolness.
Yellow --warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness
Orange -- playfulness, warmth, vibrant
Green -- nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
Purple --royal, spirituality, dignity
Pink -- soft, sweet, nurture, security
White --pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild.
Black --sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery
Gold -- prestige, expensiveSilver -- prestige, cold, scientific
Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue.
Want to test some of this out? Check out web sites belonging to companies with marketing budgets that allow for extensive research into what sells best.
Jaguar - A luxury car with a luxury web site. There's a predominance of black (sophistication) and silver (prestige). Jaguar markets to people with high incomes who view themselves as sophisticated and look for a prestigious vehicle.
So how can you put this information to use?
First, think about your target market. Let's say that you are selling books for young children, but you are marketing to grandparents. You'd probably design the books in bright, primary colors (reds, blues, yellows) to appeal to the children who will use them. However, the marketing materials (web site, brochures, etc.) would be designed with grandparents in mind. You might decide to go with blues (trust, reliability), pinks (nurture, sweet, security) and yellow (happy, playful).
Of course, you would test your ads and colors on a small market segment before rolling out a large scale campaign.
Give some thoughts to the message you want to send and to the psychology of the recipient. Then choose your colors accordingly.
You'd be wise to consider the psychology of color when designing your marketing materials. Be it business card, brochure, web site, posters or other material, you'll be making color choices. Colors not only enhance the appearance of the item -- they also influence our behavior. You will do well to consider the impact that the colors you use will have on your target audience.
For instance, have you noticed that most fast food restaurants are decorated with vivid reds and oranges? It's no accident that these colors show up so frequently. Studies have shown that reds and oranges encourage diners to eat quickly and leave -- and that's exactly what fast food outlets want you to do.
It's also no accident that you see a lot of reds and blacks on adult web sites. These colors are thought to have sexual connotations.
Ever notice that toys, books and children's web sites usually contain large blocks of bright, primary colors? Young children prefer these colors and respond more positively than they do to to pastels or muted blends.
Market researchers have had a field day identifying the colors and the likely effect they have upon us.
However, the effects of color differ among different cultures, so the attitudes and preferences of your target audience should be a consideration when you plan your design of any promotional materials.
For example, white is the color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors; people from northern climates prefer the cooler colors.
In North American mainstream culture, the following colors are associated with certain qualities or emotions:
Red --excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger.
Blue --(listed as the most popular color) trust, reliability, belonging, coolness.
Yellow --warmth, sunshine, cheer, happiness
Orange -- playfulness, warmth, vibrant
Green -- nature, fresh, cool, growth, abundance
Purple --royal, spirituality, dignity
Pink -- soft, sweet, nurture, security
White --pure, virginal, clean, youthful, mild.
Black --sophistication, elegant, seductive, mystery
Gold -- prestige, expensiveSilver -- prestige, cold, scientific
Market researchers have also determined that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue. Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue.
Want to test some of this out? Check out web sites belonging to companies with marketing budgets that allow for extensive research into what sells best.
Jaguar - A luxury car with a luxury web site. There's a predominance of black (sophistication) and silver (prestige). Jaguar markets to people with high incomes who view themselves as sophisticated and look for a prestigious vehicle.
So how can you put this information to use?
First, think about your target market. Let's say that you are selling books for young children, but you are marketing to grandparents. You'd probably design the books in bright, primary colors (reds, blues, yellows) to appeal to the children who will use them. However, the marketing materials (web site, brochures, etc.) would be designed with grandparents in mind. You might decide to go with blues (trust, reliability), pinks (nurture, sweet, security) and yellow (happy, playful).
Of course, you would test your ads and colors on a small market segment before rolling out a large scale campaign.
Give some thoughts to the message you want to send and to the psychology of the recipient. Then choose your colors accordingly.
What is Branding? A comprehensive look at the origin of "branding."
“Branding” has become the buzz word du jour. The term has been hijacked by business consultancies, marketing companies, advertising agencies, public relations firms and graphic/web design studios. The term has been adopted by every imaginable area of business. But, what does it really mean? To understand what branding is we must look to its origin and track its evolution. Let's begin with the etymology of the word “brand”. According to the Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins (Second Edition) (New York: Harper Collins, Publishers, Inc., 1988) 85-86:“brands/trademarks.
The practice of branding animals for the purpose of identification is so old that its exact origins are unknown. We do know, however, that brands were first used on humans—criminals and slaves. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the practice of branding animals to indicate ownership was well established in England before Shakespeare’s time and the term trademark for the word or symbol chosen by a manufacturer to identify and distinguish his product was in use before 1838. Official registration of trademarks by the U.S. Patent Office did not begin, however, until 1870.”
Academics and marketers unanimously agree that the origin and evolution of branding moved from a commodity driven model to a value driven model. Rice, sugar, cotton and steel were all strictly commodities at one point. Consumers used the identification system, designed to show ownership, as a tool to navigate their way through vast offerings of these common goods. This allowed them not only to identify the best products available in their market, but empowered them to repeat a favorable purchase.
Economists credit an English artisan by the name of Josiah Wedgwood [1730-1795] for creating the first modern brand. Born into a family of potters, Wedgwood was a pioneer in industrialization who greatly improved the quality of the crude common crockery of his day. Christened “Queen’s Ware” after Queen Charlotte, his goods were of such superior quality, they stimulated demand and commanded a premium price—“Wedgwood” was synonymous with quality.On May 13, 1931 the concept of branding was born. Neil McElroy wrote an internal memorandum at Procter & Gamble, proposing a new business strategy called “Brand Management,” and the age of differentiation was born. This concept focused attention on product specialization and differentiation instead of business function. By distinguishing the qualities of each brand from all other P&G brands, each would avoid competition with one another by targeting different consumer markets.
McElroy’s concept of Brand Management, product specialization and differentiation were championed by P&G president/CEO, Richard R. Deupree, and became the foundation of the company’s business strategy. P&G and the companies that copied their concept of brand management were extremely successful. In the early 1940s, Ted Bates & Company conducted an extensive research study on successful advertising campaigns. Their research identified a pattern. They found that the most successful campaigns, those that produced the highest ROI, used what they termed the Unique Selling Proposition, also known as the USP. In 1962 Ted Bates & Company’s Chairman, Rosser Reeves, wrote Reality in Advertising, where he shared the concept of the USP and outlined its three guiding principles:
The proposition must be clearly stated to the consumer:“Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.”
The proposition itself must be unique. It must express a specific benefit that competitors do not, will not, or cannot offer.
The proposition must be strong enough to pull new customers to the product.
In the late 60’s and early 70’s, the term “brand” began to take on new meaning, including the larger concept of image and values as interpreted by consumers. Al Ries and Jack Trout captured this evolution in a Harvard Business Review article and later authored a book by the same name: POSITIONING: The battle for your mind. Their concept stated that it was not product superiority that mattered, but rather consumer perception that drove a brand to dominance. This concept was dubbed “brand positioning” and is the foundation for most all brands today.
Brand drives consumer purchase decisions and affects nearly every functional area of a business. In the early 80’s “brand” started to appear on balance sheets and companies around the globe began searching for innovative ways to brand their products and services. Increasingly brand equity is eclipsing a company’s net worth.
This has placed branding in a prominent position when developing a business plan.In response to the prominent position that “brand” has taken, many marketers interchange the terms advertising, marketing, and branding. This has caused much confusion as to what branding is and how it works. To define “branding,” a common understanding of “brand” must first be established.Legally, a brand can be defined as a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers, and differentiate those goods and services from those of other sellers. However, today’s products and services, corporations and countries even politicians, and celebrities, can be considered brands. Simply put, the fancy names and labels don’t cut it anymore. In practice, a brand is a promise that manages consumers’ expectations.
This promise is expressed both tangibly and intangibly, through signals. These signals promise a clearly stated benefit that differentiates an offering from those of competitors.Branding preconditions consumers to consider and purchase a brand offering by managing the associations between that brand and its audience. This increases consumer confidence in the brand’s functional and emotional benefits. As brands reside within the hearts and minds of consumers, branding is not about getting your target market to choose your offering over the competition, it is about preconditioning consumers to see your offering as the only way to satisfy a specific need, want, or desire.
Branding allows an offering to take an obtainable, sustainable, and favorable market position. Brand strategy defines the brand’s promise and brand identity articulates that promise through a series of signals. These work to support the unique position that the brand has taken while managing consumer’s expectations of the brand. The role of branding has become an integral part of business strategy. It defines a realistic and manageable brand promise, detailing what the brand owner must deliver and consumers’ expectations of the brand.Brand moves consumers’ frame of mind from making product decisions to making brand decisions. Product decisions are rational and take place within a given category. They begin with thoughts such as: “I could really use a cup of coffee.” Brand decisions are absolute—“Starbucks?”
The key difference is that product decisions aren’t decisions at all. They are sensible, logical deductions. Consumers consider all their options and deduct the lesser offerings. Brand decisions transcend the constructs of category to occupy a specific position within consumers’ minds—an expectation. This makes a given brand the one and only choice! Brand decisions are both logical and emotional. Consumers believe that the brand is the only choice, and belief leads to action. As these brands successfully deliver on their respective promises, they earn consumers’ trust and preference.
Brands are business assets requiring metrics to determine whether the value gained outweighs the investment made. However, brand value can be measured in very different ways depending on the brand owner’s objectives. Before a plan can be constructed, goals and objectives must be set; where a politician may assess brand value as votes, a product offering may measure brand value as margin or market share.
Globalization has ushered in a new area of competition, making new technologies and cheap labor available to everyone. Increasingly, companies are turning to their brands as their only source for competitive advantage. The health and well-being of any organization are tied to its brand strategy and identity, as these provide the tools necessary to create preference and manage consumers’ expectations.
The practice of branding animals for the purpose of identification is so old that its exact origins are unknown. We do know, however, that brands were first used on humans—criminals and slaves. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the practice of branding animals to indicate ownership was well established in England before Shakespeare’s time and the term trademark for the word or symbol chosen by a manufacturer to identify and distinguish his product was in use before 1838. Official registration of trademarks by the U.S. Patent Office did not begin, however, until 1870.”
Academics and marketers unanimously agree that the origin and evolution of branding moved from a commodity driven model to a value driven model. Rice, sugar, cotton and steel were all strictly commodities at one point. Consumers used the identification system, designed to show ownership, as a tool to navigate their way through vast offerings of these common goods. This allowed them not only to identify the best products available in their market, but empowered them to repeat a favorable purchase.
Economists credit an English artisan by the name of Josiah Wedgwood [1730-1795] for creating the first modern brand. Born into a family of potters, Wedgwood was a pioneer in industrialization who greatly improved the quality of the crude common crockery of his day. Christened “Queen’s Ware” after Queen Charlotte, his goods were of such superior quality, they stimulated demand and commanded a premium price—“Wedgwood” was synonymous with quality.On May 13, 1931 the concept of branding was born. Neil McElroy wrote an internal memorandum at Procter & Gamble, proposing a new business strategy called “Brand Management,” and the age of differentiation was born. This concept focused attention on product specialization and differentiation instead of business function. By distinguishing the qualities of each brand from all other P&G brands, each would avoid competition with one another by targeting different consumer markets.
McElroy’s concept of Brand Management, product specialization and differentiation were championed by P&G president/CEO, Richard R. Deupree, and became the foundation of the company’s business strategy. P&G and the companies that copied their concept of brand management were extremely successful. In the early 1940s, Ted Bates & Company conducted an extensive research study on successful advertising campaigns. Their research identified a pattern. They found that the most successful campaigns, those that produced the highest ROI, used what they termed the Unique Selling Proposition, also known as the USP. In 1962 Ted Bates & Company’s Chairman, Rosser Reeves, wrote Reality in Advertising, where he shared the concept of the USP and outlined its three guiding principles:
The proposition must be clearly stated to the consumer:“Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.”
The proposition itself must be unique. It must express a specific benefit that competitors do not, will not, or cannot offer.
The proposition must be strong enough to pull new customers to the product.
In the late 60’s and early 70’s, the term “brand” began to take on new meaning, including the larger concept of image and values as interpreted by consumers. Al Ries and Jack Trout captured this evolution in a Harvard Business Review article and later authored a book by the same name: POSITIONING: The battle for your mind. Their concept stated that it was not product superiority that mattered, but rather consumer perception that drove a brand to dominance. This concept was dubbed “brand positioning” and is the foundation for most all brands today.
Brand drives consumer purchase decisions and affects nearly every functional area of a business. In the early 80’s “brand” started to appear on balance sheets and companies around the globe began searching for innovative ways to brand their products and services. Increasingly brand equity is eclipsing a company’s net worth.
This has placed branding in a prominent position when developing a business plan.In response to the prominent position that “brand” has taken, many marketers interchange the terms advertising, marketing, and branding. This has caused much confusion as to what branding is and how it works. To define “branding,” a common understanding of “brand” must first be established.Legally, a brand can be defined as a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers, and differentiate those goods and services from those of other sellers. However, today’s products and services, corporations and countries even politicians, and celebrities, can be considered brands. Simply put, the fancy names and labels don’t cut it anymore. In practice, a brand is a promise that manages consumers’ expectations.
This promise is expressed both tangibly and intangibly, through signals. These signals promise a clearly stated benefit that differentiates an offering from those of competitors.Branding preconditions consumers to consider and purchase a brand offering by managing the associations between that brand and its audience. This increases consumer confidence in the brand’s functional and emotional benefits. As brands reside within the hearts and minds of consumers, branding is not about getting your target market to choose your offering over the competition, it is about preconditioning consumers to see your offering as the only way to satisfy a specific need, want, or desire.
Branding allows an offering to take an obtainable, sustainable, and favorable market position. Brand strategy defines the brand’s promise and brand identity articulates that promise through a series of signals. These work to support the unique position that the brand has taken while managing consumer’s expectations of the brand. The role of branding has become an integral part of business strategy. It defines a realistic and manageable brand promise, detailing what the brand owner must deliver and consumers’ expectations of the brand.Brand moves consumers’ frame of mind from making product decisions to making brand decisions. Product decisions are rational and take place within a given category. They begin with thoughts such as: “I could really use a cup of coffee.” Brand decisions are absolute—“Starbucks?”
The key difference is that product decisions aren’t decisions at all. They are sensible, logical deductions. Consumers consider all their options and deduct the lesser offerings. Brand decisions transcend the constructs of category to occupy a specific position within consumers’ minds—an expectation. This makes a given brand the one and only choice! Brand decisions are both logical and emotional. Consumers believe that the brand is the only choice, and belief leads to action. As these brands successfully deliver on their respective promises, they earn consumers’ trust and preference.
Brands are business assets requiring metrics to determine whether the value gained outweighs the investment made. However, brand value can be measured in very different ways depending on the brand owner’s objectives. Before a plan can be constructed, goals and objectives must be set; where a politician may assess brand value as votes, a product offering may measure brand value as margin or market share.
Globalization has ushered in a new area of competition, making new technologies and cheap labor available to everyone. Increasingly, companies are turning to their brands as their only source for competitive advantage. The health and well-being of any organization are tied to its brand strategy and identity, as these provide the tools necessary to create preference and manage consumers’ expectations.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Faking a Brand... you can’t เรื่อง Brand เสแสร้งกันไม่ได้
หากใครที่คิดจะหากินกับการเลียนแบบ Brand อื่นละก็... ขอเตือนว่า “อย่าหลอกตัวเอง” รู้หรือไม่ว่า ความเป็น Brand อาจจะถูกย่ำยีจากน้ำมือของพวกที่คิดว่าตัวเองฉลาด โดยการหลอกลูกค้าด้วยการนำไอเดียของโฆษณาจาก Brand อื่นมาประยุกต์แล้วย้อมแมวขาย... การกระทำเช่นนั้นนับว่าเป็นการคิดอย่างตื้นๆ เพราะสุดท้าย Brand Idea ย่อมต้องออกมาจากบุคลิกที่แท้จริงของ Brand นั้นๆ อยู่ดี และถ้าสิ่งที่ออกมาไม่เข้ากับบุคลิกของ Brand เมื่อไหร่ ...เมื่อนั้นลูกค้าจะรู้สึกว่าถูกหลอกเข้าอย่างจัง และผลที่ตามมาก็คือ ความไม่ไว้วางใจใน Brand เราไม่สามารถหยิบยืมไอเดียของ Brand ระดับใหญ่ๆ จากเมืองนอกมาใช้ได้ เพราะว่าเราไม่รู้ที่ มาที่ไปว่าเขาพัฒนาขึ้นมาได้อย่างไร ใช้เงินเท่าไหร่ หรือนานแค่ไหนจึงจะประสบความสำเร็จได้ ถึงขนาดนี้
รอ Brand Idea ใหม่ๆ จากนอกมาถึงเมืองไทย
ใครจะเป็นคนแรกที่ได้ใช้ไอเดียล่าสุดจากยุโรป ญี่ปุ่น หรือสหรัฐ?
Brand ไทยผู้โชคร้ายรายไหนจะถูกผู้ที่ไม่มีความรู้เรื่อง Brand บิดเบือนหรือตัดทอนให้เข้ากับเครื่องมือ การสื่อสาร Communication Box ซึ่งเดิมทีถูกสร้างขึ้นมาสำหรับ Brand ฝรั่งโดยเฉพาะ....แต่สุดท้ายกลับต้องถูกตัดทอนลงเพื่อให้เข้ากับ Brand ไทย
การสร้าง Brand ไม่ใช่การย้อนไปหาไอเดียเก่าที่เคยประสบความสำเร็จ และการขอยืมแคมเปญมาจาก เอเยนซีหรือทีมครีเอทีฟ ชั้นนำของโลกมาใช้ก็ไม่ถือเป็นการสร้าง คาแร็กเตอร์ (Brand ID) ให้กับ Brand ...อย่างดีก็แค่สร้างการรับรู้เกี่ยวกับ Brand ในระยะสั้นเท่านั้น
ทางที่ดีที่สุดในการสร้าง Brand ก็คือการวิเคราะห์และสร้างจุดยืนให้กับ Brand (Brand Positioning) แล้วจึงค่อยทำโฆษณาที่เหมาะสมสำหรับ Brand
หากคุณลองนึกถึง Brand ใหม่ๆ ในฝรั่งเศสหรือโตเกียว คุณจะเห็นถึงลักษณะที่โดดเด่นและบุคลิกที่ชัดเจน เหตุที่ Brand ดังกล่าวเป็นอย่างนั้นก็เพราะในการออกแบบภาพลักษณ์ให้ Brand พวกเขามักจะคำนึงถึงรูปร่างและสัดส่วนของ Brand เสมอ ดังนั้นเมื่อถึงกระบวนการพัฒนาขั้นสุดท้าย Brand รุ่นใหม่พวกนี้ก็จะปรากฏโฉมในรูปลักษณ์ที่ลงตัวพอดี โดยที่ Brand อื่นหมดสิทธิ์จะเอาไปใช้ต่อได้ ซึ่งการกระทำเช่นนี้ถือเป็นวิธีป้องกันหัวขโมยที่ได้ผลอย่างชะงัดทีเดียว
ถ้าจะให้นักโฆษณาที่ฉกเอาไอเดียของคนอื่นมาใช้ อธิบายถึงผลงานที่ทำ เขาอาจจะไม่สามารถตอบได้ เพราะตัวเองก็ไม่รู้ที่มาของBrand เหมือนกัน
หลังจากโฆษณาอันเกิดจากการลอกเลียนแบบปรากฏตามสื่อต่างๆ ได้ไม่นาน ผู้บริโภคก็จะเริ่มจดจำ Brand ดังกล่าวได้... จนกระทั่งต่อมาเกิดมี Brand อื่นๆ เริ่มขอยืม ไอเดียมือสองชิ้นนั้นมาใช้บ้าง ......ท้ายที่สุดสิ่งที่ผู้คนจดจำได้ก็คือหนังโฆษณา ไม่ใช่ Brand เพราะมัวแต่หลงในความตื่นเต้นของหนังโฆษณา จนทำให้ผู้บริโภคหลายๆ คนเกิดคำถามขึ้นในใจว่า “จะให้ผมจำ Brand
ของคุณว่ายังไงกันแน่?”
เมื่อ Brand เริ่มโต กลุ่มเป้าหมายของ Brand เองก็เติบโตและเปลี่ยนแปลงไปด้วยเช่นกัน ฉะนั้น Brand จึงจำเป็นต้องมีชุดใหม่ใส่... แล้วคุณจะหาชุดใหม่จากที่ไหนล่ะ? ...ทางออกก็คือ ไปหาผู้ที่รู้ดีถึงลักษณะของ Brand ซึ่งรู้ว่าอะไรเหมาะกับ Brand ของคุณที่สุด พวกเขาจะมีไอเดียเฉียบ ๆ ที่จะทำให้ชุดใหม่ (โฆษณา) ของคุณน่าจดจำและเหมาะสมกับ Brand ของคุณแต่เพียงผู้เดียว ...และนี่แหละที่ทำให้เรารู้ว่า ทำไมการหยิบยืมโฆษณาจากนอกมาใช้นั้นถึงไม่อาจนำ Brand ของคุณไปสู่ความสำเร็จได้
ความสัมพันธ์ที่มีต่อ Brand คือความ สัมพันธ์ส่วนตัว!
ดูเหมือนตอนนี้ผู้บริโภคส่วนใหญ่สามารถรู้สึกได้ถึงความสำคัญของ Brand แล้ว คุณรู้สึกคุ้นเคยกับเรื่องต่อไปนี้บ้างหรือไม่:
ร้านอาหารเปิดใหม่แห่งหนึ่งดูเก๋สะดุดตามาก จนคุณอดใจไม่ไหวเลยต้องขอเข้าไปลองซักครั้ง แต่เมื่อคุณเดินเข้าไปในร้าน คุณรู้สึกถึงบรรยากาศที่ไม่ค่อยเป็นมิตรนัก แถมยังได้กลิ่นพิลึกๆ อีกด้วย ที่มุมอีกด้านหนึ่งมีวงดนตรีที่ใช้เครื่องดนตรีสองสามชิ้นยืนบรรเลงเพลงอยู่ ถึงแม้ร้านจะยังใหม่แต่กลับดูไร้ชีวิตชีวา บรรยากาศภายในดูหลอกๆ จนรู้สึกไม่ค่อยอยากรับประทานอาหารที่นี่เลย แต่พอคุณจะหันหลังเดินออกจากร้านเท่านั้นแหละ เจ้าของร้านก็ปรากฏตัวขึ้น
“เชิญนั่งครับ เรามีอาหารจานเด็ดทุกอย่างที่คุณต้องการเลยครับ” ว่าแล้วเขาก็เปิดรายการอาหารที่มีภาพถ่ายอาหารนานาชนิดแนะนำให้คุณทันที พฤติกรรมสุดตื๊อในการพยายามยัดเยียดของเขา ทำให้คุณรู้สึกว่าเจ้าของร้านอยากได้ลูกค้าเหลือเกิน และเขาคงไม่มีอาหารดีพออย่างที่เขาพูดเป็นแน่ ...ในที่สุดคุณจึงตัดสินใจเดินออกจากร้าน
ผมมักจะถามตัวเองเสมอว่า อะไรที่ทำให้ผมรู้สึกแบบนั้น คำตอบที่ได้ก็คือ : “เพราะความรู้สึกลึกๆ ของร้านนี้ มันไม่ได้เป็นอย่างที่ปรากฏออกมา” ไม่มีลักษณะที่โดดเด่นเป็นเอกลักษณ์เฉพาะตัว ไม่มีอะไรที่บ่งบอกถึงคำสัญญาสักอย่าง สรุปแล้วร้านนี้ขาดสิ่งเร้า (Brand Identity) ที่จะช่วยกระตุ้นให้ผมอยากเข้าไปใช้บริการ แม้ว่ามันจะเป็นร้านเปิดใหม่ก็ตาม
ไม่ต้องวิเคราะห์อะไรมากก็พอจะเดาได้ครับว่าร้านนี้จะเป็นยังไงต่อ... เจ๊ง ภายในเวลาแค่ 6 เดือนเท่านั้นครับ
การสร้าง Brand แบบเสแสร้งก็เหมือนกับการแกล้งทำเป็นรักหรือเห็นใจผู้อื่นนั่นแหละครับ มันไม่ได้ผลหรอก เพราะความสัมพันธ์ที่มีต่อ Brand มันเป็นเรื่องส่วนตัวที่หลอกกันยาก
you can’t fake it... Make it! “ตอนนี้ผมรู้แล้วว่า ถ้าผมยังเดินตามกระแสต่อไปโดยไม่หันกลับมาสร้างเทรนด์ด้วย Brand ของตัวเอง ผมก็คงจะเป็นได้แค่หนึ่งในหลายๆ Brand ที่ไม่มีอะไรโดดเด่นพอที่จะเอาชนะใจลูกค้าได้ แล้วความสัมพันธ์ที่ดีระหว่าง Brand ของผมกับลูกค้าก็คงไม่อาจเป็นรูปธรรมขึ้นมาได้”
ช่วงเวลาแห่งการตัดสินใจ :
คุณต้องการจะเพิ่มเติม Brand ให้ครอบครัวบ้างหรือไม่ “คุณพร้อมที่จะรับ Brand นี้ไว้ในหัวใจและพร้อมที่จะดูแลมันทั้งในยามสุขและยามทุกข์...ตราบชั่วชีวิตของคุณหรือไม่?” ถ้าคำตอบคือ ตกลง ขอให้คุณจดสเปกเพื่อนคู่คิดในการสร้าง Brand ของคุณไว้.... ใครสักคนที่มีประสบการณ์ ใครสักคนที่รักและพร้อมจะดูแล Brand ของคุณเหมือนที่คุณทำ และหากคุณต้องการคำแนะนำใด ๆ กรุณาเขียนถึง BrandAge หัวข้อ “Can’t fake it” :
Tips ง่ายๆ สำหรับคุณ :
คุณสามารถทำสิ่งต่อไปนี้เพื่อค้นหาความจริงเกี่ยวกับ Brand ของคุณได้ : - ขอให้เอเยนซีของคุณทำการพัฒนา Master Plan รวมทั้งงาน Blue Print - ขอให้มีการจัดงบโปรแกรมติดตามผลที่เหมาะสม รวมทั้งกำหนดระยะเวลาที่แน่นอนเพื่อสนับสนุนโปรแกรมดังกล่าว ที่สำคัญ อย่าให้เอเยนซีที่ทำโฆษณาและทำโปรแกรมติดตามผลเป็นเอเยนซีเดียวกัน
ลองถามตัวคุณเองซิว่า...แคมเปญต่างๆ ที่นำเสนอสอดคล้องกับ Blue Print ที่คุณเห็นชอบหรือไม่ ไอเดียเหล่านั้นตรงตาม Brand Positioning หรือเปล่า ......หรือเป็นแค่ Idea ที่น่าสนใจเท่านั้น
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)