by Miriam Hara | Apr 13, 2015 | Branding, Business Success, Latest, Marketing
Brand development is necessary for any brand competing in the market today. Regardless of the media channel or consumer behaviour, the need for brand development is still relevant. Brand means so many things to so many people. Yet, a brand should by definition be the same for all. But it’s not. Many people confuse Brand with a logo and a sexy tagline. It’s not. Brand is everything combined and it is the most important asset any business owns. It’s how the world sees you and if successful, it empowers them to trust you. It speaks to what you stand for and what you promise to deliver.
If you are in the midst of brand development for your business, product or even yourself, make sure you aren’t just ‘winging it’. Here are a few steps to enable brand definition:
Defining Brand promise is paramount. Consumers’ perception of brand is determined by their experience with it. In this social media era, the experience and opinions of others can also colour their thinking. Brand must take part in the development of their thinking. Brand can influence its own public image by defining, creating and communicating a strong brand identity.
Defining Brand visually is necessary. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A logo does not make a brand. But it’s the first visual face to face meeting that consumers have with it. It’s imperative that you approach this significant visual aspect of your brand professionally.
Defining Brand identity in the brand development process is a sum of both of the above. How does it look? How does it sound? Developing a Brand identity is about how a brand communicates with the public – every time, all the time. Determine the tone, visual presence and verbal voice. Keep it consistent.
Defining a personal brand. What’s the difference? Or rather, is there a difference? With the emergence of business platforms, like LinkedIn, Brand has now evolved in the arena of “people branding”, also known as personal branding. Of course, personal branding isn’t new and isn’t the result of technology – it has always been around. However, not many people have exercised the notion. Technology has enabled the necessity of a personal brand to separate yourself from the masses. Whether its the summary you’ve written on your LinkedIn profile, the eBooks you provide to promote yourself, your blog posts or the resume you send in for a job posting. How you present yourself to the world in the digital arena must have the essence of your personal brand. Take a page from the brand development process, and apply it personally.
Success in today’s noisy marketplace is all about defining Brand: Whether you’re a product or a person, a brand development process is a must.
For a quick and easy reference on how to market your brand, download our eBooks: Branding Understood and Marketing Understood.
by Miriam Hara | Apr 7, 2015 | Agency, Business Success, Creative, Latest
Here’s a quiz that will help you to see if you have what it takes to work in the creative field. There are so many ways to make a living in the creative field. How do you determine if you’re cut out for heading up the ranks in the business of creative?
With the introduction of computers to the creative and advertising industries (Thanks Steve Jobs!) the definition of being creative has somewhat changed. Computers have made the business of creative easier by allowing us to push the envelope further.
However, many people today think that being creative simply involves the the ability to navigate a computer and its software, such as Photoshop or InDesign. That is not true. The mystery of being a creative goes much deeper than that. It is my genuine belief that a computer does everything for a bad designer and nothing for a good one – except provide the means for more exploration, make them quicker and of course creatively stronger!
So what are some of the common skills and characteristics of individuals that succeed to become a creative director, art director, conceptual thinker or graphic designer?
Simply answer yes or no to these 8 questions to determine your level of creative.
Don’t think about it, just answer instinctively.
1. Yes or No: You like puzzles. In fact, you excel at seeing how things fit together in a way that goes beyond just the shape of the pieces.
2. Yes or No: You are naturally inquisitive. You’re usually seeking to understand a new subject. You never grew out of the “Why?” stage from childhood.
3. Yes or No: You like doodling. You like taking pen to paper or screen and moving it about. It helps you to think and follow your thought pattern.
4. Yes or No: You can draw without the help of a computer. In fact, you usually have a sketch book with you just in case you see or experience something that inspires you.
5. Yes or No: You are an origami guru. You love understanding how a series of certain folds can lead to a beautiful paper sculpture.
6. Yes or No: Problem solving is in your nature. You like to fix things. You thrive from the challenge of taking complex problems and simplifying them. Deep down you don’t really understand how many people can’t see the solution that’s usually right there in front of them saying, “Here I am!”
7. Yes or No: You like words. From their subtle meanings, their true meanings, their double meanings, right down to the letters that make up the words. Words are a thing of beauty and joy to you.
8. Yes or No: Learning is just as necessary as breathing for you. You strive to keep up with what’s new. You like to learn about new trends, new software or new procedures. Learning means “new”, and new keeps you on your toes, creatively!
If you have answered YES to 5 or more of the above questions, then you definitely have what it takes to be creative, professionally. Now go for it, and welcome to the club!
What other characteristics do you know of that are indicative of a creative mind. Let me know!
by Miriam Hara | Apr 2, 2015 | Branding, Business Success, Latest, Marketing, Social Media
There was a time (in the recent past) when brand sell was all about showcasing features and benefits to an intended target audience. With the emergence of social media, the art of the brand sell has evolved to include a very real social component. Social media has made engagement and response rate some of the main objectives for brands. With that, in the framework of brand development, the art of storytelling has become much more important. What was once brand sell, is now story sell. Now brand marketers need to wrap their initiatives around the story sell of their brand. Like it or not, engagement is where it’s at today and the way to consumers’ hearts is through storytelling.
The connection established through story sell is much deeper than brand sell.
So why not merge the two? For most of us marketers, this is nothing new. Brand sell was and is about brand storytelling, but now it is more socially inclined. Brand stories need to take their intended audience on an emotional journey. They need to connect with them on a deeper level, establishing a promise not so much in words, but in context and feeling.
Here are some pivotal components to developing good story sell:
1. What is your brand’s personality? What are its characteristics? Is it serious and no-nonsense? Is it fun? Is it highbrow? List all of them.
2. How does your brand’s personality and characteristics tie in with its potential consumers’ values? Dig deep. We like people based on their personality and characteristics, but we maintain the relationship because they connect with our values.
3. What are your brand’s preferences? What does your brand like? What does your brand dislike? What your brand doesn’t like, want or have is equally as important as what is does.
4. Who are your brand’s potential friends? We all have various types of friends. Those friends have at least one thing in common – they’re friends with us. What are the other common denominators that make your brand a fit in amongst its friends?
The social sharing of a brand story is of paramount importance to forging a deeper connection with the consumer. Entering into the zone of the consumer’s intimate social media space is where sharing your brand story is crucial. Make your next brand sell approach all about brand story sell.
Heard a good brand story lately? Please share it here with us.
by Miriam Hara | Mar 31, 2015 | Business Success, Communications, Latest, Social Media
Google makes it easy for us to search for any kind of information we want, instantaneously. It has taken the guesswork out of life. But how accurate or relevant is the information we find?
Let’s face it, Gen Y and Z are largely responsible for changing today’s marketing landscape. Not only with how to communicate with them but who is best suited to provide relevant information. Although, it’s not only Gen Y and Z that are responsible for this shift in how we access information. You can now throw in Gen X and even the Baby Boomers into the mix. All of us, no matter what generation we belong to are taking part in this evolution of communication.
How many of us say “Google it” in a day?
The internet as a platform has enabled us to find answers, offer solutions and provide advice instantly. Social Media with its content creation and emphasis on sharing is a product of this social way of thinking. There are so many opportunities within the business environment to create an on-going dialogue with niche targets. Business can provide them with the information they want, when they want it and in the way they want to receive it. However, this opens the door to a lot of misrepresentation of information.
And it’s not just business that can take advantage of the Google platform. Everyone can take advantage of it. It’s in our everyday discussions. When faced with a question that no one knows the answer to, what do we do? We take out our smart phones and Google it. Wonderful! No more debates. No more arguments! But how credible is the information? What happens after we Google it and different sources say different things? We all know Wikipedia isn’t entirely accurate. So how do we decipher what is right and what is wrong when Google provides us with a well of possible “go-to” sites for the information we seek.
Should we be taking what we find on our search from Google at face value? Should we click on the advertising results that appear first? After all, if sites are spending money to get you to their site, aren’t they going to provide the proper information?
Google has made our lives much more efficient. Instant gratification and knowledge is at our fingertips. Awesome. Knowledge is power – as long as it’s accurate.
What are your thoughts on the credibility issues that may arise from providing wrong information? I’d like to hear them.
by Miriam Hara | Mar 26, 2015 | Business Success, Communications, Creative, Latest
What makes a brainstorming session a strategic brainstorming session? Some might say, “Aren’t all brainstorming sessions essentially strategic?” Well yes and no. It might surprise many that most brainstorming sessions are an exercise in establishing creative concepts in order to facilitate the tactics set out by the strategy. That in itself is not wrong. However in order to reach the level of strategic thinking required for the next big idea it takes a lot more focus and guidance from the session leader.
Strategic brainstorming strives to develop creative concepts that go well beyond the obvious. It doesn’t speak to the how of a brand or business nor does it dwell on tactics. Strategic brainstorming takes more discipline in order to expose the bigger picture. Big-picture thinking is all about strategy and the overarching communications that encompass the call-to-actions and the tactics. How do you arrive at big picture thinking and how do you know when you get there?
All brainstorming sessions have a basic premise of establishing parameters to develop a creative concept that speaks to a desired message. Call-to-actions and creative establishing the USP of a brand or business fall into that range.
Often, many creative outcomes, whether it’s a TV ad, billboard, digital or web ad, speak to features – beautifully so. There isn’t anything more beautiful than an eloquent creative that is single focused and speaks to the brand or business core premise.
However, move the lens a few degrees north of that premise and you fall into the strategic brainstorming sphere.
Strategic brainstorming speaks to the emotive quality that umbrellas the brand or business USP and focuses on the call-to-action in a benefit-driven statement. It needs to go beyond the low-hanging fruit to determine the overarching statement or creative premise.
Creative professionals who have worked within the strategic brainstorming sphere know what I am talking about. It’s not so easy, right? It’s actually quite challenging – that’s what makes it exciting!
Strategic brainstorming takes any mandate away from colloquialisms and speaks to consumers by tugging at their hearts while resonating with their rationale side.
How do you determine if your creative brainstorming sessions have resulted in strategic creative thinking? Here are some pointers:
Do your homework: Don’t just read the documentation from the client. You need to conduct your own investigation in order to live and breathe the brand or business. This allows you to develop your own thinking about the industry, come to your own conclusions and possibly find that golden nugget idea that would otherwise stay buried.
Take the time: Allow for the information digestion. It’s important to not only read the material, but for your mind to digest the information so that it becomes part of you. Only then can you think about the brand or business as your own. This will allow you to place yourself in the intended audience’s shoes and start thinking in terms of the values that are important for the brand or business to communicate.
Originality is a must: Take the obvious and make it sing. There’s nothing better than convincing people to connect with a brand or business they already know. They are just waiting for that little push. That’s what obvious is all about. But obvious still has to be original. Concepts that stem from the proverbial low-hanging fruit and are easy to pick may lack the depth of messaging or the singularity necessary. Also, be careful not to confuse category benefits with brand benefits. These aren’t owned by any brand or business.
Dive deep: There’s a difference between snorkeling and deep sea diving. Snorkeling allows you to see many beautiful colours of fish and vegetation from the top looking down. It still provides impact but you are only looking at it near the surface. Whereas deep sea diving allows you to immerse yourself among all the beauty that lies beneath, allowing you to develop a concept that is truly full of life.
What are some of the techniques you have used for strategic brainstorming?
