The rise of social media has brought about many advantages: instantaneous and constant communication; the humanization of brands and stronger relationships with customers.
However, it all comes at a price, mainly the diminishing attention span of users. Social media creates a constant feed of information virtually 24/7, resulting in people spending less time engaged in your content – if they even read it at all.
So how does one make sure that not only does important information reach the intended audience, but that it also gets absorbed?
It’s funny how everything old is new. Social Media content has taken “a page” from traditional print. Remember how newspapers were very rudimentary in layout and content was “the star”, making for a very text heavy presentation. Well, here we are once again.
Social media is becoming increasingly more visual and that means if you want your content to be read, you need to make it visually appealing.
Moving away from being text heavy, Twitter has a limit on the number of characters a message can have as well as allowing for postings of photos. After all a picture is worth a thousand words! Taking that adage to the max is Instagram, a photo-sharing platform in which users take photos, apply a filter and share it to their other social media accounts. Then there’s Pinterest, a virtual pin board that allows users to “pin” photos of things they find interesting and share with others for inspiration.
Making numbers and dry data interesting is easier said than done. One way do that is to use infographics. Infographics are visual representations of data and yes, they too have been around for a long time, just not called as such. Chances are you’ve used infographics long before venturing into social media. Maps, diagrams and charts are all examples.
So why now are infographics gaining popularity?
First of all, with the rise of social media, people don’t want to dig to find the relevant information. Infographics can streamline what needs to be known in a concise and easy to read manner. At the risk of repeating myself, the attention span of audiences is lessening by the second!
Secondly, infographics can take information that, while important, might be boring and transform it into something that is eye catching and visually appealing. With a whole spectrum of symbols, characters and colours to use, what once was boring can be made fun. By using those elements, the creator of the infographic not only catches the eye of the reader, but directs them where to look, helping ensure the information is read.
For example
This is an infographic taken from www.timeout.com. It provides interesting stats on the Olympic and Paralympic games through recognizable symbols, colours and limited text. If the information were presented written in a black and white article, people might not care, but through the use of infograhpics the information has suddenly become quirky and worth a second look.
How can brands leverage infographics to their benefit?
Brands can use infographics to tell their story. Through statistical graphs and charts brands can show how the brand has grown and the direction in which it is evolving.
Brands can also use infographics to assist in developing or establishing a persona. The images, characters and colours used will all have connotations and those choices directly reflect the brand.
Lastly, brands need to put their infographics out into the world. The whole point is to make the information easy to understand and absorb quickly, making it ideal for sharing. Being easy to read and understand, visually appealing and fun are all characteristics that help generate engagement and propel brands. The greater the impression an infographic makes on a reader, the greater the likelihood of the reader sharing it with others on social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest– that’s what social media is all about after all.
Centre yourself, greet the new day and open to the vision: we will remain open, move with the times, bend and balance. When the agency and the Brand intention are in sync, harmony will follow. Branding for the 21st century.
As we move more deeply into the 21st century and are faced with new technologies and emerging channels. Agencies need to be holistic in our approach towards Brand; remaining fully present, clearly defining and reaffirming the brands with which we are entrusted. The marketing, advertising, communications and promotions that result will be a smooth flowing process of actions that continuously evolve a Brand, not simply one effort with one static result.
Our goal is a journey toward Brand strength. We will stretch ourselves toward greater awareness, not only of the Brand, but the Brand in all its manifestations and emanations. Succinctly, agencies will provide nourishment to all the energies of the Brand. Yes, it will still be about communication flow, but it’s really going to be about tapping into the Brand ‘chakras’.
Once upon a time agencies could push a brand message out and inform consumers “what’s in it for them”, but more and more, consumers will expect to be part of the conversation, to exercise influence and demand respect of their views and opinions. The Brand will need to be a personality; building relationships, engaging and offering information, giving with no expectation of immediate returns. Agencies that acknowledge this new energy will integrate it to enrich the process of branding. This isn’t altruism, the Brand’s message still continues to be “all about me” for sure… but the approach, style and mix of communication channels will reflect the changing media and technology environment. We need remain open, move with the times, bend and balance.
Today’s, and most definitely tomorrow’s, successful branding initiatives will be based on the understanding that nothing exists alone – everything is inter-dependent. Sounds very yoga-ish, doesn’t it? The Agency will recognize the values and distinctiveness of communities and understand subtle differences in personas for Brands to flourish. The Agency that identifies and acknowledges the core energies and relationships of a brand will enable that brand to speak authentically. By applying vision, discipline, reflection and focus the Brand will be rewarded with influence and awareness.
Agencies will still need to be very connected to the Brand to be responsive… to develop and maintain Brand personality, with fluidity and spontaneity.
With the emergence of new channels such as social media, mobile apps and immersive marketing, Agencies will grow, progress and embrace the new without forgetting the old. Time for awakening the senses! We must lead our Brand Client to meet the challenge with thoughtfulness and clear understanding. Classic media channels will need and should remain as part of the communications mix in order to maintain balance and build strength.
The path to brand enlightenment can be a smooth one, here’s our asana for success…
Holding the correct posture is as important in branding as it is in yoga. In Branding it’s called positioning. It’s about establishing a recognizable image and voice in the appropriate markets, creating a Brand that serves its communities’ purposes gracefully and well. The correct posture and clear thinking go hand in hand in creating a successful Brand.
Develop the Brand mantra (USP).The mantra propels Brand’s equity, assesses the current Brand relevance and projects future needs. Brand intention requires focus on the strategic direction and remaining mindful and aligned to it at all times in order to build a genuine Brand philosophy.
Set an intention (objective). As in Yoga, progressing towards change is only achieved with a deeper understanding and maturity. Know your process and communicate it to the Brand Client so that all involved take part in achieving the intention.
Once an intention is set, it generates its own life force. It becomes the vital energy (strategic plan) of the Brand identity and it must be nourished and enhanced. The energy is all about creating momentum, buzz and awareness. The way in which Brand approaches this life force in the 21st has evolved to give back, to inform, to sustain, and to be mindful.
Every Brand has karma (results). The Brand mantra must own whatever image or philosophy it projects out onto the universe, as this will ultimately remain attached to it. Missteps come back to haunt the future.
The Brand persona must be authentic, truthful, and appropriate to its intention and market community. Communities, friends, fans… and yes, ultimately consumers, immediately pick up on anything that seems insincere Truth leads to connection and that leads to success. In short, a Brand philosophy that is balanced and dedicated is set to achieve perfect alignment.
Honouring the tradition, remaining open to the present and embracing the possibilities are basic to the practice of marketing. Respecting the traditional skills of our profession and calling on them where appropriate just makes sense. Being completely au fait with social network and digital tools of all kinds is essential, as is being mindful that not all that is new or trendy is worthy of our investment. Offering the best possible solutions while embracing innovative thinking will continue to clear the path for Brand relevance for years to come.
Branding successfully is a journey that will not only provide greater understanding and awareness of Brand, it will also foster a deeper understanding of the communities in which it speaks to. Our intentions should be realistic and useful without eliminating the potential for the remarkable. Ultimately, it will not be about winning awards, it will be about successful Branding. That’s not a limitation, that’s not unforeseen – that’s clarity.
How do you feel about this approach to branding? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so join the conversation!
This post was co-authored by Heather Moore.
Heather is the art director at 3H Communications Inc. with over 30 years of experience in Canada and overseas. Heather has a refined visual sense, an eye for detail and a way with words. With a wealth of experience as a packaging designer, Heather has a reverent respect for brand. She is dedicated to team-work, focused on crafting the perfect concept and meeting client requirements and a proponent of our own exacting standards.
With all the hype around the Olympics and some big name sponsors promoting the games, it’s almost impossible to turn on the television or look in a magazine and not see an ad that in some way incorporates sports. However brands don’t need to wait for a big sporting event to capitalize on the popularity of sports.
So the question remains, why are sports so popular in advertising?
Aside from the high viewership of sporting events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl, there are a lot of positive characteristics associated with sports: team work, dedication, competition, entertainment and being the best. For many brands, those are the very characteristics they are trying to embody and represent to their target market.
With so many viewers engaged in sports, with sports and sport celebrity, it goes without saying that it’s a good way to build brand awareness, branding following… and obtain brand loyalty. There are some die-hard sports fans out there who will support their team till the very end. If a brand associates themselves with a customer’s favourite team, it creates a connection, a sense of solidarity and some of the loyalty the customer has towards the team will be transferred to the brand.
Using sports is clearly easier for some brands more than others. Brands like Nike, Liquid Nutrition and Gatorade have an advantage as they supply products that are used or required within the world of sports or health.
All three brands use athletes as brand spokespersons in their ads. Gatorade used Sidney Crosby in their G-Series commercials.
By having an athlete who is at the top of his game endorse the product sets a standard for those who play sports. The crucial element of the ad is that the viewer actually sees Sidney drinking Gatorade. If you want to be the best and play hockey like Sidney Crosby you fuel, you train and you push with Gatorade.
The challenge for some brands is to find a way to leverage the popularity of sports when they aren’t directly related to sports and health.
If a brand’s product or service doesn’t directly relate to sports, they can still use sports to their advantage by emphasizing shared themes and characteristics.
When you think of your Visa card, your mind doesn’t necessarily thinks of sports, but yet they sponsor the NFL. Visa is successful in their ad because they play on two elements of sports: dedication and entertainment. Visa knew how much fans love football and the extent they go to when celebrating the sport and their team. Visa uses that knowledge to position themselves as a brand that helps fans get closer to football.
Even brands who operate business to business have found ways to incorporate sports.
Dentsply created a Gold Performance campaign, in which they dubbed specific products as gold performance products, signifying those products as the best of the best. Even though Dentsply doesn’t speak to sports, athletes or any organization in particular, sports were used as a vehicle to spread their message of superior quality.
Sports, with their mass appeal and popularity, can be a great tool to spread brand messaging. What are some of your favourite ads that utilize sports?
Even if you have no interest in sport, there is something about the Olympics that makes even the most athletically apathetic tune in and take notice. That something is the drive, determination and dedication of the Olympic athletes. These individuals train tirelessly for the opportunity to prove themselves at their most prodigious competition. As spectators, we get to know them, their stories and for a couple of weeks watch how their life’s goal plays out for the world to see.
What’s more, we witness the raw emotion seen only when the human condition is pushed to its limit. For some, hopes and dreams will be realized, while others will be crushed. There are no second chances; although, sometimes the difference between winning or losing simply comes down to chance.
Emotive advertising
What is not left to chance are the messages of the Olympic sponsors. The advertising these sponsors employ bank on the human element to pull on the heart strings of their consumers in the hopes of propelling their brands forward. And with good reason – emotive advertising has proven its impact on the mind of the consumer.
Emotion within advertising, is not unlike the emotion felt during the Olympic games. It goes beyond borders. Ultimately, no matter who we are or where we call home, we understand and truly relate to one another on a primitive, human level.
It’s been done before
Appealing to human emotion in advertising is nothing new. Some of the strongest brands in the world have successfully leveraged emotion in their campaigns. Let’s look at a few:
How does it work?
Although it isn’t new, emotive advertising has always required an authentic approach to be successful. The emotion behind the message must align directly with the brand. And, the audience must be able to effortlessly make that connection in order to trust the brand message. Basically, you can’t just insert your logo at the end of a heart felt ad, having no relation to your brand, and expect it will resonate with your market. As we all know, the implications of poor brand alignment within advertising messaging, emotional or otherwise, can be catastrophic.
Social implications
It is no secret that a misstep in brand advertising will cause your market to turn on you, and their good opinion once lost, takes a lot to gain back. What was once the brand influencing the market, is now the market influencing the brand. Persuasion has taken a back seat to public preference. Brands have their hands tied, so to speak, and are simply trying to keep hold of their reputations within the social realm.
Emotionally attached
The more technologically connected consumers become, the less emotionally attached (or loyal) they can feel. It has been said that as consumers, we make decisions emotionally and then justify them rationally. No consumer goes to the effort of typing something online without the hopes of being commented on, liked, shared or retweeted. Now more than ever, emotive advertising could be the key to bringing the consumer and brand back together. Social media has provided an outlet for consumers to be heard, and if brands don’t take action, they will be left behind. After all, if brand is a living entity, it only makes sense that it would appeal to its market’s wants and needs in an emotional context.
You don’t have to be an Olympic sponsor to realize the benefit of emotive advertising. And, it doesn’t matter if your brand is a soft drink, telephone, car or beauty product. In an effort to better understand consumers, let’s not just speak to ourselves, lets speak to each other. It could be just the thing our brands need.
The 2012 Olympics have officially started, but for months we have seen advertisements from Olympic sponsors. The most coveted position for an Olympic sponsor is to be part of The Olympic Partner programme (TOP). Being part of the TOP programme gives sponsors exclusive worldwide marketing rights. This year’s sponsors in the TOP programme are: Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, The Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa. Participating in the TOP programme is an amazing opportunity for sponsors. They are able to associate themselves with one of the most recognizable symbols in the world and launch innovative campaigns on a global platform for a potentially unlimited reach. We believe that a great Olympic ad should align the values of the brand with the values of the Olympics, use the Olympics as a vehicle for their product and service and, of course, make a lasting impression on target market.
With so much at stake, we want to know, who do you think deserves to take home a gold, silver or bronze medal for their Olympic ad?
Ads from TOP programme sponsors in the running for medals are: Procter and GambleAd: “The Best Job” Creative Premise: P&G is using its voice at the Olympic Games to say “Thank You Mum” not just to mothers of Olympians, but to all mothers for everything they do to help their children meet their dreams. P&G is playing on the idea of family legacy. They were there along side mothers to help Olympians before they were Olympians. Children achieve their dreams with the help of their moms, and P&G. This is really a heart-tugger! Coca-colaAd: “Move to the Beat of London” Creative Premise: To bring teens closer to the Olympics and sports through music. This ad demonstrates their mission to refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness and to create value and make a difference. The beat was created by recording the sounds made by athletes. The producer seen “conducting” the athletes is Mark Ronson, who is known for launching the career of Amy Winehouse. The ad inspires happiness as everyone is having a good time cheering for the Olympic athletes. It fits in well with the Olympics as they are not just a competition, but also a celebration of the best athletic talent in the world. VisaAd: “Go World” Creative Premise: Celebrate athleticism and human triumph through unique athlete stories. Visa takes a simple approach in their ad. The visuals are straightforward, athletes performing. What resonates with the audience is Morgan Freeman narrating. “When you cheer…” gives the audience a certain amount of power, they make the athletes perform just a little bit better. When you cheer and use Visa, well you help your team win. By using Visa you can go anywhere and make anything happen. Tell us who you think should receive the gold, silver and bronze medal! During this year’s Olympics we’ll be doing a series of blogs that speak to the event, brands and sports. Stay tuned and join the conversation!
