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.
The internet and social media have created a venue for open marketing. It’s called the Blog. No longer are “readers” designated to print alone. Reading is now accessible to anyone that has connection to the web. Social Media has enabled more people to read up on their points of interests. People are turning to the views of bloggers for information on a specific topic and because they are seen as a trusted source. Added to that, bloggers are perceived as everyday people – one of “us” – and essentially they are. Bloggers tend to be very upfront about the experience they have with various products, stating whether or not they were paid or if they are acting as a brand ambassador. Transparency is what makes them trustworthy. Knowing that that there is no hidden agenda helps bloggers create a very loyal following. The beauty of blogging is that anyone, anywhere can do it; but, it must be done well, especially when we are speaking about brands and brand voice.
So why are blogs worth considering? That’s an easy one… and is part of Marketing 101: Bloggers are another channel through which brands can reach their target markets based on psychographics. That in itself is exciting. Bloggers are a great way to reach a niche target market that may not be accessible with traditional media. There are blogs on everything, from cooking to parenting and even someone chronicling their journey in the Himalayan Mountains. Marketers can make use of bloggers by having them write reviews for products and services, promote contests and events, or even establish the forum themselves and engage with their audience one on one.
So why aren’t bloggers included in more marketing campaigns? Much like traditional PR, there is no guarantee that a blogger will be interested in your product or service and if they do agree to a review, you can’t control what they’ll say. However, there is a way to overcome this obstacle. You can buy advertising space on blogs that garner attention from your target audience. Although, the most effective outreach happens when bloggers write review posts of their own accord. You have to EARN that review by convincing the blogger that your product or service is worth writing about.
How to identify appropriate bloggers? Social Media isn’t easy and it isn’t inexpensive, there is a significant amount of time and energy involved when doing research. The first step is to identify influential bloggers. This can prove to be difficult depending on how specific your target audience is. There are a few different methods a brand can take when trying to locate bloggers:
Look within: Brands may already be connected to bloggers and not even know it. Checking Twitter and Facebook followers and looking through website comment sections is one way brands can find bloggers that may already be tuned in to them. If a blogger has already engaged with a brand, they are more likely to get on board.
Simply search: Running a search of brand keywords and images can be a good way for brands to identify bloggers. If a brand has been mentioned on top influencing blogs chances are it will come up in a search. Searching competitors is also a good idea. If the competition has been mentioned on any blogs, it may be a good idea to approach those blogs.
Turn to tools: Online tools that rank and organize websites and blogs are everywhere. Turning to sites such as Bloglovin, Technorati, BlogCatalog and Alexa can prove helpful in finding influential bloggers. Tools that specialize in blogger outreach are also great to take advantage of. There are a number of tools out there such as BlogDash and GoupHigh that help brands find, research, and track blogger outreach efforts.
5 things you should know to help you fine tune and optimize your results on your blog:
Where is the blog located?This one can be tricky, most bloggers don’t include a physical address in their profile description. But it is worth knowing, if you are trying to get a product promoted that is only available in certain locations, you want to avoid blogs that are outside those area. For example if a product is only available in Canada, you don’t want to reach out to bloggers from the States. If it isn’t mentioned on the site, email and ask.
What topics do they cover? Make sure that the topics featured within the blog are relevant to your brand or its target audience.
Are they PR/marketing friendly? Not all blogs accept product from PR or marketing firms. Look at some of their previous posts and see if any reviews or promotions have been included, if not, reaching out to them may be a waste of time.
Is your product or service a good “fit”? Blogs can fall into a general category, but take a specific stance. For example, there are a lot of food blogs, but some cater to a vegan-organic-gluten free audience. Be sure to determine the bloggers point-of-view and make sure your brand falls within it.
What is their audience reach? If a blog is PR/marketing friendly or accepts advertising, they usually have a media kit with site stats such as audience reach, demographics etc. This is important to know, because you want to create as much awareness as possible. Try targeting those with a high number of unique visitors per month. If there isn’t a media kit available to download, just ask.
Once you have all the required information, put it to use and tailor your pitchto the individual blog: mention past posts, say why you think your product is a good fit for their blog and why their readers need to know about it. Also be sure to mention what’s in it for them, whether it be free product (because who doesn’t love free stuff!) or some sort of kick back.
Blogger outreach doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need to pay attention to the details and put yourself out there. How do you successfully integrate blogs into your marketing campaign? We’d like to hear about it here!
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!
It’s all around us. Stars, personalities and with the Olympics around the corner, athletes, persuading us to buy into a brand. This isn’t anything new. In the world of social media and twitter, celebrity influence is becoming stronger,marketers are able to quantify their following and influence. The fact that many brands get celebrities to act as their brand spokesperson, appearing in commercials, using their products in music videos, etc… has always been a true and tried marketing strategy. It’s an easy leap from personality to brand… someone who represents and speaks on behalf of the brand to the public and literally becomes the brand personified.
A celebrity brand spokeperson/ambassador can help a brand relate to their target audience as it’s easier to connect with another human being than an abstract notion of what a brand is. The spokesperson brand strategy really became prevalent and mainstream when Nike used Michael Jordan in 1984. Today you see Jennifer Hudson in ads for Weightwatchers, Jennifer Aniston promoting Smart Water and various music artists signing along to Pepsi.
However, a spokesperson can also be someone from within the brand itself. Many brands chose the founders to act as spokespersons. Presidents’ Choice does it with Galen Weston. Franchise operation Liquid Nutrition combines the two. Liquid Nutrition is backed and enable by owners/spokespersons such as Steve Nash, Suzann Pettersen, Russell Martin, Torah Bright, Matt Ryan, Vincent Lecavalier and Elaine Hastings.
When choosing a spokesperson, it’s important to keep these steps in mind:
Identify the key values of the brand. What is your brands positioning statement? How do you want the public to perceive your brand? How does your brand identify itself in the marketplace?
Research possible candidates who might embody those values. A spokesperson can’t be just anybody. They have to fit in with the brand. Any associations with scandal-ridden individuals can have negative results for a brand. Remember what happened with Kate Moss and Tiger Woods?
Develop key messages. What specifically do you want the public to know about your brand? It will be the job of the spokesperson to deliver those messages.
Don’t make the spokesperson the brand.The spokesperson must embody the brand, represent the brand and build brand momentum. But the brand must be able to stand, grow and develop a persona on its own. The spokesperson is just another channel through which the brand spreads its message. Nike did this well…
Make sure the spokesperson is media trained. It is essential that the spokesperson knows the key messages and is comfortable engaging with the various channels through which consumers get their information, whether it be print, television, social media or radio. A spokesperson has to be able to speak and correctly deliver the message based on the medium. If not, the message gets lost.
What has your experience working with a brand spokesperson been like? What steps did you take to find an appropriate spokesperson?
Some brands select one social media outlet for their campaigns and do it well. For the most part that outlet is Facebook . Yes, it is a very effective tool for reaching consumers and running campaigns, but let’s not forget about Twitter. To help brands cut through the noise, Twitter has several features that brands can leverage for promotional and engagement campaigns. Here are 5 ways a brand can better leverage Twitter to get loud and reach and engage users.
Amplify your message with Promoted Tweets With promoted tweets brands can buy promotional packages to amplify their messages. Promoted tweets can be targeted to search results or to users’ timelines. Promoting tweets in a search allows brands to reach users when they are searching for specific topic, hashtag or term on Twitter. Much like Google search, they appear at the top of the results page. Promoted tweets to timeline reach a brand’s follower base or users who are like their followers. Why is this important? Like I’ve said before, the life of a tweet is generally only a few seconds. Using promoted tweets, a brand can make sure their message is seen. For example, if a brand is running a contest, one quick tweet might not result in many entries, but promoting that tweet will drive higher levels of engagement.
Get Found by utilizing Promoted Accounts It’s important for a brand to build a strong Twitter follower base that will then share and amplify the brand message. Also paid, promoted accounts appear in search results and within the Who To Follow section – Twitter’s account recommendation engine that suggests accounts to users. Generating awareness, this can be a useful tool for brands that are new to Twitter and want to introduce themselves and brands looking to get more followers. Brands can also promote their accounts if they are running a campaign or if they are celebrating a milestone.
Build Behavioural Habits with Twitter Customs Knowing the Twitter customs and syntax can help a brand integrate itself in the Twitter community. Participating in “Follow Friday” for example can be a part of a brand’s Twitter mandate. Each Friday, Twitter users promote accounts they think their followers should follow. Brands can take part by tweeting #FF of their followers, related accounts, or accounts they find interesting. Before long, and given a brand pushes out interesting content, users will begin including them in Twitter customs. Brands can also create their own customs to engage their followers.
Make the Right First Impression with Enhanced Profiles An enhanced profile page allows brands to visually feature important and interesting content. Similar to Facebook Pages’ Cover Photo, brands can add a 835×90 header to their Twitter profile that could be a logo, image, tagline or any other visual branding. They can also feature their content more prominently by highlighting a tweet at the top of their profile, again similar to Facebook Pages’ Pin functionality. Unfortunately, enhanced profiles are currently only available to a select group of brands.
Make yourself known with Promoted trends
Promoted trends are strategically positioned to amplify the conversation. By promoting a term, a campaign or a hashtag, brands can give Twitter users the opportunity to discover their message quickly and get involved. This can be a great tool for brands that are running contests on Twitter that require users to tweet a specific hashtag to enter.
Has your brand leveraged Twitter and its features to reach and engage users? Were your efforts a success?
