We are stoked to share this past year’s FEED report (annual by Razorfish). This document is a solid tool and provides serious insight- chock full of useful information. FEED made it’s splash before the new year but it’s definitely something you need to read right now,  if you haven’t already. Razorfish shifted their focus from a “how to” analyze consumer behavior in the digital realm, to how consumers are now interacting and communicating with brands. They also include suggestions on what to do next.

The report includes brilliant insight and lots of statistics.

Suggesting realistic consumer behavior with community sites:

Evidence (if you still aren’t convinced) that digital is consuming and shifting average daily household behavior:

Quite possibly one of the best observations:

“Now “clicks” and “impressions” mean far less than conversations and brand behaviors. In our opinion, it’s about time.

With bold topics like “Goodbye Ad Wars, Hello Engagement Wars”, “The Outlet Malls of Tomorrow? Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace” and “Digital Drives Sales”, you’re going to want to sit down and dig in.

“The Digital Brand Experiences Create Customers”

In a nutshell, their thesis is: digital brand experiences create customers. Period. Things are moving, evolving quickly, at every moment out there – but online interaction and brand experiences are here to stay. Remember, this isn’t leaving anyone high and dry, in fact Razorfish predicts this year 17% of all (US) sales will be made online. What about next year? And the year after? All in all, good news for us sales and marketing folk.

That said, we should also remember that just because said brand has X,XXX fans on its FB fan page, or are followed by 6,793 people on twitter that these folks wanna be BFFs.

Fasten your seatbelts, read this and study up friends. We are only at the very beginning of the coming digital age.

Next up: mobile.

Hat tip to @jsmibert & @lisakribs

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FEEDing Time via Razorfish

It would probably be safe to say you’ve heard it numerous times (and uttered it a few more) because it happens to be true.  No matter the product or service that an organization is offering to its target market, their success or failure is dependent upon the consumers’ buying of what they’re selling.

Consumers make purchasing decisions based on any number of associations they have with individual brands, and companies spend millions on advertising and marketing activities so that they can influence what those associations might be.  Just as we each choose our friends based on their personalities, brands can elicit the same sort of response in consumers.  In light of this, wouldn’t it be interesting to know which human personality traits consumers tend to apply to brands?

Well, it’s good thing for us that someone has studied this and given us a few answers:

1^st Dimension – SINCERITY

Consumers interpret sincere brands as being down-to-earth, honest, wholesome, and cheerful.  Sure, some people find Rachael Ray annoying, but more people find her endearing – the kind of woman you can sit down with for a chat at the kitchen table.

2^nd Dimension – EXCITEMENT

The most exciting brands are daring, spirited, imaginative, and on the cutting edge.  Not only are Burton snowboards on the cutting edge of technology and performance, the products bearing the Burton name are designed with their audience in mind.  Funky graphics and forward-thinking designs make Burton a leader in their competitive industry.

3^rd Dimension – COMPETENCE

Reliability, intelligence, and success are the traits associated with these brands.  Even in these trying economic times, there are a few financial services firms that still manage to play well in consumer minds.  Charles Schwab is the stable, successful, smart guy next door who can tell you what to do with your 401k allocations.

4^th Dimension – SOPHISTICATION

A brand that is sophisticated is viewed as charming and fit for the upper classes.  When it comes to esteem and seemingly eternal longevity, the Chanel brand is unequaled.  In good times and bad, this brand remains strong as a symbol of a life lived in all the right places, doing all the right things.

5^th Dimension – RUGGEDNESS

Interestingly, consumers pick up on this personality dimension quite well.  Rugged brands are seen as outdoorsy and tough.  The North Face has built an empire by outfitting people who actually do scary outdoorsy things, and those who just like to look good on the streets of NYC.

MORE INFO:

• If you’re feeling “academic”, read the work of Stanford professor Dr. Jennifer Aaker.  Her 1997 paper, Dimensions of Brand Personality, inspired this post.

Are there any other personalities you would attribute to your favorite brands?  If so, let’s keep the conversation going – add your comments!

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The 5 Dimensions of Brand Personality

It’s a new year,

so it’s time to think about taking a close look at your branding to make sure it’s still fresh and relevant. Now I know what you’re thinking. “Brock,” you say, “I’m too swamped with the rest of my work to think about rebranding right now. Besides, my branding is just fine. Why would I want to change it?” I’d be the first to admit that you probably don’t need to do a complete rebranding. In all but the most dire circumstances, the equity lost in rebranding isn’t worth the shiny new marketing materials. And you don’t have to undergo a complete makeover. Sometimes, however, you should give your branding a much-needed spa treatment. After all, if you take care of your branding, it will take care of you.

Taking Stock

There are two things you have to do before doing any work to refresh your brand. The first is to understand that branding is a habit, not something you can “set and forget.” If you are responsible for branding your organization, expect to devote resources to maintaining your brand. We’ve all seen companies that use the same marketing materials for twenty years straight. It doesn’t work for them, and it won’t work for you. It doesn’t have to be much work, but you should plan to regularly audit your branding to ensure that it continues to align with your organization’s goals, mission, brand promise, market position and target market.

So that’s the second thing. Before beginning any brand refresh, make sure you know your organization’s goals, mission, positioning, etc. Without a firm grasp of the fundamentals, anything you do to tweak your branding will just be the proverbial lipstick on a pig.

Find the Balance

Keeping your brand fresh requires a careful balancing act of focused messaging and creative play. If your brand has become little more than a series of templates, it’s likely to be boring your customers as well as you. On the other hand, your audience needs to know that it’s you sending the message; your branding can’t be so inconsistent as to become unrecognizable. Remember, good design demonstrates a competitive advantage. Research shows that companies that invest in design are much less likely to compete on the basis of price alone. (For more on how quality creative can improve business results, visit Design Council.) Though it may have become a cliché at this point, discount retailer Target does a exceptional job at keeping their brand interesting and flexible. Their commercials, for example, are always wildly creative. And yet, you know that it’s a Target commercial the moment it comes on. Likewise, their inventive use — almost abuse — of their logo would make most corporate branding guides burst into flames.

Focus On Authenticity

When examining your brand and marketing communications, be sure to evaluate how authentic your messages are. Authentic messages are ones that speak to your audience and engage them on an emotional level. If your messages come across as too corporate or safe, it will hurt the value of your brand. This doesn’t mean that every brand should be edgy or extreme. Rather, it means that your brand should feel “real”. An absolutely stellar example is the new the Intel refresh. Their branding chief, Deborah Conrad, deserves huge kudos for their new geek chic, “Sponsors of Tomorrow”, commercials. Rather than promote a specific product or new innovation, the new branding admits — even celebrates — the nerdiness of Intel’s work.  Even though you know it’s just another commercial, it feels authentic in a way that most technology ads don’t.

Be Passionate About Your Work

According to Robert Kyosaki, author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, “Brands die if the leader’s passion dies, or if the leader’s passion is simply to make money.” If the only purpose of your brand communications is to make money, your customers will know, and they’ll lose respect for you. This may seem like a rehashing of my previous tip about authenticity, but it’s entirely possible for branding to be entirely authentic and still lack any real passion for the organization’s core mission.

Think about the last furniture commercial you saw. Maybe they had a nice spokesperson telling you about the great special they had on that new bedroom set. You probably don’t remember, though, because you were leaving the room to go get a snack from the kitchen. It wasn’t because the message was too corporate. It’s because you knew that there was no passion there. That furniture store is human enough, they just don’t seem to really care about what they’re selling. Like you, they’d rather be out getting a snack.

Become More Sociable

The new rule in branding is that consumers want interaction, not just action. The voice from God marketing strategy of the 20th Century just won’t cut it anymore. Consumers care about brands that they engage with. So provide opportunities for your audience to interact with your brand, and watch their attachment grow. This isn’t really new, it’s just been brought to our attention with all of the new focus on interactive social media. And so you every brand from Red Bull to Office Depot has some sort of interactive Facebook page and Twitter feed.

The important thing to remember about social media is to provide value in all of your communications. Minneapolis-based writer Kris Decker loves Walgreen’s Facebook fan page for exactly this reason. “As a fan, I get special coupons and deals that only their Facebook fans get. It gives me a great reason to interact with the brand.”

Spruce It Up

Finally, remember that the purpose of a brand standards manual is to ensure the highest quality branding that is conveying the right message. If you have to break the “rules” of your manual in order to achieve good results, by all means, break the rules. So go on and spruce up your branding in 2010. A little bit of tweaking isn’t going to lose any of your brand equity. ‘Cause let’s face facts: your customers aren’t paying conscious attention to your branding materials. They really won’t know that this month’s ad had the logo 2 inches from the bottom while last month’s ad had it 2.5 inches from the bottom. The only thing that matters is that you’re communicating the right message to the right audience. If you’re not, it doesn’t matter a hill of beans that your branding is consistent.

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Dirty Brand? Clean it up…

Professional brand consultants are a special breed o’ cat.  Building a strong brand requires a multi-dimensional skill-set that encompasses everything from HR to graphic design to wordsmith-ing.  The best brand stewards manage to play each of these roles throughout the life of a project as they help their clients develop their corporate – or personal – identities into a cohesive package.

So, what is it that the best ‘branders’ do?  What sets them apart?

Practice Integrated Brand Thinking

As noted above, brand development is a multi-faceted endeavor.  Thus, the most successful projects are the result of an integrated way of thinking that takes into account each of the parts that make up the whole of a brand.

Though not necessarily considered a ‘branding’ firm, per se, Pentagram is an exceptional example of the power of integrated thinking.  With expertise in architecture, interior design, graphics, and packaging, the firm is able to provide a holistic approach to the crafting of their clients’ image and messaging.  Pentagram’s experience in multiple disciplines means that they utilize a project strategy that reaches beyond the simple execution of narrowly-defined tasks.

Integrated thinking means understanding the totality of your client’s brand.  No matter the limits of your contract or project role, your guidance is key to helping them understand how each brand decision – from the logo, to the tagline, to the function of the website – is essential to the communication of their organization’s image and message.

Ask Good Questions and Explore Answers

Successful branding solutions are also the result of the thoughtful process, and that involves looking at project goals from diverse perspectives.  As a result, it is important for a consultant to continuously re-examine his or her own philosophy of brand development, in addition to staying abreast of what is happening in the industry as a whole.

Landor is a leader in this arena.  Through the publishing of an online newsletter and blog, in addition to white papers and case studies, Landor gives the impression that their organization is one in which perpetual learning and research are encouraged.  For Landor’s clients, the firm becomes an expert on branding matters because of their portfolio of work and their thinking.  Their exploration of branding and marketing trends illustrate an intellectual curiosity that can only serve to broaden their field of reference as they tackle the branding challenges of their clients.

As an independent freelancer or one of several branding experts in a larger firm, your continuing evaluation of industry practices will not only help you develop the best solutions for your clients, but they will help you maintain a fresh outlook on your craft.

In most instances, there are numerous strategies available to us for any given project.  And, while the two traits noted above seem to be essential to developing the most thoughtful solutions, it’s safe to say that none of us has all the answers.

With that in mind, we wholeheartedly invite you to use the comment section below to share your thoughts on the most important traits for the successful brand consultant to have.

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Two Things All Branding Experts Do

Kraft

February 2009: New Logo

Explanation: “With a new purpose and values setting a fresh direction, Kraft Foods also gave its corporate logo a face lift to more clearly deliver “delicious.” Starting today, people around the world will begin to see the new identity that deliciously features a smile, the natural reaction to delicious foods and experiences, and a colorful flavor burst. It signals to employees, consumers and investors what the new Kraft Foods is all about.” Press Release

July 2009: New Logo

Guess the first logo wasn’t what “Kraft Foods is all about”.

But I have to say the ‘New Kraft’ corporate is more than this logo.

Check out the New Kraft. This feels pretty damn corporate so I’m wondering why they use the old logo. But, that’s what I mean about 2009, weird stuff happened all over the place.

HTC

In early 2009, HTC (High Tech Computer Corp.) also launched a new brand.

Old Logo

via rebrand

New Logo

Then, in October, they did it again.

New, New Logo

via Tracy and Matt

Tropicana

Oh Tropicana. Brand-owner Pepsi screwed this one up. After removing the classic orange and straw design and replacing it with something reminiscent of a private label brand.

Pepsi Co. chose Ominicom agency, Arnell, on the rebrand.  In an attempt to ‘refresh’ the Tropicana brand, Arnell removed the orange and put a goblet of juice on the package. Consumers were pissed. They wanted their orange and red-striped straw back. Peter Arnell, Chief Creative Officer at Arnell was surprised by consumer reaction saying, “Tropicana is doing exactly what it should be doing. I’m glad Tropicana is getting this kind of attention.” Oh Peter.

So the old design is back. GO CONSUMERS!!!

But Why?

Well folks, here again we see the mighty power of the Interwebs. In the early days of the world, pre-1995, we had TV. TV pushed everything at us. We were just waiting for brands to push their nicely packaged messages over the tube. They had time to prepare. Now, not so much. But there is a lesson in all this. Do your homework. Get a focus group together at least. Get some loyal customers and some prospectives in a room and get their input. If you can do it in a controlled white room with one-way glass, you’ll be much better off than on the Web.

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2009 Rebrand…Again

Oh 2009…what a year. What a crazy, chaotic year. This one caught us with our pants down. 2008 was pretty fat and happy. We had an app, we had 100k Facebook fans, our personal brand flourished, our video went viral–life was good. Then the economy collapsed and somebody had to mention those three letters that send marketers everywhere racing to Monster.com: ROI.

You’d think this would create a slew of bad decisions, horrible campaigns and suicides…and it did. However, some people got busy. They used the Web. They talked to consumers. They got creative. So, instead of meeting with the CEO to justify your ’social media’ line item in 2010’s budget, take a look at some of 2009’s movers and shakers.

Sprint

For Sprint, it was the year for “Now”.

They took home the highly coveted “Gold Lion”.  Sprint’s mixed media “Now Network” campaign by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners scored them best Interactive Campaign in Cannes.

“All content rated N, for now”.

From “words most used right now” to “planes in the air now” or “how many people are getting spray tanned now“- we cannot stop looking.

Sprint spent big bucks on TV, but with the intention of driving us online to the digital Now Network for some 2009 connectivity.

YouTube banners enticed us to upload our own video to appear on the Now Clock and on the network site.

Sprint wants you to know they get it. “We are trying to give a face to the network and talk about the fact that Sprint understands this whole consumer need of having things now,” said Mike Goff, vp of national advertising at Sprint (via). Will be interesting to see how the campaign effects market share. But for now, much respect.

Coca-Cola

Simply put, Coca-Cola is king. The guru’s over at Interbrand have rightfully crowned Coca-Cola as the top Global Brand for 2009. If you’re looking for pointers, Coca-Cola is one of the best (if not the best) examples of how to manage your brand.

This example floated around the web earlier this year; Coca-Cola’s logo vs. their biggest competitor’s logo:

Coca-Cola’s “Open Happiness” campaign hit an emotional chord during this year’s tough times.

The campaign incorporated music tracks via Myspace/iTunes and a “Happiness Factory” gaming website.

Coca-Cola has flawlessly maintained brand consistency for decades and, continues to do so on a global scale. And that, my friends, is no easy task.

You

Hey you, congrats! 2009 was the year of the personal brand. What did you do to strengthen your image and improve your skills?

The life coaches, the personal branders, the career developers – let’s face it: Each and every one of these guys can help.  But c’mon. Could personal branding have been hyped just a wee bit?

Some advice on the personal brand thing–just be yourself.

Congrats, you’ve earned it.

Runner-Up 2009

Oh Snap, It’s Radio Shack

Watch all 8 spots here by BSSP.

Yes, it’s true. Radio Shack is on twitter and even facebook. Lance Armstrong has joined Team Radio Shack, and while perhaps under the radar, stuff is happening with the brand this year.

They’ve got a fabulously weird  (good weird, not bad weird) holiday campaign going right now. It’s possible this whole “Shack” thing could revive the company. While the nickname is unofficial, most of their advertising budget will be spent name-dropping “The Shack”– other brands *ahem* watch closely.

Radio Shack sticks closely to their brand heritage while working to attract a younger, technology-confident shopper back to an old-school brand (88 years).

The Shack’s emphasis on mobile and a more intimate experience (vs. going to Best Buy) could be enough to get The Shack back in the game.

So go have a seat on Santa’s Lap this year thanks to The Shack.

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Best of 2009 in the Branding Industry

On an 8-hour flight, if you find a US Weekly in the back pocket of the seat in front of you, there’s a good chance you’re going to read it. It’s exciting! It’s juicy! It’s awful!

In a similar vein, we have gathered gossip & speculation from industry red flags, brand reputation, employee gossip and the cloud of doom hanging over brands headed for the branding graveyard.

Enjoy!

*Note:  FYB’s observations should not be held in the same light as sales reports, stock value or other actual means of real analysis.

“Guitar Hero” Brand

Death to a hero? They cut their sales prediction in half for the most recent music video game, DJ Hero.  The hope that DJ Hero might be the next big thing in faux-musicianship has shifted to anticipation and wonder of what’s next.

Did we get burnt out?

Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero III
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero V
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80’s
Guitar Hero Smash Hits
Band Hero
DJ Hero
etc…

Despite possible over-saturation, rhythm gaming is still hot. We think downloadable tracks will increase/stay steady in 2010, but the days of fancy pads and colorful plastic shapes for $200 bucks are slowing down.

I’ve gotta say, we’ve come a long way since the first rhythm game was produced:
Dance Aerobics (1987)!

Blockbuster

I love the concept of Blockbuster. Popping into the brick and mortar on a rainy day, browsing the genres, renting a movie in PJ’s (and noting everyone else in theirs as well) can be an event in itself.

So these guys didn’t innovate, they had prices all over the map and managed to bring themselves down shortly after running out the mom-and- pops.

Remember when “no more late fees” first hit? Do you remember it “not really working that way”?

The end of late fees campaign:

Unfortunately, we don’t think this one is a matter of “if” just “when”.

Uncrustables

Smucker’s just closed the plant that employed an uncrustable team of 140, saying they are “consolidating locations”. This is after the headline “No More PB&J”.

The Uncrustables brand had a rocky start from the get go – what with controversial patents and its secret recipe almost being leaked — just kidding about that last part.

However…fact: Smucker’s attempted to patent the process of making a sandwich. Talk about a legal jam! (Sorry for that.)

We predict 2010 is the year Crustables will say good-bye.

Crocs

via

I had a feeling it was all over when they started being banned from hospitals.

‘Nuff said on these guys.

Saab

A “challenging time” in the auto industry is putting it lightly. GM has given to the end of the month for a buyer to step forward and take the Swedish-engineered brand off their backs.

We may not be seeing anything more from Saab.

Brand Obama

There will be no talk of politics here. However, one thing we can probably all agree on is the emotional and fever-inducing campaign the Obama marketing team courageously led is finally fading.

The world ate up the messaging (“hope”, “change”, “yes we can”), modern typography (Gotham typeface), thoughtful design and an online presence unlike any other politician before.

Even the mass-market brand, Pepsi rode the “Hope” bandwagon into their own campaign.

While we obviously don’t think the Obama brand is going to “die” – the international novelty has definitely worn off and the fever has subsided. I’ve got to hand it to any past, present, and future presidents: toughest job in the country, ever!  Here’s to 2010, friends.

As with predictions, who really knows? But one thing’s for certain: nothing is certain.

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Brand Fail 2010

Before starting an identity project, it is essential that you analyze the competitive set and then determine what gives your brand distinction. Since the competition is so broad, its important that travel and destination brands understand where they fit so they can successfully stand out from all of their competitors.

Distinctive design can give a brand a unique presence and expression.

While a logo is only one component of a brand, it’s purpose can be thought of as a visual ambassador. The right logo will help create desire. It will have a point of view. And set the standard. It should represent a body of core ideas, yet rarely can it perform this task literally. The best logos imply meaning through representation and metaphor. They can take their form as wordmarks, or letterforms, as graphic symbols or a combination of words, letters and symbols. They range from the literal to the illustrative to the abstract.

With so many possibilities, how do you choose the right direction?

When creating a travel or destination logo, we examine the competitive environment and then consider three elements – shape, color and content. It is unrealistic to expect a logo to represent every detail of your brand, but having a good ambassador with a unique, authentic expression will serve your destination well for years to come.

Competitive logo review

Given the benefits of a distinctive identity, it’s a wonder that so many travel and destination brands within a competitive set use similar iconography in their logos. Comfort Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Days Inn all have a sun icon. The MGM Grand and Ritz Carlton logos both sport a beautiful lion.

Many cities utilize a rendering of their skyline. Golf course logos all too often incorporate complex illustrations or clip art of golf clubs. According to Logo Design Guru, a website where you can buy a logo starting at just $99: “A golf course logo graphic should be very creative and must highlight the salient features of golf, like clubs, balls, etc.” In other words — make it look like every other golf course.

A few years back, when the Wanderlust team was rebranding Windham Mountain, we collected the marketing materials of 52 competitors, to better understand their competitive set and search for an opportunity to create meaningful differentiation. What we found was nothing short of cliché: 90% of the competition had a mountain in their logo. The mountain iconography ranged from the abstract to the literal, but in the end each of these resorts built an identity around what makes them similar, not what makes them different.

The folks at Windham learned from this exercise that mountain imagery in whatever form was something they needed to stay away from in order to stand out from the crowd. The place to draw inspiration for their identity was their unique brand positioning — that differentiating, relevant, deliverable and ownable mojo that makes Windham Mountain desirable to its customers.

There are actually a handful of ski resorts who have gone so far as to eliminate references to anything to do with skiing and snowboarding in their logos. The ones that have done this are attempting to communicate their brand essence, what makes them different. Now one might argue, for example, that a logo like Beaver Creek’s has nothing to do with skiing and therefore doesn’t communicate to skiers, especially if you had never heard of Beaver Creek before.

Beaver Creek’s logo is about luxury. Its monogram of interlocking ‘B’ and ‘C’ letterforms are reminiscent of Coco Channel’s C’s or Gucci’s G’s. The script typographic wordmark would more likely be found on a bottle of champagne.

While Beaver Creek’s logo is effective at differentiating the resort, script type and monograms are not necessarily the best way to communicate luxury in all situations. In fact, scripts and monograms are actually pretty common in the broad category of luxury. However, Beaver Creek was the first to successfully and sustainably position themselves as a luxury ski resort and, as a result, they own it. No competitor can take this position away from them as long as they remain true to the promise.

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Express Yourself: Logo Development Best Practices

Successful brand development rests upon achieving a thoughtful balance between optimizing the objective and subjective attributes of a brand.  When making the decision to purchase an iPhone versus BlackBerry, for instance, consumers are considering objective attributes – such as picture quality, compatibility with other media components, and the communication features available.

In addition to these factors, though, the purchaser will also make subjective judgments about the products before them.  What is the reputation of Apple versus BlackBerry?  What will it say about me if I am carrying an iPhone?  Would I prefer to type emails on a touch-screen or a standard keypad?

Brands that are able to capitalize on both subjective and objective criteria are subsequently able to create value for its target market. Often, this effort involves shifting the perception of a brand within the marketplace.

The role of the brand consultant is to identify the brand’s attributes and present them in a way that speaks to the target market and shapes their response to the product or service.

There are three commonly used approaches:

Change consumer beliefs

This is of particular importance when there are, or could be, negative associations with a product or brand.  Take the iPhone, for example.  When originally introduced into the market, the iPhone was cutting edge, unique technology.  Had Apple simply dumped the product into the marketplace without proper advertising showing how easy it is to use, and how it is similar to other technology consumers were already familiar with, it could have been rejected.

Perception is reality when it comes to brands.  You must shape your message to respond to your target market’s actual, and potential, concerns if they might negatively affect your brand’s place in the field.

Change what’s important

Before the iPhone, how many of us sat around thinking that our lives would improve immensely if only we were able to watch full-length films on our mobile phones?  Exactly.

Consumers are responding to various levels of need when they are making buying decisions for products and services.  They are accounting for everything from the basic necessities of food and water, to the need for social interaction, to the ultimate need to be self-fulfilled.

If a brand is able to respond to an existing opening in the market (meeting an unfulfilled need) or, better yet, to create a need in the market, it is well on its way to success.

Add a new attribute

In response to the new Apple-created need for multi-media capabilities in a mobile phone, those who distributed media began to create new ways to reach this opened market.  Thus, online news and media providers like the New York Times, YouTube, and others began to tout their web pages as easily-viewable on the iPhone and other handheld devices.

Adding new attributes to existing products and services can refresh a brand and give it renewed relevance in the marketplace.  As a consultant, when you recognize a differentiating feature in the brand you are developing; move quickly to capitalize on it and make it known to the consumer.  Draw attention to the fact that you have recognized a new way to add value to their experience of the brand.

What are your experiences with shifting consumer attitudes? How have you responded?

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Objective + Subjective = Brand Balance

The Pareto Principle

What my father was trying to teach me, however, is  the principle known in marketing circles as the Pareto Principle, named for Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto.

These days it is normally called the 80/20 Rule, and it states that 80 percent of outcomes are a result of 20 percent of inputs. The actual numbers aren’t the important thing here; they don’t need to add up to 100, and they will vary from situation to situation.

The critical concept of the 80/20 Rule is that a minority of causes — whether that’s customers, software bugs, or employees — are responsible for a majority of results — such as revenues, system crashes or productivity.

For brand marketers, this has some important implications. As my father was trying to teach me, you should put your effort into the things that are going to give you the results you need. For example, Seth Godin points to recent research that says that only 16% of internet users are responsible for all of the clicks on internet ads. So if you spend lots of time optimizing your ads for clicks, but your target market isn’t part of that 16%, then you’re wasting your time.

So the low hanging fruit here is that you don’t want to expend marketing dollars in ways that are inefficient. This means Burton Snowboards wouldn’t advertise in the Ladies Home Journal, right?

via

Pursuing the Right Customers

There is, however, an even more important aspect to the 80/20 Rule. Some marketers have, unfairly I believe, charged that using the 80/20 Rule results merely in maintaining the status quo. Their logic seems to be that, if you’re going to apply the 80/20 Rule, you focus all of your attention on the 20% of customers that are already making you profitable, rather than trying to gain more profit from the remaining 80%. And, to be fair, Noam Chomsky has admitted that many corporations do precisely this, trying to drive away less profitable customers through poor customer service and other techniques.

The problem with this interpretation is that it fundamentally misunderstands the real value of the 80/20 Rule, at least as it applies to branding. Rather than limiting your attention to those existing customers that supply the majority of your profit, the smart brand marketer tries to understand what it is about those customers that makes them different than the other, less profitable customers. Once you know that, you can go after more customers that resemble your most profitable ones.

As a brand marketer, you need to figure out who your core audience is — the 20% that wants to buy what you’re selling — and make sure that you are connecting with them on an emotional level. Then:

Ignore what everyone else thinks about your brand.

This is the hard part that trips up most marketers and companies. Many reflexively shy away from marketing that they think might alienate people. But I’m not talking about doing things that are risqué just for the sake of being edgy . I’m talking about connecting to your core audience, even if that means not connecting with the rest of the population.

Case Study: Fox News and CNN

Love it or hate it,

Fox News has figured out an absolutely brilliant branding program. They tailor their news programming to conservatives and independents who are disaffected with the government. And while Rupert Murdoch is clearly conservative himself, I don’t think that has nearly as much to do with Fox’s brand as does the fact that he has found an audience that makes him buckets of cash. Fox doesn’t care that their brand turns away a large portion of the American populace — heck, the controversy probably helps them to draw in a crowd.

via

Now, let’s look at CNN. These people don’t have any idea who their audience is. Their branding steadfastly adheres to the idea that they’re a trustworthy news source. That may have worked in the 80s and 90s, but it’s failing them miserably today. CNN president Jon Klein insists that, “Excellent journalism is what we are focused on. We refuse to do the things that might get us a quick number or cater to the extremes that would alienate our core viewers”. In other words, they’re focused on doing things right, and desperately hoping that the customers will follow. But, despite Klein’s assertions, CNN doesn’t actually have a core audience at this point. Instead of just insisting that “excellent journalism” will save the day, Klein should be focused on doing the right thing and creating a brand that can emotionally connect with a large enough group of consumers to keep his teevee channel going.

In just about any successful brand, whether consciously or not, you will see this adherence to the 80/20 Rule. Those brands have figured out who their core audience is, and they tightly focus their marketing messages around connecting with those customers. Conversely, as soon as companies start trying to be everything to everyone, their brands lose coherence and start the slide into mediocrity and failure.

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Brand Marketing: Ignorance Is Bliss

A recent study conducted by Taglineguru revealed some compelling findings on the words that mattered most to consumers in ‘09.

They are:
believe                                  far/further
future                                    imagine/see
innovate/innovation              more
new                                       save/savings
together                                you

In an attempt to strengthen brand loyalty during tough economic times, marketers are choosing to “strategically recast their brand messages”.

Red Flag

The research raises some thought-provoking points. By definition, a tagline represents the brand’s foundational value point(s). That being said, if you’re not revamping your entire brand/values/platform, why change the messaging? Brands spend millions establishing brand identity. Great care must be taken when tweaking messages–anything less than consistent leaves room for questions and may cause audiences to think twice when making a purchase decision.

A deliberate “message recast” in an effort to strengthen loyalty (a.k.a. sell product) can open the door for backlash – customer confusion, fear and disturbance. Modifying your tag with the launch of every new marketing campaign indeed sends a NEW message, but moreover it is a mixed message. No matter how clever, a new tagline can’t compensate for a lack of brand confidence.

This is the chance you take.

You Are Your Tagline

Riding an industry trend is one thing, but flipping your tag with the seasons is another.

You should also be aware of what messaging is being used within your industry. Interbrand’s Paola Norambuena, along with Brand Channel, also commented on this study and emphasized the importance of avoiding overuse and repetition: e.g. Wal-Mart (”Save Money. Live Better”)  and Target (”Expect More. Pay Less”).

So, hang onto those taglines, unless you’re ready to pump some serious resources into a rebrand.
As for “Future”, “Imagine” and “Believe”? I don’t know guys, I’m just not that into it.

Hat tip to @Siegalgale

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Words That Matter Most in ‘09

Shock, awe and heartache?! How will this roll out? There is no doubt that any brand with a solid online presence, participation and edge will be the ones duking it out. What makes this so exciting for us at FYB is how contests like this provide proof for big brands still caught up in thinking no one is talking about them.

via

With categories like best Brand/Startup/Company/Agency, Best Social Media Agency, Best Use of Facebook and Best Use of Twitter,  the #openwebawards is sure to be a heated dispute. Mashable has made it clear that the winners are up to the people to reveal who is most deserving of category crowns – and by integrating the voting process with twitter and facebook it is ridiculously easy for us to nominate (now) and vote (next week).

Nominations can still be submitted for a few more days but Mashable has reported some leaders in the pack – some front runners in the Best Brand Use of Twitter category:

• @TrueBloodHBO
• Crayola Creativitycast
• @NHLBlackhawks
• @LiveLifeSolid
• @Philips_vs
• @140hours
• #socialmedia
• @Smartcares
• @Digsby
• @KiWeets

Voting kicks off on Nov 18. – Dec. 13, winners announced on Dec. 15 – make sure you vote!

Come on brands, this is like “peek-a-boo”. You don’t think we notice, but we’re right here watching.

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Vote Best Brands in 09: #openwebawards

Starting this week, and every Friday from here to forever, Fuel Your Branding will be featuring ‘Brand Spanking’–a smattering of happenings in the fairy tale land of branding. We’ll be taking a look at the week in review with regard to product launches, rebrands, brand buzz and branding movers and shakers. Send your brand sightings and brand spanking news to editor@fuelyourbranding.com if you spot something we should know about. Now onto the news.

Ok. The auto industry. Last week we posted about Cadillac’s shiny new logo. It’s been said more than once that we (@bethlapierre + @lisakribs) are mildly obsessed with advertising. But I have to be honest.  I really do get that excited feeling in my belly when Phoenix’s “1901″ comes blasting through in HD.

Chrysler

Rumor has it Chrylser is now preparing to dive into a new 5 year strategy for the brand – via MediaBistro tip!

image via mediabistro.com

Dodge is also expected to receive a brand facelift. More to come.

Motorola’s Droid

…has been making crazy waves the past few weeks. Yesterday Droid hit the market. We’ll have a full review of the launch up shortly.

Controversy a plenty!

AT&T sues Verizon in a downright fist fight of phone carriers:

Via the LA Times: “We’re getting this out of the way now: Motorola’s Droid is the best Google phone on the market.”

Pfizer

image via adam_d

The strongest player in the pharmaceutical company (thank you Viagra) is in the process of releasing a new, more approachable look/feel. Initially the update seems subtle, but after the first few glances, the oblique wordmark by the designer’s @ Siegel + Gale seem to really help…to quote every client I’ve ever worked with….’make it pop’.

You can see the side by side comparison at Bnet.

MSN msn

And msn’s new butterfly:

via istaredsomething.com

That’s a wrap! Any brand newstuff  you guys are seeing out there?

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Brand Spanking [11.06.09]

“It’s a body wash, shave, shampoo, massage and mouthwash. Nature’s own ‘unsurpassed deodorant.’ Facial pack and mosquito repellent, fruit spray, diaper deodorizer and denture cleanser.” (Matthew Fordahl, AP) And I’ve got just a couple more: laundry, car washes, computer screens and dog baths.

Promising? Yes. Consistent Messaging? Yes. This all natural, fair trade marvel has been kicking around on organic store shelves for decades.

Dr. Emmanuel Bronner, aka the “pope of soap” found a need and filled it by creating, if I may say, one of the most unique and lasting products in the late 21st century by holding true to its brand for over 60 years.

If you’ve seen the packaging, you’d know it. If you haven’t, behold the unchanged label since 1948:

The messaging all over the product itself may been a bit appears wacky but this brand is the epitome of consistent.

The facts:

• Dr. Bronner’s is the number one-selling natural soap brand in North America.

• No ($0.00) advertising dollars have ever been spent on the product.

• Is made with only certified organic material, free of synthetic preservatives.

The product, pitch and point is simple: Cleans both body and soul.

Emmanuel’s Story

Dr. Emmanuel Bronner’s story is an integral part of the castile soap success. Just like any inventor, founder or CEO this individual’s presence and participation is essential. A passion that they and only they can exemplify for said product/organization/business is a recipe for motivation, success and productivity.
Should someone else fill the shoes of such a figure – priorities will inevitably shift. The excitement and passion becomes watered down, the message perhaps a little foggy – internally (employees) and externally (target market).

Dr. Bronner treated his employees like family and his energy was nothing short of convincing ability, spirited convictions and charm. His loyalty, mission and transparency drove his brand then, does today and will continue to tomorrow.

Way back in ‘01 Brand Channel did a feature on the mysterious Dr. Bronner’s. However, since then, we marketeers/branders/creatives haven’t given much notice to this unusual product – one could argue, the brand hasn’t done much. At that point I would retort and say that it has and continues to blow any other organic soap out of the water,  remaining the #1 natural soap in the country and untouchable in its industry. I’d say that’s something.

Bronner’s brand consistency has had the ability pay little to attention to suppliers who could otherwise muddy or confuse the brand with mixed advertising and promotions. Their standards are simple and lasting.

Yes, the antics are, to put it lightly – zany. However, Bronner’s WOM is powerful. The brand has a way of creating followers, which inevitably spreads Emmanuel’s own personal message, unusual as it may be.

The documentary, “Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox” (directed by Sara Lamm), reveals the incredible life of Emanuel Bronner and his family. The man behind the soap:

Sure, Dr. Bronner’s message is strange. But from our seats their tactics: high quality products, consistency and word of mouth have backed a successful strategy that plugs directly into their niche category.

We can learn a lot from Emmanuel and the family who continues his legacy:

• Fill a void

• Create a legacy – not a fad within that void

• Stay true to what’s important and the messaging, and the sales, will follow

So, if you’re feeling adventurous, go pick some up – if you can’t find it ask any backpacker, or look for it by the granola.

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Dr.Bronner’s: Zero Advertising, Millions in Revenue

We’re going to ogle three brands that took some dangerous risks in 2009.  They each generated a ton of positive buzz, but even more criticism.  It should be noted that besides their detractors, the following campaigns were almost universally supported by their intended audiences – and as a result should be applauded for their efforts.

Volskwagen Real Racing GTI iPhone app (10.09)

What the people who mattered had to say: @thirtytwofeet “the vw gti app is great fun. i’m going to buy the full version – game and car. it’s ‘everyone’s a winner ‘advertising. Awesome”

The risk that they took:

Went straight to iPhone.  VW Golf’s young male techy audience likely spends a disproportionate time playing games and with their smart phones versus watching television.  VW decided to forgo the traditional TV buy for their new GTI launch and focus on showcasing the vehicle through a customized version of an already-popular paid iPhone racing game.  Upon download players are entered to win one of six suped-up GTIs as they play.  There is also a showroom in the game where they can get a close-up look at the redesigned auto.

What they could’ve done better:

Take it beyond the iPhone racing game. Real Racing GTI limits users to a racetrack where speed is the only objective.  There is certainly room to showcase the other vehicle features that matter in other iPhone apps.  Where else is this audience talking about and drooling over cars?  In their own cars? Why not create an augmented reality app that can transform someone’s current car into a new GTI?  VW can also benefit by highlighting the real-life experience of the vehicle – from the plush interior to the Euro suspension. Maybe integrate into an app that highlights European fashion and luxury – like Gilt Groupe?

Takeaway:

Simple, non-pigeonholed ideas can propel a digital-only launch.  Where mass market buys are too inefficient or have too high a barrier of entry, highly targeted digital activations will always work.  It’s important to not create an app for the sake of it, but to add value and be super-specific in messaging.

Burger King Whopper Sacrifice (01.09)

What the people who mattered had to say: Rajesh Shetty “It was a brilliant campaign where you win if you win and win if you fail”

The risk that they took:

Burger King enabled their consumers to wreak havoc on Facebook.  A more dated but still relevant case study, BK allowed Facebook users to sacrifice 10 of their friends in exchange for a Whopper.  In this hilarious take on the true value of social networking “friendships,” Burger King enabled their consumers to prioritize a delicious burger over a purely digital distant relationship.

What they could’ve done better:

Work closer with Facebook to avoid getting pulled.  The application was discontinued in less than a week due to supposed violation of Facebook’s privacy policy that forbids a user to be notified when they’ve been defriended.  Nearly a quarter-million friendships were sacrificed for a Whopper in this manner, fueling Burger King’s viral branding fire.

Takeaway:

Brands often get caught up in the desire to satisfy everyone without offending anyone – a task proven impossible since the dawn of man (though promised by most politicians). Our consumers are smarter, more intelligent and cynical than we give them credit for.  They can appreciate when a brand is real enough to aid them in their personal guilty/evil pleasures.  In the game of branding, success can be found in helping our consumers offend each other, rather than please.

Amp “B4 U Score” iPhone app (10.9)

Credit: Wall Street Journal

What the people who mattered had to say: @thelifeofnate “I don’t know what’s worse. That people take time to complain about this stuff or that Pepsi rolled over.”

The risk that they took:

Help men fulfill their carnal desires.  Amp Energy solidified their stature amongst Maxim-reading, Axe-wielding males 18-24 by creating an iPhone app that provided these guys scoring tips for 2 dozen lady types – from Cougar to Rebound Girl to Twins.  They introduced witty/cheesy pickup lines along with bits of conversational knowledge that could aid in conquest.  There was even a feature to “brag” to your friends about the whole experience.  It essentially was a male/iPhone version of Cosmo’s monthly “195 Ways to Please Your Man”.

What they could’ve done better:

Stuck to their guns and not pull it down.  None of Amp’s intended male target asked for the app to be taken down from the app store (which also happened within a week of launch, like the Burger King case above).  If Pepsi had the guts to set this dating application for men live, they should’ve defended it all the way through.  Instead they yielded to external pressure and apologized for something that they shouldn’t have been sorry for.

Takeaway:

If you’re going to be badass, stay badass ‘til the end.  The second you waiver, your authenticity is called into question.  Obviously you need to keep concern for your shareholders and the halo effect on the other brands in your portfolio – but not at the risk of diluting a powerful and effective branding message.  It is totally possible to surprise and delight your target audience while offending everybody else just enough to avoid protest marches outside of your corporate headquarters.

Its fairly safe to declare each of these risky executions as brand winners – they all strived to become not just the subject, but part of the conversation.  To do so they talked with and enabled their youngish male audiences – instead of simply talking like them and pissing them off (see “Poochie”, The Simpsons 1997).

As our brands evolve in the social media space, we must peel off the white gloves.  If we’re already convinced we’ve been risky and bold, we should examine the criticism we’ve received.  If there is none, then I think we we’ve played it too safe.  Let’s all take risks like Burger King, Volkswagen and Amp as we position our brands as something quite the opposite of lame.

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Brands With Balls: Taking Risks Pays Off