Archive for the ‘Brand Harmony’ Category
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 |
I just checked into a beautiful, spacious suite at The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas. This room is four times the size of any hotel room I would choose for myself; thank you to the folks at Subway, for whom I’m speaking tomorrow, for the nice room.
Before sending me up to my luxurious suite, the very nice front desk clerk, Anna, warned me about the mini-bar refrigerator. “It’s touch-sensitive,” cautioned Anna, “So if you open it and pick anything up to look at it, you’ll be charged for it.”
What if I want to read the label on the Pellegrino to see how many calories are in it? Or closely study the logo on a can of Budweiser?
I arrived in the suite, and got lost for a few minutes finding my way around, marveling at all of the amenities I would not have time to enjoy during my short stay. Remembering Anna’s admonition, I located the refrigerator and looked at the outer door. (No way was I going to open it and risk maxing out my credit card) A sign on the door said that “For Your Convenience” you will be automatically charged if you grab anything.
Wow. The Venetian is offering me all of this comfort in my suite, but I was feeling like I better be careful or they might reach in my wallet while I’m not looking. What else shouldn’t I touch? What other secret charges are lurking in wait for me?
Suddenly, I thought of the hangers in the closet. I went to look. Sure enough, they were the kind that have the extra-small loops, to go over the extra-thin rod, so you won’t steal them. Nobody has closet rods in their homes that can fit these types of hangers. Like a Motel 6, The Venetian wants to make sure I won’t walk off with their clothes hangers.
So, after initially feeling pampered by The Venetian, I now see that they look at our relationship as if I were an adversary. This is where Brand Harmony meets We relationships … a few small dissonant cues reveal that we are not We.
Posted in Brand Harmony, We relationships | 8 Comments »
Sunday, July 13th, 2008 |
What is the biggest change you need make in your marketing? Embrace new media? Embrace social media? Switch spending from traditional media advertising to other options? Yes, most companies need to do those things, but these changes are secondary to the one really big change you should make, if you haven’t made it already.
The biggest change you need to make in your marketing is to abandon the mindset of “brute force” that has ruled marketing since the mid-20th century. Brute force is the belief that the key to winning customers is to interrupt them as frequently as possible with messages that are as powerful as possible. The brute force philosophy implies that customers are easily swayed, and they are eagerly waiting to receive your communications after which, lemming-like, they will change their behavior.
Listen in on most marketing planning meetings, and you will hear the religion of brute force being preached. “We need a more powerful message to cut through the clutter,” or “we’ll need to increase spending to reach our audience more effectively.” Sales people, also, have been sucked into the brute force vortex. They can be regularly be overheard talking about “getting at bats with a customer” or “giving a pitch.”
Guess what? The days of brute force are waning. The main reason: Customers are not as impressionable as they used to be. They don’t buy your product just because you interrupted them more effectively than another company. The second reason brute force doesn’t work well anymore: Unless you work for Annheuser-Busch or McDonald’s, you don’t have a big enough budget to shout louder than everyone else who is also shouting at your customers.
As Tom Peters once said, “Learning is easy, but unlearning is difficult.” Do your best to unlearn what you’ve been taught about brute force as a marketing strategy. Focus, instead, on what really works: Creating a powerful sense of brand harmony for your customers that helps them hear a clear, compelling story as they interact with your company. Brute force falls on deaf ears, but brand harmony is the first step to creating motivating brand impressions in the minds of your customers.
Posted in Brand Harmony, Brute Force Branding | 15 Comments »
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 |
I don’t get it.
I recognize that this isn’t new news. But I just saw a Southwest Airlines commercial for their Business Select program, and, after all these months, I still don’t get it.
One of the charms - and differentiating features - of Southwest has always been their “everyman” personality. No first class, no preferential seating (unless you show up early), and a complete lack of pretension.
Business Select is a program that gives privileges to frequent business travelers. That, in itself, is not a problem (of course). But the ad I just saw has one customer loudly proclaiming how happy he is to be in the Business Select program, while his friend says, “Shh. Be quiet. If you talk about it loudly everyone will want to be part of it.”
That’s not Southwest. Way too exclusionary. If I’m sitting near the front of a coach section and I see a flight attendant close the curtain behind first class, I know I must be on American, United, Delta or Northwest. Southwest has never created a class system. Everyone has a fair shot, and that’s a big part of makes them special.
What’s next, a special bathroom for Business Select members? (Sound crazy? That’s exactly what other airlines do for first class passengers.)
Posted in Brand Harmony | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 |
So what if you’re different? Does anyone care?
Yesterday, a friend and I were discussing one of his competitors. This company has a unique feature, and has built their entire brand story around that feature. The problem? The feature isn’t that important to many people. (My friend smiles at this competitor’s strategy)
There is a difference between being different and being differentiated. “Since 1984,” “The Largest” or “Unlike others, we use only the highest quality rivets” may all be true. But do they matter?
(Shortly after speaking with my friend, Stumble Upon brought me to this picture, at funnyharhar.com)
Posted in Brand Harmony, Marketing | 2 Comments »
Thursday, March 13th, 2008 |
If you are a typical American, you will be exposed to something like 5000 marketing messages today. These will cover the spectrum from logos on shirts and ketchup bottles to impassioned pleas for your business.
Throughout the day today, notice how many of these messages actually have an impact on you. Even if they don’t encourage you to buy something, do they at least stick with you after the exposure?
You will probably notice that very few of these messages make a difference for you, let alone even get noticed by you.
Now, think about your customer, who will also be bombarded with 5000 messages today, in addition to an avalanche of emails, text messages, memos and voicemails. What happens if you send message number 5001? Will she be happy to see it? Will she notice it? Will it move her?
You can not shout your way into your customer’s life. A bigger marketing budget and more brute force is rarely the answer. Focus on creating an experience of brand harmony for your customer, where all interactions with you blend to tell one, cumulative story. And focus on relationship-building encounters, instead of impersonal transactions.
What can you do - today - to rise above the noise of your customer’s life? (Hint: It’s not a direct mail campaign)
Posted in Brand Harmony, Brute Force Branding | 4 Comments »
Thursday, February 28th, 2008 |
Can you believe he wrote that? Don’t make a brand consistent? Huh?
Ok, here’s why I wrote that: Consistency is not enough.
In fact, consistency is often boring.
Don’t think consistent. Think complementary.
Take one of the world’s strongest brands - Apple. I don’t expect the different components of the Apple brand I come in contact with (computer, iPod, iPhone, apple.com, iTunes, iTunes store, Genius Bar, retail shopping experience, computer repair, etc.) to all say the same thing, with consistency. That would be weird. No, I expect them to be in complement, creating experiences that blend in harmony.
The oft-mentioned “McDonald’s is a great brand because I can get the same hamburger anywhere is the world” is not really what makes a great brand. It may make a predictable product, but it doesn’t make for an interesting brand. Experiences worth noticing and thinking about use contrast and tension to create interest. One of my favorite avocations is playing jazz. Beautiful jazz harmonies are filled with tension and dissonance; the contrast is what makes them beautiful. The same thing can happen with experiences your customers have with you.
Consistency is not enough. You can aim higher. Think “complement.”
Posted in Brand Harmony | 8 Comments »
