Category: Production

“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another” – Seth Godin

Seth Godin, best-selling author (Linchpin) and the mind behind the concept of ‘permission marketing’ is considered a brand guru. In 2018, he was inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame. The above quote is one his most popular insights into the context of what a brand is all about. Nonetheless, the word “brand” is still one of the most misunderstood words in the marketing world.

Historically, the term was branded by ranchers more than a century ago. They used branding irons to identify their livestock, a practice that continues to this day.

Perhaps the most iconic example of branding is associated with Coca Cola; however, even the beverage giant has been challenged over the past four decades to compete in a world of clever brands vying for a larger share of the beverage market Coca Cola still continues to dominate.

As the quote from Godin indicates, a brand is something owned just as much by the consumer as the company. What started simply as a name for a product over a century ago evolved into a culture, a strategy, an art and a science. So the question is: what is your brand?

David Ogilvy, an iconic adman of the last century, described a brand as the “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes”. What Godin describes takes it further. Between the two men, there is an opportunity for a marketer to more clearly define their brand.

A brand is “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” – David Ogilvy

So, taking both views of branding into account, here are the questions you might ask, which can lead you to a more tangible description and understanding of your brand.

1. What are the attributes of your product or service which make it distinct from other products or services in your category? The physical attributes of a product include the functionality and other components that appeal to the consumer. It might be the raw material used to make it, the color and size, perhaps even the shape. If it is a service, it might be the manner of delivery; for example, a new service now delivered online. So that covers Ogilvy’s context.

2. On to Godin. What do your customers say about your product or service? To some degree, what they say has something to do with what they have heard or seen; however, consumers also form their own meanings. They may support a brand because it is socially responsible and active, making the world a better place. A brand might be an exponent of a value consumers aspire to. This is certainly the case with materialistic things like luxury vehicles.

3. When you tell stories about your product or service, what kind of stories are you telling? Do your stories make a connection with your consumer? Are they relevant? Social media certainly offers an opportunity to solicit immediate consumer reactions and perspectives. Have you been looking at their responses carefully to see if there are trends? Are the responses in line with what you wanted to achieve or is there a misunderstanding or confusion — even resistance?

4. What do you understand about your consumers’ expectations relating to your brand? Too often, marketers push out the values of a product or service without really paying attention to what consumers actually want (or ignoring them altogether). Typically, marketers will say, “I know what my brand is.” What is perhaps even more important is finding out what consumers know about your brand; not only know, but — feel.

Is your brand meeting consumer expectations?

So, really, there are two basic sides to a brand. The first is the name and image consumers see or hear about in media. The second side is the one the consumer creates. This embraces their perceptions, thoughts and feelings about the product or service. How much do you really know about those perceptions?

In the latter 60s, early 70s, 7-UP, a minor player in the beverage industry at the time, developed a strategy designed to grab share away from the ubiquitous giant, Coca Cola. Their research showed them that consumers wanted an alternative. As a result, advertising history was made when the clear colored beverage company launched a campaign overtly naming its main competitor, something marketers and advertising professionals gasped at. But it was simple and elegant — and historic.

They branded themselves as the “Un-Cola”. It was a blatant counter attack to the norm. Interestingly enough, America, at the time, was being torn apart by the Viet Nam war. Like the war protesters, 7-UP was protesting the norm and positioning themselves as opposition to the status quo. Of course, it worked.

In some ways, a brand is something that either becomes part of a culture or creates the culture. Think of it this way: you may believe you know what your customers want and build a one-sided brand, one only you understand. Or, you can begin to explore the relationship with your consumers that will help build the relevance and appeal of your product or service.

Hopefully, this offers you a — brand new way— of looking at it.

Where do they come from?

Stephen King believes that ideas manifest more accidentally, perhaps organically, whereas others believe we can deliberately direct our minds to actively engage in the process.

We do not come up with ideas; we find them.

Our brain is forever connecting dots, whether we are conscious or asleep. My methodology, explained in detail in my book, A Brilliant Idea Every 60 Seconds, is based on the application of nine Inherent Values or idea triggers. Using them, an Idea String is generated and, within seconds, ideas emerge to serve whatever purpose or objective you have in mind.

Our brain is forever connecting dots, whether we are conscious or asleep. In my book, A Brilliant Idea Every 60 Seconds, finding ideas is based on a methodology using nine Inherent Values or idea triggers. Using them, an Idea String is generated and, within seconds, ideas emerge to serve whatever purpose or objective you have in mind.

Neuroscience more or less asserts that ideas are derived from things we already know. There are two parts (of three) in the brain, which work together to generate the ideas we think of. One part fuels our imagination and the other focuses on what is happening, interpreting reality as we know it. Beyond that, science is mute on the subject. Perhaps the spawning of ideas is as simple as the idea that when you mix two different colors, a third color appears.

Neuroscience asserts that ideas are derived from things we already know.

There are many books and articles focused on how we can train the mind to function more creatively. Many experts point to the arts as a factor in our creative development, and I believe music and art are vital to our creative process. Ironically, many schools are cutting back on these programs. For many children, their creativity resides in the palm of their hands, within the games they play. The problem is that these programs are predictable, albeit that some aspects are random and require spontaneous choices on the part of the user.

A simple example of how we find ideas looks something like this. Let’s say you need an idea for a small home cleaning business. I start with the Inherent Value, Function – Result. The service is house cleaning. The result is a clean house. Next, I pull out the Inherent Value, By Implication. The implications of a clean house are that the owner feels good, saves time, and uses that time to do other things. Therein is the first idea to attach to the Idea String: it should focus on the solution to a problem. Now I harness my next two Inherent Values, Problem – Solution and Cause – Effect. I establish the problem asking a simple question: what do homeowners think about cleaning? Obviously, most people do not like to clean for reasons implied earlier. Primarily, cleaning takes time away from other things. So, the solution is to not just eliminate time to clean, but, also, to liberate time to do other things. The unique selling proposition lies in the solution and, hence, we find the idea for the promotion.

A brilliant idea can be found within the question about a problem.

The promotion should speak to the solution. But telling a potential customer they will “save time” is stating the obvious. The ‘effect’ of the solution is the brilliant idea that emerges. The promotion can leverage itself by offering the potential customer an opportunity to do something with the time they will save.

So, let’s put it all together. Buy some inexpensive cleaning cloths. Say, one hundred. Print one hundred cards with a simple message and slip everything into a simple white bag or attach the cloth to a door hanger. If you can afford it, have your logo printed on the cloth, bag or hanger.

The message: We know you don’t like to clean your house. You have better things to do with your time. So, you can either use this cleaning cloth or we can do the cleaning for you. And when you present this card, we will bring you a cup of tea or coffee to enjoy while you relax and enjoy your free time and our special discount. (Of course, include your phone number and email.)

Yes, you will have to buy some tea and coffee packets (or something else if you think of it), but, trust me, people love freebies. Lastly, pick 100 houses in a neighborhood where young families live. Parents are busy people and time is a commodity to them. Hang the bags or hanger on their door handles if possible and wait for the results.

I know you might think I had this promotion in my head already, but, in fact, I conceived it as I wrote this article. The ideas did not float into my head out of the air. I used a methodology, which helped my mind focus on specific things. Brilliant ideas are within you. All you have to do is find them. What do you need an idea for?

-Michael Kryton