The Affordable Branding Blog

Better Performance from Strong Branded Cultures

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:19:04 GMT

Strong branded cultures don't just have engaged employees who are passionate and proud of their brand. They have a clear understanding of the brand's purpose and vision with a clear line-of-sight perspective as to how they contribute to the success of the brand, and they're empowered to deliver on it. Check out this interesting white paper by Carol Chapman.

UPS: On Brand Strategy or Off?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:04:17 GMT

Check out the 30-second UPS commercial at the link. Not sure if this is accurate or not, but this UPS ad made me think of the possible brand strategy behind it: Client: We're the only delivery service that NASCAR allows to make trackside deliveries Agency: Really? That's an awesome differentiator. We should really exploit that. Why do you think that is? Client: Well, they trust us, I guess. Agency: Trust. Trusted. Trustworthy. Yeah, that could work. Creative team: What else is trusted? Abraham Lincoln? No, overused. What about other well-know delivery services, you know, the paper boy, pizza guy, and Santa. All: Perfect! My associate Scott says: So it's basically a humorous, over-the-top attempt at communicating that UPS is so reliable, it's preferred over these cultural icons of reliable delivery. Then it piggybacks on NASCAR's brand as means of social proof. ("See? Even an organization as huge and powerful as NASCAR trusts only UPS!"). But I think they're answering a question no one is really asking. Namely, "Who can I rely on to deliver my package?" Delivery is a basic expectation I have of most any delivery service. What I care about is price and delivery time. FedEx owns the overnight position. So what position is UPS trying to own? However, considering that UPS is still the leader in the shipping category, that TV commercial could work just by being tweaked slightly to emphasize UPS's leadership in delivery, even over Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Leadership is a much more compelling and indisputable attribute than reliability -- which is expected. Plus the halo effect of leadership implies reliability.

It Takes Years to Build a Brand...

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:14:45 GMT

Dove. "It's one-quarter cleansing cream." "The campaign for real beauty." Over the years, Dove has done a wonderful job of branding itself as a gentle, effective facial cleanser and deodorant...FOR WOMEN. So what did they recently do? They launched Dove Men+Care. I think Unilever made a mistake by extending its obviously women-oriented brand into the male space. While the article at the link suggests that minds are already changing, I personally would never buy a Dove product for myself, even if it WAS good. The hardest thing to do in branding is to change minds. And mine has not changed.

Brand Personality

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:43:12 GMT

You can discover your brand personality by peering through the window to your brands soul using the Johari Window.

Do Taglines Matter?

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:45:20 GMT

While not a must-have component to your brand platform, when done right, taglines can strengthen and reinforce your brand essence, help describe what you do (beyond your name), and cement your companys name or mission in the minds of your prospects and customers. Here's an interesting piece about Chevy's intent to drop its tagline.

Tiger and Toyota

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:17:41 GMT

What do Tiger Woods and Toyota have in common? They are both painfully aware of the Warren Buffet quote that says: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently." In fact, I've written an eBook on the subject of growing your business by growing your reputation. More info at the link...

The Great Logo Debate

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:30:17 GMT

I've been involved in plenty of logo changes and there's one thing you can always count on: someone's not going to like the new logo. Think back to last year's freshening of the Pepsi mark. Here's an interesting piece on the new Michigan State Spartan logo. But the funny thing is, it's just a minor cosmetic tweak, not an overhaul. Much ado about nothing? You decide.

Tagline Services

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:00:40 GMT

Our tagline services will not only help support your brand essence, but it will define your marketplace position, be memorable, and provide further differentiation for your business.

Naming Services

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:11:52 GMT

Our naming services are for you whether youre a business start-up seeking the perfect name or you have a new product or extension that requires a name.

Logo Design Services

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:07:11 GMT

Need a new logo for your business? Our fixed-price logo design services means that we have no hidden charges or fees, and you dont pay until youre thrilled with the final product.

Can Special K Change Minds?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:44:01 GMT

I won't say it can't be done. But it's not easy to change minds. In my mind's filing cabinet, Special K stands for breakfast cereal. But for the past couple of years, the Kellogg's brand is trying to reinvent itself as a diet brand. While the cereal has always been about slimming down, the Special K brand is being extended over more and more non-cereal products. Click on the link below and decide for yourself if the Special K name can be authentically stretched into the diet category.

Is "Drinkability" Dead?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:03:24 GMT

According to the Wall Street Journal, "Anheuser-Busch InBev NV will shelve its Bud Light "Drinkability" slogan during the Super Bowl in a bid to resuscitate the beer's sales with funnier commercials." I never understood why they thought Drinkability was a good idea. I always thought it was obvious: "It BETTER be drinkable. It's a beer!" My associate, Scott, says, "First Bud Light steal's Miller Lite's "Tastes great, less filling," concept with the much lamer "Drinkability" tagline. Now Bud Light is stealing Miller's "It's Miller Time!" concept with the much lamer "Here we go" tagline. The King of Beers should be the leader, not the follower in this category." Read more at the link.

10 Worst Super Bowl Ads

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:24:46 GMT

MSNBC has an interesting discussion in the link below about going off strategy to call attention to your business during the Super Bowl. At prices around $2.5 million for 30 seconds of rarefied airtime, you'd think the companies running these spots would be careful about portraying their brand in the wrong light. My associate, Scott, says: "What's most striking about many of those commercials is that they're like 30-second skits that are simply sponsored by different companies. Almost no linkage to the brand, no attempt at positioning, and a misunderstanding of their own brand persona. And the hype and pressure of the Super Bowl media buy seems to encourage this format of getting people talking about your ad, not your product. A cardinal advertising sin. I hear this all the time in radio spots where they spend three quarters of the ad in lame attempts at being funny, then the last 5 seconds talking about the actual brand."

Your Employees ARE Your Brand

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 15:59:37 GMT

In this white paper, the author discusses how the idea of "brand" is now synonymous with "experience." A brand today is our cumulative experience with and perception of an entity. Not surprisingly, the single largest determinant of brand experience is an organization's employees. Despite this awareness, the path to "employee-service-profit-chain" success is mired in obstacles

Become a Brand That Matters

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 14:55:52 GMT

BrandChannel has a good article that was recently posted. "Brands that do not meet the expectations of today's consumer are being summarily dismissed. Brands must be fluid and dynamic. Since the consumer is rapidly changing, as well as consumer culture, the research suggests that marketers need to stay on top of their brands, constantly adapting in a proactive manner, rather than reacting when their brands start losing relevance." Check it out here.

Why Buy?

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 02:28:59 GMT

One question that is fundamental in brand work is, "Why buy?" Why should a prospect choose YOUR company over the competition. It's important to ask that question for your small business, but big business struggles with the same issue of value proposition. Here is a memo from technology giant, Fujitsu, that explains why they are on a quest to answer the Why Buy question... Fujitsu's major competitors are some of the biggest brands in the world in any industry, not just IT. In Japan, Fujitsu is a household name. But outside Japan, awareness of Fujitsu is very low in most countries and our brand image is inconsistent. The most recent global brand survey revealed that in many countries, Fujitsu is commonly mistaken to be a "camera and film" company. To commemorate our 75th anniversary this year, Fujitsu is launching a group-wide branding program intended to strengthen business in Japan and expand business in strategic regions globally. Chairman and President Michiyoshi Mazuka has announced the brand promise "shaping tomorrow with you" in his 2010 New Year's Message on January 4. Our brand promise is derived from the Fujitsu Way. As stated in the president's message, the brand promise represents a simplified way of expressing externally the corporate philosophy underlying the Fujitsu Way. In our brand promise, "shaping tomorrow" reflects Fujitsus corporate vision and "with you" reflects Fujitsu's customer-centric perspective in all activities over the long term, for their success. Our brand promise summarizes in just a few words why people should choose us rather than our competitors it can help attract new customers, help us keep existing ones and make it easier to recruit the best and brightest to Fujitsu. At the heart of the program is a new brand platform which answers the central questions 1) Who we are and what makes us special (Brand Positioning). 2) How we create and deliver value (Brand Attributes), and 3) What we want to be known for among our stakeholders (Brand Promise). The brand platform provides a basis from which Fujitsu can deliver consistency through every touch point with the customers. This includes our own people and how we behave, the way we communicate through all media, the places we meet with customers, and the products and services we deliver to them. Fujitsu plans to roll out the brand platform globally to bring consistency in all corporate activities for delivering coherent customer experience.

Good Re-branding Case History

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:41:06 GMT

It's fascinating to observe companies re-brand. Sometimes it's a simple face lift. In other instances, a merger or acquisition suggests that a total re-branding effort is necessary. Infogroup recently went through a re-branding exercise, and I believe it was for the right reasons AND they arrived at some solid results. Judge for yourself...

More Timbling Dominos

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 01:13:28 GMT

The watercooler buzz seems to be alive with talk of Domino's rebranding. Yes, even "regular folk" are using the term branding in relating tales of Domino's new recipe and it's "pizza turnaround" campaign. This is the same Domino's that became one of America's top pizza brands by focusing its value proposition exclusively on fast delivery. "Thirty minutes or it's free." Domino's was never about good pizza. It was about FAST pizza. Now Domino's is blurring the focus. Now we're supposed to believe that Domino's is fast, fresh, delicious, has great baked sandwiches, delectable desserts, and more. Will it work? Short term, sure. Long term? I'm not betting on them. This feels like a classic branding mistake. Move over KFC, and make room for the "new" Domino's.

Brand Junkie Awards!

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:01:11 GMT

What do General Motors, Benetton, Pepsi, Apple, and Facebook have in common? They are the top five controversial brands for 2009. Check out Brandchannel's other Brand Junkie winners at the link.

Money Where Their Mouth Is

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:19:10 GMT

One of the world's most recognizable logos--the Lacoste croc--is putting some teeth into its identity courtesy of a donation to save real-life crocodiles. Their "Save Your Logo Initiative" is a good example of doing social good and linking it to your brand.

Brand Mascots

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 01:24:32 GMT

Often, mascots are so closely associated with different brands, that they BECOME the brand. They embody the brand. They are the spokesperson for the brand. Here's an interesting piece about the evolution of five mascots. Fun reading.

"I was wrong about taglines"

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:25:24 GMT

My associate, Scott, had pretty strong feelings about the "throw-away" nature of most taglines, thinking they were generally useless. We often discuss their relative merits and pitfalls. But Scott has had an awakening of sorts. I'll let him tell it: I was watching football last weekend and noticed all the signage at the stadium -- most of which showed some combination of name, logo, and meaningless tagline. Then I've been noticing highway billboards that do the same thing. And it occurred to me that while this does get the brand name "out there," it misses a prime opportunity to associate the brand with a word, position, or promise. If branding is indeed the creation of a compelling expectation that your offering will consistently deliver a unique, meaningful benefit (its brand promise), then the tagline should be the most concise statement of what customers can expect from your brand. Instead of signage and billboards that communicate nothing, these advertising venues provided an opportunity for the brands to make a promise to customers via their taglines of what compelling benefit they can expect. Since the first step in creating an expectation among customers is to communicate it, why wouldn't you start with the words that always appear next to your name and logo? The tagline puts the brand name in context, telling customers that they can associate this name and logo with this unique, meaningful benefit. Instead of letting copywriters get cute with it, companies should deliver their brand promise/customer expectation as clearly and concisely as possible. I can't imagine a tagline any more powerful than that. And when it comes to the two types of taglines, descriptive and expressive, I think you choose these based on whether your brand promise is rational or emotional. "Better bread. Better subs." is a rational, tangible promise for Cousins. So the tagline is descriptive. But Nike and Marlboro, for instance, don't have any rational, tangible differences for their products. They're selling a mindset. So expressive taglines like "Just do it" work best for them. (Imagine Marlboro coming right out and saying, "Our cigs will make you feel rugged and cool." It would ruin the entire effect of the brand!) I was so wrong.

Top 10 Most Talked About Brands (heading into the holiday season)

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:16:40 GMT

1 Wal-Mart
2 Ford
3 Target
4 Home Depot
5 Apple
6 Lowe's
7 Verizon Wireless
8 Toyota
9 Walgreens
10 Best Buy
Source: BrandIndex

Countries (states and cities) need branding, too

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:32:35 GMT

I like reading travel magazines to see how destinations position and differentiate themselves against the competition. Here's an interesting article from Caribbean Property & Lifestyles magazine called, CARIBBEAN SUCCESS STRATEGY: COUNTRY BRANDING Author Guitze Messina interviews Marta Vallejo, CEO of Granta Place and Country Branding, a consulting firm that specializes in Place and Country Branding located in Spain. In this age where globalization tries to make everything the same, travel, tourism, and the perception of each country, is not immune to being perceived as "more of the same" and that the only differentiation between all the diverse nations is price. In the quest to be able to differentiate our tourism offering with more options and value added alternatives, the author learned that Branding is a major key to differentiate and to succeed in the business and tourism worlds of the Caribbean.

Differences in Kind or Degree?

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:14:19 GMT

I've mentioned here before that one of my favorite branding books is Killer Brands, by Frank Lane. In the book, Lane explains the about differences in kind and degree. Here is an example: A difference in degree is like Jolt creating a more potent soda within the cola category. But a difference in kind is Red Bull creating a whole new category called the energy drink. And as Frank Lane points out, "As Aristotle taught ... a difference in kind is inherently better than a difference in degree." Which meshes with Al and Laura Ries' claim that the most powerful move for a brand is to create a new category they can be the leader in. In lieu of that, a difference in degree is the next best option. For instance, when the Starbucks brand rose to prominence, their differentiation was the authentic coffeehouse experience (a difference of kind). Now that they seem to be focusing on better taste (a difference of degree), the brand is struggling to compete. "Differences in degree tend to be time-doomed, merely waiting for a competitive advance." It's the arms race syndrome. Which is why Bud's Select 55 won't have a USP for very long. (There is a first-mover advantage for differences of degree, but only if that difference isn't based on something measurable and potentially unsustainable like being biggest/fastest/least/most/best/etc.) For more on differentiation, click the link below.

Developing a Branding Strategy

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:19:57 GMT

When developing a branding strategy, your first task is to determine where your business sits in the marketplace.

Are you kidding me?

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:28:39 GMT

KFC is now competing on calories? Do people REALLY go to KFC to eat healthy or smart? Or do they go because the extra-crispy fried chicken and sides are a tasty indulgence? KFC doesn't mean "fresh." KFC doesn't mean "grilled. And it certainly doesn't mean "healthy." Make up your mind KFC!

Top 10 Brands of the Decade

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:22:51 GMT

While I have no idea how they arrived at this list or what their criteria was, according to Complex magazine, here are the top 10 brands of the decade:
1) Google
2) Apple
3) Nike
4) Louis Vuitton
5) MySpace
6) Supreme (premium footwear line)
7) Red Bull
8) Bape (high-end apparel and footwear line out of Japan)
9) American Apparel
10) BlackBerry

Christmastime Means Sears (well...it USED to)

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:12:44 GMT

Yes, something's been missing from the build-up-to-Christmas of my childhood ever since Sears stopped sending out its massive Wish Book--the Christmas catalog that was the stuff of dreams for kids, and even some parents. So, as a branding strategist, I have to ask: Just what IS a Sears, anyway? They've certainly seemed to have lost their way. I just can't fathom a reason to shop there. I no longer know what Sears stands for. In his book, Repositioning, author Jack Trout believes Sears should reposition themselves as king of the big brands (since they own some real beauts like Craftsmen, Kenmore, DieHard, and Lands' End, among others). But Ries & Ries, the father and daughter branding duo, say spending $1.4 Billion on Lands' End was a huge mistake since soft goods is not Sears' strength. Regardless, it's probably a moot point since Sears will probably not do anything to rescue it's flailing brand. Mu associate, Scott, had this take: "My guess is that--like most positioning problems--the best solution is found in the consumer's mind, not in Sears' product line. Here's Trout's First Requisite of Differentiation: Make sense in context. Your position must make sense within the context of your market category. Start first with a "snapshot" of customer perceptions about yourself and your competitors.

Why Differentiate

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:13:30 GMT

Why differentiate. Because, if customers don't see the difference, you are the same as your competition.

Flunking the noun test

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:21:54 GMT

When I say "Pyrex" you say "oven-safe glassware." But now Pyrex, a brand that has been around since 1915 owning that singular essence, is trying to reposition itself as "smart ideas for the entire kitchen." Pyrex cheese graters? Spatulas? Cork screws? They are attempting to align it all of behind the unifying tagline of "cooking solved", which isn't bad for a tagline, but why the corporate arrogance? Why not just start a new brand without the heritage and ingrained meaning of Pyrex? My associate, Scott, says, "Pyrex = smart ideas for your entire kitchen like Gore-Tex = smart ideas for your entire wardrobe." The Law of Success: Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance often to failure. When people become successful they tend to become less objective. When a brand becomes successful, the company assumes the name is the primary reason for its success. Actually, the brand got famous because the right marketing moves were made.

Do these wines rock?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:01:43 GMT

For the past couple of years, I've really been getting into wine. While I'm no connoisseur, I HAVE noticed literally thousands of brands of wine come and go with practically NO differentiation. But today, I read about Wines That Rock at Billboard.com. When I first saw their value proposition, I was not impressed. ("This is not your typical wine experience. Not your typical wine labels. These are tapestries from the rock vaults. Classic, iconic album art that's part of your musical DNA.") But the more I looked, the more I liked: * They are differentiated from the thousands of other wines by focusing on blending wine to musical tastes * Their wines feature iconic artwork from classic albums will certainly attract audiophiles * Their "rockstar winemaker" is aligned with the proposition * They're leveraging social media to build buzz My associate Scott had the following observation: I'm not sure if it's a home run, but in the same way hippies grew up to become yuppies, fans of Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones have probably grown up to become old guys who now prefer wine to Schlitz and ditchweed. So maybe there's some kind of insightful target market connection here. Check 'em out.

A Little Fuzzy on This One

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:37:19 GMT

PR Newswire reported today that Fuzzy Zoeller, the Champion Tour PGA golf legend, is making taste-award strides with his new vodka brand, dubbed Fuzzy. Zoeller launched his vodka in Indiana during The Senior U.S. Open at Crooked Stick in July of this year. This product is off-target by a long par 5. Fuzzy Zoeller, while a real character on the links, is certainly not what I would call an ultra-premium kind of guy. He's more of a good ol' six-pack guy, or, at best, a cheap brandy guy. So attaching his name to this vodka misses the green. And the packaging is totally unaligned with the ultra-premium positioning, too. Iced tea? Maybe. But not premium vodka. Sorry, Fuzzy. This one is a triple bogie. My associate, Scott, agrees: "Does Zoeller really represent smoothness to vodka-drinking consumers? And what brand would want to tie their name to a person whose own Wikipedia entry has "Controversies" as the primary description?"

Brand Warfare

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:51:40 GMT

In Brand Warfare: 10 Rules for Building the Killer Brand, author David D'Alessandro explains why brand must always take top priority over every other business consideration.

Positioning Book

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:42:41 GMT

The classic positioning book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, authors Ries and Trout explain how positioning a product the most important strategy in business.

Focus

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:15:23 GMT

In Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It, author Al Ries explains why focus is the most powerful concept in marketing.

Differentiate or Die

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:12:04 GMT

Differentiate or Die is an in-depth exploration of today's most successful differentiation strategies.

Brandscendence

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:08:35 GMT

Brandscendence: Three Essential Elements of Enduring Brands, by Kevin Clark, is filled with success stories and case studies to illustrate his theory on the 3 essential elements enduring brands must m

A New Dawn?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:36:49 GMT

The alignment of words and images is a powerful branding technique. When alignment goes a step further, it's even better. Let me explain. Dawn dish washing detergent expresses their brand promise as "Tough on grease yet gentle." How are these words aligned with pictures? Captivating images of oil-spill-covered baby animals being "cleaned up" with gentle Dawn. Simple and memorable. To tip in the brand alignment, Dawn will donate a dollar to save wildlife. Authentically doing good or supporting a cause can give your brand the halo effect. More at the link below.

Branding for Dummies

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:53:48 GMT

Don't be fooled by the title. Branding for Dummies is an excellent resource and covers the whole breadth of branding principles without going over your head.

Best Branding Books

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:50:24 GMT

I've read hundreds of books about brands and branding. Allow me to be your personal concierge to the best branding books.

Branding Iron

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:34:45 GMT

While it's focused on the automobiles, Branding Iron: Branding Lessons from the Meltdown of the US Auto Industry, has lots of examples and principles relevant to businesses of all kinds.

BrandSimple

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:29:06 GMT

BrandSimple: How the Best Brands Keep it Simple and Succeed is just that: simple. It's an easy and worthwhile read with plenty of real-world examples of what works and what doesn't.

Brand Babble

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:22:45 GMT

Brand Babble: Sense and Nonsense About Branding contains some worthwhile nuggets of information. A worthwhile read or reference.

New Brand World

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:16:46 GMT

A New Brand World: Eight Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the Twenty-First Century is authored by Scott Bedbury, a practitioner with solid credentials.

Zag

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:07:21 GMT

Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands, is Neumeier's follow-up to The Brand Gap, and does it one better by providing some great differentiation examples.

The Brand Gap

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:55:50 GMT

The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design is described as a whiteboard presentation on the subject. Super easy to read and understand.

Origin of Brands

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:40:11 GMT

The Origin of Brands: How Product Evolution Creates Endless Possibilities for New Brands is an easy-to-read treatise on how strong brands got to be that way.

22 Immutable Laws

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:33:56 GMT

The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding is one of those must-have books for your personal branding or business library.

War in the Boardroom

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:18:05 GMT

War in the Boardroom by Al and Laura Ries is one of those books you can read again and again. Great stuff.