The Power of Consistency

November 16, 2009 Leave a comment

Why is it that marketers always feel the urge to continuously create something new? Of course creativity and change are driving forces behind many great brands, but so too is consistency.

A brand is a reputation. Consistently delivering everything your brand promises is key to building a trusting relationship with your consumer. With enough repetition, people begin to create unique linkages with your brand.

gatorade-300x168

What's G?

Once you begin tinkering with your brand’s look and feel, these positive associations tend to break down. Look at Gatorade’s move to change their name to “G”. Since the campaign kicked off at the beginning of 2009, “G’s” sales have dropped 17.5% and market share decreased 4.5%.

So next time you have the urge do something inconsistent with your brand remember: G = D-U-M-B.

Filed under Brand Message, Branding, Marketing Tagged with , , , , ,

The Chocolate Problem

November 2, 2009 Leave a comment

One of my favorite podcasts of all time is John Jantsch’s interview with WOM guru Andy Sernovitz.

One of the key takeaways from this podcast is what Andy calls the “Chocolate Problem”.

The problem with chocolate is that everybody already knows it’s good. You’re not going to call a friend and say “Hey, have you tried this thing called chocolate? It’s incredible.” Of course not! Everybody already knows that chocolate is incredible.

There is really no reason to talk about chocolate unless you stumble on a piece that is so remarkable that you must talk about it.

This too is the scenario that all good companies find themselves in. Your company might be good, but that’s not good enough. Like chocolate, everybody already knows that your company is good. You have to find a way to be remarkable, to give people a reason to talk.

For instance, Zappos is the largest online shoe store. They have a large selection and good zapposprices. But they also are a customer focused company. They have established a culture that results in a remarkable customer experience. There employees go above and beyond for their customers. They offer free shipping both ways. And you can contact them by phone 24/7. 365 days a year. Now that’s remarkable.

Checkout Andy’s book Word of Mouth for more great insights. This book is a must read. It’s light on theory and heavy on simple ideas that can be implemented quickly.

Filed under Marketing, Word of Mouth Tagged with , , , , , , , , , ,

Shut Up and Listen

October 26, 2009 Leave a comment

In one of his recent posts, Drew McLellan offered an interesting insight by comparing social media to a cocktail party.

Drew gives an example: “Imagine a large room, filled with interesting people. There are many conversations happening at once. People are talking about themselves, asking questions about the other person and then a common thread is discovered. Something that both people have in common. That’s when the conversation gets very lively and a connection is made”.

This analogy illustrates the fact that listening is a critical component of every brand. Too often brands do all the talking; then, just when you think they are done, they talk about themselves some more. Can you imagining carrying on a conversation with someone who only talked about themselves? I know I can’t.

Your brand is a series of conversations with your customers. A conversation by definition is communication between two or more individuals; a dialogue, not a monologue.

Charles Schwab has used this idea of a conversation as the cornerstone for their “Talk to Chuck” campaign. I love how “Talk to Chuck” is an open invitation to engage in a conversation. Investors can talk to the company about their finances and Charles Schwab can provide answers by listening.

Filed under Brand Message, Branding, CGM Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Chick-fil-A: A Lesson in Authenticity

October 22, 2009 Leave a comment

Following up on the importance of brand reputation, Chick-Fil-A is a great example of a company who is able to use authenticity to build trust and credibility.

Excerpt taken from Pete Bradshaw’s Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000

Chick-fil-A, a fast-food restaurant chain, has earned an enviable mantle of credibility by doing things in an authentic way. At the root of its   business is faith and unabashed belief in serving the Lord, and this principle guides how the company does business and serves its customers. All Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays so that employees can spend the day in worship; unit managers are expected to contribute to the well-being of their community and their employees through servant leadership–leadership that focuses not so much on what I want as on how to help others get what they want. And as a result, despite being open only six days each week, Chick-fil-A has the highest annual average unit volume of any fast-food chicken restaurant in the nation. In fact, its unit sales compare favorably with those of McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s despite fifty-two fewer selling days per year.

I wholeheartedly believe that Chick-fil-A’s success can be attributed to their authenticity and the fact that they are real and sincere.

Filed under Brand Relationship, CGM Tagged with , , , , , , ,

The Most Interesting Man in the World

October 16, 2009 Leave a comment

A while back I talked about the role that a consistent brand message plays in building your brand. This is the one common thread of all super brands (Coke, Apple); they are able to communicate their brand essence and values to their target audience- in a simple, relevant, and memorable manner. With that said, I would like to introduce you to the “Most Interesting Man in the World”.

He lives vicariously, through himself. Hilarious.

Now if you don’t find that ad refreshing, I encourage you to go watch the new bud light “tailgate approved” commercial or better yet, reminisce on the oh so brilliant “Wassup!” campaign. With the endless stream of frat humor beer ads, Dos Equis was able to create a consistent marketing message that communicates the essence of their brand.

Garnering millions of Youtube views, 170,000 plus Facebook fans, and a 22% increase in sales, “The Most Interesting Man in the World” campaign has made a connection with their target audience- men who live, or aspire to live, interesting lives.

Stay Thirsting My Friends.

Filed under Advertising, Brand Message Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

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