Web sites—like all fresh produce, cheese, meat or milk—have expiration dates. Usually these other items will start to smell bad to warn of their impending demise, but how can one tell if a brand’s web presence is starting to become a little stale? Determining a web site’s expiration date is not as complicated as one might think.

If it has been a couple of years since the last update, or there is still a counter on the bottom of the homepage, it is probably time for a new web site. As one of the first impressions of your brand, the web site must remain fresh and relevant to prospects and clients alike. Too often, however, marketers have Ron Popeil’s “set it and forget it” attitude about their site—once launched, they neglect this powerful marketing tool.

Humans are wired to detect visual stimulation and change–that’s why marketers change product packaging of your favorite brands every six months, often to signify a “New” or “Improved” formula, size, or offering. Your brand also consists of packaged products or services, and updating the graphics, navigation and content of your web site signals change, evolution and continued relevance.

Besides becoming visually “dated,” older web sites can fall behind the technology curve as well. The ways in which people access and consume information has changed—smart phones and tablets have become increasing popular for business and leisurely browsing. Given that the majority of these devices are Apple’s iPods, iPads, and iPhones, it is important that web sites use CSS, responsive design principles, and HTML5 for video instead of Flash (which won’t display on these iOS devices).

Finally, updating a brand’s web site also increases web traffic. It gives customers a reason to check out your web presence, generating excitement and word-of-mouth marketing. While you’re at it, be sure to sign up for Google Analytics… it’s free, and the code that is added will allow you to track which web pages are being viewed the most, for how long, and where visitors are coming from. Using this information, it is possible to further refine the brand’s messaging and become even more relevant to the target audience.

All marketing materials have a useful lifespan. For web sites, no more than 2–3 years should elapse between major updates to the content, messaging and visuals. Is your web presence in danger of expiring soon?

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal | Brand and Creative Strategy, Indicia Design, Inc.

Intellectual property (IP for short) and copyrights can be particularly tricky issues that companies and brands must navigate as part of their relationship with a creative services firm. For example, when projects are completed, clients may receive logo files, printed brochures or a web site. But do they really own the rights to those files, or are they just leasing them?

Usage rights, such as ownership of intellectual property and copyrights, are typically defined in the “terms and conditions” of a contract or proposal for design services, and are meant to protect the design firm or agency. Sometimes, however, these stipulations are not in alignment with client needs. To help clear up some of the confusion about this issue, let’s examine what rights companies and their brands are entitled to, especially after paying in full for a given project.

Rights that you should be granted when you pay for creative work

Unethical creative firms might try to sell “limited” rights to produce a certain number of brochures, or use the web site for a certain period of time, after which you must pay them more money for the continued usage. This used to be typical of certain types of creative professionals, such as photographers and illustrators, (digital competition has all but eliminated this practice). Remember having to pay outrageous prices for photographic prints, since the rights to the film negatives were “owned” by the photographer?

Make sure the usage rights purchased are “exclusive” and “full” or “unlimited,” meaning that only your company or brand has the right to reproduce the artwork any way it sees fit. It goes without saying that all logos, business systems (stationery), and sales collateral should be granted full and unlimited usage rights. You are also entitled to request a copy of all final digital files for the piece, no matter what it is.

What you don’t get just because you pay for creative work

Usage rights are a means in which creative firms protect their initial concepts and ideas so that preliminary work cannot simply be taken to another firm for execution and reproduction. Companies typically buy the usage rights to ONE of the ideas or concepts that is developed to solve a creative challenge—not all of the ideas. These preliminary ideas might include handwritten notes generated during the Discovery Meeting, to sketches on the back of a napkin.

This same principle applies even if during the course of a project third party services are used. Copywriters will take copious amounts of notes, and many ideas end up in the waste bin before relevant content is ever developed. For photographers, there are several “outtakes” that are created before capturing the perfect, staged image (and in some cases these can be more appropriate for the project).

Rights that are negotiable with regard to creative work

With certain branding projects, however, it may be important that clients retain all usage rights to concepts and ideas generated for a project, such as when developing a new product for the market. A non-disclosure and/or confidentiality agreement is signed prior to work beginning, and then all concepts become the property of the client.

Photographers might agree to give all digital images to a client to help them build a digital library. These are in addition to the final, retouched photographs. Or, an illustrator may agree to develop all concepts presented for an additional charge. Unless reasonable fees or prior arrangements have been made, clients should not expect to receive the unlimited and full usage rights to preliminary work, and it remains the property of the creative firm.

When it comes to intellectual property and your brand, don’t make assumptions that you are getting everything you think you are paying for. If a brand manager or marketing director is unsure of what usage rights they are being granted once a project is paid for, ask the creative firm for an explanation, and get it in writing. Most firms are receptive and amenable to granting additional rights—especially if it means retaining a long-term client.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal | Creative and Brand Strategy

Late last year, Coca Cola pulled their white “polar bear” cans from the market after only a couple of weeks and after a tremendous backlash from retailers and consumers. The white and silver cans, featuring silhouette polar bears, were supposed to remain on store shelves throughout the holiday season and raise awareness of and promote the protection of arctic habitats.

The off-color cans received a lot of attention, but for all the wrong reasons. The white polar bear Coke cans were too similar in appearance to the silver cans of Diet Coke. Retailers and customers were confused by the change from the traditional red, and had trouble finding the regular formula Coke. Some even complained that the taste of the soda was different—all because of the color of the can! It was arguably one of the worst missteps by the infamous brand in almost thirty years.

So how important is your brand’s color? The answer, as evidenced by Coke’s folly, is: Very Important. Color is a powerful signifier of a brand. When customers visually scan store shelves, they look first at color clues, then at shapes, and finally at the label or name of the brand.

Color differentiates. In every industry or category of product, brands “own” certain colors. Coke is identifiable because of its red can; Pepsi, from its blue ones. John Deere tractors wouldn’t be the same without their green and yellow paint scheme. Brown has become synonymous with UPS.

Color expresses. The most popular color in the world among adults, male or female, is the color blue because it connotes strength, solidarity, and serenity. Among children, red is the preferred color because it’s passionate, exciting, and aggressive. Yellow is sunny, cheerful, and luminous, and tends to draw the attention of young infants.

Color communicates. When used properly, color can be a highly effective tool for communication. Although sometimes cultural differences exist, for the most part color meanings are universal. In the color chart below, learn what your brand’s color says about your product, service, or organization.

Red is the most passionate color, and tends to excite and get adrenaline pumping through the body. It is associated with both love and anger; it can mean good luck; or represent lust, danger, and aggression.

Blue is the most popular color, and also the most widely specified color in corporate identity programs. It symbolizes serenity and tranquility, the sky or ocean, and has a calming effect if used in moderation. Blue is often associated with things that are cold, as well as quality and expertise.

Yellow is the most luminous color with the highest visibility. It is the most cheerful color, representing the sun. If used too much, it makes people more irritable. Yellow has also become synonymous with greed and cowardliness.

Green is a very relaxing color associated with growth and prosperity, as well as health and wellness. It can also suggest envy and jealousy.

Orange is suggestive of fire and good things to eat. It is the most edible color, which explains why many fast foods chains use it as part of their color scheme.

Purple is associated with both royalty and spirituality because in ancient times, only emperors or kings could afford garments made of purple dye. Naturally occurring Tyrian purple dye is extremely rare—it takes 9,000 mollusks from the Mediterranean Sea to yield 1g of purple dye.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal | Brand and Creative Strategy, Indicia

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and with them, the annual frenzied rush to find, sign, address, and mail holiday cards. There are countless sources for pre-printed “Seasons Greetings” or “Happy Holiday” cards, even ones that will print your company’s logo on the inside. While this may seem like the quickest, most cost-effective way for companies to send out the obligatory holiday card, they are missing a great opportunity to reinforce their brand image.

The holidays are the one time during the year in which people are actually receptive to the idea of not only receiving more snailmail or email, they are more likely to open it as well. It is the perfect time to thank your clients and customers for their business. But what type of holiday greeting should you send? In addition to the pre-printed variety, custom designed cards, email greetings, and even animations are available to help build your brand.

Depending on the number of cards your company intends to distribute this year, it can actually cost less to create your own branded holiday card instead of buying pre-printed ones. Besides having a look and feel that is consistent with your other collateral, messages can be tailored to your unique needs and are less generic. Printers that have in-house mailing capabilities can print addresses from your mailing list, saving you countless hours addressing envelopes or printing and adhering individual labels.

If you want to save money on printing and postage, sending out a Holiday Email blast is a cost effective and “green” option. These graphic html emails are custom designed to be consistent with your brand and sent out through email marketing programs like MailerMailer, MailChimp, or Constant Contact. Holiday animations can also be an effective way to build your brand’s image this holiday season. It’s been our experience that people want to be entertained, and with one of these “eCards” that link to a short 20-30 second animation, you will be able stand out from the rest of the holiday greetings. Often, the cost to design and code these holiday “eCards” or animations can be less than the cost of ordering and mailing pre-printed or custom cards.

Regardless of which method you choose for connecting with your customers this holiday season, the important thing is that you use this opportunity to enhance the perception of your brand.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal

The Internet is simply one tool by which to get consumers’ attention. While the web offers an immediate way for customers to learn more about your product or service, it takes more than getting people to visit a web site to get them to open up their pocketbooks. Print, on the other hand, helps enhance your brand by offering customers a more tactile, intimate and memorable experience.

Brochures, catalogs, or direct mailers make the intangible more real when potential customers can hold printed collateral in their hands. They keep your product or service top-of-mind when making buying decisions, or give people something to look at while waiting to speak with a representative at a tradeshow or convention. There is a reason why companies still spend millions of dollars on printed catalogs and car dealerships are stocked with hundreds of glossy brochures.

The key to developing print collateral that will support your brand (and help drive traffic to your web site) is to evaluate your sales process to determine the various touch points you have with your customers. Some of the items that we consistently develop for our clients include the following:

Tradeshows:

If your company attends tradeshows on a regular basis, a large pop-up display might be a good investment. While hardware can be expensive (up to a few thousand dollars), they are easy to ship and have the capacity for interchangeable graphic panels. Bannerstands (fabric panels that work much like old-fashioned projector screens) are a less expensive option that still have the ability for customized graphics. In addition to your backdrop or display, it is important to have some sort of printed handout; this provides attendees something to remember you by, as well as give them information about your product or service should they have to wait in line for a meeting with your representative. 

Sales Kit or Leave-Behind:

There is often a gate-keeper between your sales team and the decision maker at a prospective customer’s office. Taking a packet of information about your brand to leave with them is one way to make a favorable impression; that is, if your collateral is unique and professionally developed. A small brochure espousing the benefits (NOT features) of your product or service is one approach. A customized pocket folder containing not only a brochure, but also case study or informational insert sheets, is another effective printed piece that will help your brand get noticed. 

Direct Mailer or Follow-up pieces:

Conventional wisdom dictates that direct mail is usually ineffective at driving traffic to a web site or increasing brand awareness. While this might be true with MASS direct mail (a shotgun approach sending unsolicited pieces of mail to thousands of people), developing a highly targeted campaign to valuable customers or prospects can be effective. The secret is to develop a list of fewer recipients that share a similar problem or interest, and then send only those prospects a series of 3-4 mailers that address those pain points and offers a solution. 

Print and interactive can work in tandem to build your brand. Printed collateral such as direct mail can help drive traffic to a unique, web landing page for your product or service, where results of different marketing campaigns and messages can be tracked. Tradeshow handouts or sales brochures may contain “call to action” statements or incentives to also drive traffic. Despite what some may say, print is most certainly not dead, and it won’t be going away anytime soon—together with the web and other interactive technologies, it is a powerful way to reach customers, increase brand loyalty, and promote purchases. 

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal, Brand & Creative Strategy

Search Engine Optimization, or “SEO,” has become the new marketing buzzword. As a way to drive traffic to a web site, increase awareness of a brand, and increase consumer sales, it has risen in prominence on many companies’ “must-have” lists. Unfortunately, this powerful marketing tool is often misunderstood, and as a result, can cost companies a lot of money for questionable results at best.

Traditional and Internet Marketing companies, many promoting the benefits of paid search and optimized web sites, have sprung up like weeds to take advantage of this lack of understanding of SEO. It seems like there is no escaping the constant barrage of emails that promote “guaranteed placement” or “top rankings on major search engines.” Of course, it doesn’t help that Google sends every registered company a $100 coupon for free AdWords advertising.

In my opinion, some of these Internet Marketing companies are offering the equivalent of a “Yellow Pages” approach to promoting brands: remember when it was considered smart to place customized ads (costing thousands of dollars every month!) in the Yellow Pages? The rush for paid search results reminds me of this mentality, and can be epitomized by the following quote from Navin R. Johnson, Steve Martin’s memorable character in the movie “The Jerk”:

“The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here! … I’m somebody now! Millions of people look at this book everyday! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity–your name in print–that makes people. I'm in print! Things are going to start happening to me now.” 

This is not to say that SEO is not worth doing. In fact, the opposite is true. There are a number of companies offering SEO/Internet marketing services that can add value to your business. However, instead of paying them thousands of dollars every month on a long-term and expensive contract, there are other ways to increase your rankings on major search engines. Companies and brands seeking to drive traffic to their web sites in order to build brand awareness or increase sales can do the following to improve search rankings organically, and without much expense. 

1. Develop a list of keywords that you wish to be found through on search engines. Be specific, as the more generic the keyword, the lower your initial rankings will be. Trying to pay for placement using generic terms will also require greater amounts of advertising dollars.
2. Use these selected keywords throughout your site; when naming each page, link names, and for image filename and descriptions (using the “alt” tag).
3. Provide a lot of relevant content on the web site, using keywords as much as possible; the more a certain keyword appears within your site, the higher your organic search results will be.
4. Register your web site with all of the major search engines, not just Google. Registering your URL with Yahoo!, Bing, Lycos, Ask.com, and others will help create more connections and relevance for search results.
5. Be patient. It might take a few months for you to notice movement in search rankings, especially if you are planning on organic search results.
6. Start a small, limited budget campaign using AdWords, for no more than three- to six-months. When you do this, sites will start indexing you.

There is a fallacy and misconception that Internet search is all you need. Ultimately, companies need to understand that SEO is simply one tool of many when marketing their brands. In addition to an SEO campaign, print collateral can also help drive traffic to your site and increase web traffic (which helps increase relevance and rankings). Be wary of anyone who promises you that they can guarantee a number 1 or number 2 placement in SEO. Sure, they might be able to do so for some obscure keyword or terms that no one would ever search for; or it might end up costing you more than you thought.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal and Creative Director

Customers today have too many choices, regardless of the type of product or service they are shopping for. Often the differences between them are indistinguishable, and as a result, companies tend to compete based on price (even though they might not admit it). When the biggest difference standing between you and your competition is price, then branding must become your key differentiator.

To be successful, all brands must tell their customers a story. No matter the company, industry, or product/service, all brands have a story to tell. As long as it connects emotionally with customers by telling them why your product or service is better, or how it will impact theirs or others’ lives, it is possible to demand higher or premium pricing. Customers will pay more for something that they believe in.

A classic example of this principle in action is the (PRODUCT) RED initiative, started by Bono to raise money to eliminate AIDS in Africa. Consumers will pay premium prices for red-colored products from various brands, such as Apple, Nike, and Starbucks, and 50% of profits go directly to the Global Fund.

The idea of telling a brand “story” is not new: business and marketing gurus such as Jim Collins (Good to Great) and Seth Godin (Purple Cow, All Marketers Tell Stories) have written about this concept for years. The problem is that brands have a hard time discovering what their “story” should be. Here are some ideas to help get you started:

1. Is there something unique about the history of your brand? For example, what trials and tribulations have you overcome? Have you been in business longer than any of your competitors, and why?
Indicia is celebrating our tenth anniversary this year, but the more compelling story is how the business partners met. Over 15 years ago they were introduced to each other by a high school art teacher and started a t-shirt company together. The resulting business lasted throughout college, and after going their separate ways they reunited four years ago.

2. What “pain points” does your brand address? In other words, is there a particular problem that your product or service solves? Does it make peoples’ jobs or lives easier, and in what way?
Herb Kelleher started Southwest Airlines because regional flights between Houston, San Antonio and Dallas, Texas were too expensive for most travellers. In doing so, he launched a revolutionary, low-cost, no frills airline that gave people “The Freedom to Fly.”

3. Are there any social or environmental causes that your brand is participating in? How are you helping the local community or giving back?
We already discussed the (PRODUCT)Red campaign to fight the spread of AIDS in Africa, but other companies are “going green” and trying to lessen their impact on the environment. Target’s story of social responsibility is evidenced by the fact they donate 5% of their profits to the communities surrounding their stores. Walmart now has recycling centers near most stores, and is trying to reduce their impact on the environment through conservation efforts.

These are but a few examples of the types of stories brands can tell. The secret to your brand’s success is to discover what it is about the company, product or service that makes it different. The next challenge is to tell that story in a compelling way to connect and resonate with your customers. Finally, following up on the claims you make is critical. If your brand’s story is not genuine, confidence in the brand’s authenticity will falter, driving customers away and into the wallets of your competitors.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal | Brand and Creative Strategy, Indicia

Transparency is a very important trend in branding today, especially since customers have so many options from which to choose. Transparency is defined as “being free from pretense or deceit;” or in business as “visibility or accessibility of information, especially concerning business practices.” Simply put, transparency is about being honest with customers about what the brand does, the price someone will pay, and what benefit they will receive from using your product or service.

While it might be easy to confuse this quality with authenticity, I would argue that transparency is about much more than that: authenticity means that not only is a brand relevant, delivering meaningful value to the customer, but the brand also must do what it says it will. Authentic brands follow through with actions that benefit the customer and deliver results.

Transparency often strikes a deeper chord with consumers, particularly in terms of their pocketbooks. When customers buy a product or service, they are putting their faith and trust in your brand; it is up to you to not only deliver what they expect, but within the terms and pricing that have been established.

1. Don’t over-promise and then under-deliver.

This is something that most products or services struggle with. Often, while in pursuit of more sales, higher revenue growth, or increased profitability, companies will sometimes do or say anything to earn business. Once received, they might leave customers wondering where their product or service is. Worse yet, the product or service delivered might be of inferior quality to what was promised. Have you ever ordered a product from one of those television infomercials, waited “4–6 weeks” for its delivery, and then had it break within the first few hours of its use? Or the product was not quite what was pictured on the commercial?

2. Don’t have hidden costs that will surprise the customer.

Being upfront and honest about pricing is essential to transparency, and to establishing trust with customers. Ensure that there are no hidden costs associated with buying the product or service. On a recent family trip to the Atlantis Resort and waterpark in the Bahamas, I discovered how important transparency in branding is. After months of anticipation for all of the fun that had been promised, my delight and excitement quickly turned to frustration and then anger at all of the hidden charges that were assessed during our stay: additional charges for daily room service; expensive drinks and food; and charges for certain conveniences such as Internet access. Even with a “gratuity included meal plan” and reasonable room rates, the trip still cost hundreds of dollars more than expected. You might be able to fool customers once, but if you do, don’t be surprised if they never buy your product or service again.

3. Always communicate with customers, even when there is bad news.

There is an old adage that “no news is good news.” Nothing can be further from the truth, especially when it comes to your brand. Customers want, and need, to hear from the providers of their products and services, even if it is a simple email or phone call. A little reassurance, along with honest communication about pricing when issues arise, will go a long way to establishing a relationship built on trust and transparency.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal of brand and creative strategy, Indicia

Brand messages are positioning and marketing statements about your offering that tell customers why they should use your product or service, why they should care, and what it means to them. They must not only be different from competitors, they must be relevant, authentic, and accessible to your target market. In other words, it’s not just what you say that matters, it is where and how that message is communicated, and to whom.

The first step in making your brand messaging work is to say the right things that connect emotionally with the audience. While luck and intuition might play a role in developing your brand message, some simple objective research techniques will yield better results:

Field Research

This is something that anyone can do, not just a market research firm. “Field” simply implies that you should get out and get to know your customers, your competitors, and you industry better. Interviews and surveys are a good start (see “Your Brand is Not What You Think It Is…”), but they sometimes don’t dive deep enough into the psyche of the customer. Instead, go to the places where they shop, where they relax, or the setting in which they use the product or service. Find out how they interact with the brand. Observing other retailers in the vicinity to see what messages they are communicating can also offer insight into appropriate brand messages. Have you ever noticed how there always seems to be a Taco Bell within a few blocks of a US Bank; or a Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse near a Walmart? There is a reason that certain stores cluster together: they are targeting the same type of customer.

Literature Research

If getting out of the office is too difficult or not an option, then another great way to discover how to develop the right brand message is to simply check out your local bookstore. There are literally thousands of magazines to choose from, many tailored to very specific niche markets. Odds are you will find a few magazines that appeal to your target market--simply flipping through them will give you a good idea of trends within the industry, language that is used, and imagery and colors that are appropriate. These literary sources already do a great amount of research into your target market, so why not use that to your advantage?

Once the brand messaging has been developed, the context in which it appears is equally important. If your message says all the right things, but no one from your target market sees or hears it, then it will be ineffective. Likewise, if messaging is placed within marketing vehicles that seem to contradict it, or if people can’t immediate comprehend what you are saying, the perception of the brand is affected. I call this the “Billboard” test: if you were in a car travelling at a high rate of speed, with only a fraction of second to read a marketing or brand message, would you get it?

Vanity license plates are a great and fun way to demonstrate the importance of context in communicating the right message. The following are real license plates, and great examples of why the type of automobile on which they appear make all the difference as to how the message may be interpreted. For example, if you quickly glanced a license plate that read “4MYHORS,” you would hope to see a trailer attached to a truck or SUV (in this case, there was none). In another example, a Corvette had a license plate that read “THERAPE.” While I am sure that the individual driving this car was probably a psychologist (“Therapy”), the message could just as easily be interpreted as something more sinister.

In conclusion, two of the most important factors to consider with regard to your brand message are what you should say (the content), and where and how you say it (the context). By performing simple research, it is possible to tailor a highly relevant message to your target audience. Once created, however, it is important to find the best way to communicate the message so that it is crystal clear. The perceptions of your brand message will ultimately affect your bottom line.

Ryan Hembree, principal of brand and creative strategy, Indicia 

As a brand identity firm, Indicia helps companies of all sizes develop and enhance their brand image. Many times we work with startup companies who have a great product or concept they need designed so it can “go to market.” Other times we work with more established companies trying to launch a new product or service. Regardless of the creative challenge, one of the most important considerations (and questions that we are often asked) is: how much is this going to cost?

For startups trying to bring a new product or concept to market, knowing the cost to design, develop and manufacture the brand is critical (the “brand” could be the product itself, or the packaging, logo, etc.). Budgets are often tight (if not non-existent), so factoring in startup costs (plus desired profit margins) into the expected retail price is important to determining whether or not the initiative is feasible. Typically, a 4X factor is desirable, meaning that startup costs multiplied by 4 will determine the final retail price; if a product cannot be sold for that amount, then the entrepreneur should consider a larger initial production run (read: greater investment), eliminate any “middleman” distribution, or try to reduce some of their marketing costs.

By reducing marketing costs, we do not suggest “do it yourself” or going to an online or low-cost provider for the design of logos, packaging, or web sites: the old adage “you get what you pay for” is often proved true in these cases, and you might end up paying twice for something that could have been done right in the first place. We suggest you speak with at least two or three marketing and design firms prior to making a decision; even though you will pay more than an online “solution” or freelance designer, the results should far exceed the cost in terms of increased brand perception and sales.

For companies trying to launch a product or service, consider how the brand will be marketed. A “starter” brand kit usually consists of a logo, paper system (business cards, letterhead, etc.), a simple brochure and/or a website. If relationship-based selling with face-to-face interaction is key to the success of the brand, then perhaps a leave-behind sales kit is appropriate—consisting of a custom designed presentation folder, a small informational brochure, as well as product or service-specific insert sheets. If simple brand awareness is desired, then a revamped web site or interactive animation or video will help generate excitement and generate traffic to your web site. Depending upon the industry, product or service, and the brand components required, initial start-up or launch costs can range from $10,000 to $15,000 (based on industry averages—actual costs may vary depending on scope and complexity of projects).

Even though the initial costs of branding can exceed $10,000 or more, it is important to remember that these are typically one-time fees spread over the development of all designed components (which could last several months). They can be amortized over the brand’s production and life cycle costs, or considered customer acquisition. Brand startup costs are “profit and revenue generators,” not “costs,” because a well-designed brand has been proven to sell more units, be more profitable, and add value to the company’s bottom line.

By: Ryan Hembree

Some of the most beloved brands have a reputation in terms of the characteristics associated with them. This “personality” is what enables them to connect emotionally with customers. Like personal relationships, there are some brands that people love; some that they love to hate; or some they may feel indifferent toward. The most important quality that a brand possesses is its authenticity.

To be authentic, brands must say what they do, and then do what they say.

A brand is a promise to deliver value that is meaningful for the consumer. Pricing, product quality, and how it is promoted are all core values that must be consistent with customer perception. In order to be authentic, a brand must remain true to itself and to the promises it makes with customers.

Brands that promise exclusivity and limited availability (and thus a premium price) cannot be sold at a mass-market, volume discount retailer for a lower price. Likewise, product quality must be consistent with its pricing—shoddy materials or service will destroy the perceived value of the brand. With so many choices, customers very rarely give products a second chance, so make sure that your brand is of superior quality.

Promoting your brand is very important to delivering an authentic experience for customers. Employees are often the first touch-point that customers will have with a product or service. As brand ambassadors, their actions (good or bad) can impact a brand’s perception. If they don’t believe in and act out the values of the brand, the brand loses relevance. For example, if an employee’s personality is such that they seem arrogant or ignorant, that attitude will turn away customers who feel the product or service no longer cares about their needs.

Dave Ramsey, the founder of Financial Peace Plaza, is a great example of an authentic brand. His organization is driven to help people pay off their consumer debt, save money and work toward achieving wealth. He offers a common-sense approach and lives the brand: everything from his casual wardrobe to his mannerisms and likability makes him very approachable and “real.” At a recent live event, however, I began to question his authenticity because of the incessant sales pitches to buy more “products” on how to manage money (thus going against his own teachings of “saving more and spending less”). Further complicating these mixed emotions was the fact that his 22-year-old daughter (who represents the brand to the youth market) was there, dressed in fancy clothes and flashing an expensive gold watch and huge diamond ring.

In summary, the best way to build an authentic brand is to do what you say and say what you mean. Avoid contradictions in terms of pricing, product quality and/or service, and how it is promoted. Remember what makes your brand relevant to customers, and then deliver on that promise. Nothing will destroy your brand quicker than losing its authenticity.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal of Brand and Creative Strategy, Indicia

Many companies go through great time and expense hiring marketing firms to help connect with, engage and spur customers to buy their products or services. These firms often conduct competitive research within the brand’s industry and by polling key stakeholders and employees. While this information is insightful, the simple (and more cost effective) solution to find out why customers do or do not use your product or service is to simply ask them--after all, a brand is not what you or your employees think it is, it is what your customers say it is.

By “asking” customers about your brand, we don’t recommend holding formal roundtable discussions or focus groups. Instead, a scripted five- to ten-minute phone call with fewer than ten current and former customers will allow you to obtain a much better, and more honest sampling of customer insights.

Even though most people will agree to an interview, their time is valuable so you should treat it as such; ask no more than 5-6 questions, and be sure to record each conversation for transcription purposes. Ask open-ended questions about theirexperience with your brand. This will not only provide insight into their true thoughts, feelings, and motivations, it will help spur further discussion.

Some questions that might be asked of your most loyal customers include the following:

“What is the first thing that you think of when you think of Brand XYZ?”
“What are the reasons why you use, or chose to use, Brand XYZ?”
“If you could change one thing about Brand XYZ, what would it be and why?”
“If Brand XYZ ceased to exist, what would you miss most?”

Some questions that might be asked of former customers might include the following. Remember, having an impartial interviewer asking these questions will provide more honest responses:

“How did your perceptions of Brand XYZ change over time?”
“Why did you choose to stop using Brand XYZ?”
“What does Brand XYZ’s closest competitor do better?”
“Was there anything that could have prevented you from leaving Brand XYZ?”

Interviews may be conducted by either an employee or an outside consultant--just be mindful that you might not get the “whole truth” if customers know they are speaking with a company insider. And although this approach might not be considered a quantitative or scientific method for research, it is not supposed to be. Instead, is meant to be anecdotal, insightful, and most of all, honest. A brand that is not authentic to its customers simply cannot be successful.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal of Creative and Brand Strategy, Indicia

Some companies will often try a shotgun approach to branding, that is, by trying a bunch of different marketing tactics to promote their brand. But is your brand really reaching your customers? More importantly, is it resonating with them so they feel compelled to buy your product or service?

In order to be strategic about marketing your brand, you must first put yourself in your customers’ shoes and map the experience they will have with your brand. This exercise will pinpoint the “touch points” in which you have the best opportunity to connect with customers, and identify the ones that are most relevant to them. Mapping this Brand Experience is as simple as dissecting the following four purchasing behaviors:

1. Pre-Purchase/Brand investigation

Today most customers find companies via the web, so make sure that your online presence is professional and speaks to their needs. If you do a lot of one-on-one or direct marketing, such as tradeshows, then a new booth and small leave-behind brochures might be appropriate. Be sure to consider the frustrations that potential customers might have in contacting your firm—be sure that you include a call to action that is measurable through a different phone number, email address or campaign-specific web landing page.

2. Making a Purchase Decision

Be sure that marketing materials answer any questions that customers may have about your product or service. This might involve the creation of a sales kit or a more professional presentation. Clearly communicate the services, and more importantly, the benefits of your brand over the competition, and help overcome any misconceptions or objections they might have. Knowing customer objections ahead of time is key to establishing credibility and a comfort-level with your brand.

3. Post-Purchase/Follow-through

Once the sale is complete, it is easy for companies to “move on” to the next big deal, sometimes leaving customers to wonder why they chose your product or service in the first place. This is the biggest opportunity to reinforce (or tarnish) your brand’s image. Be sure to follow up with consistent service by delivering on what you promise.

4. Building Long-term relationships

Staying at top of mind, even after the successful sale or completion of a project, shows customers you care. Check in every once in a while by developing an eNewsletter that they will receive in their inbox every month or so. Send them note cards when you read about them in the news, or to show them what else you have been working on that may be of interest. If customers use social media such as Facebook. LinkedIn or Twitter (and it makes sense resource- and budget-wise for you to do so), make sure that you have established a presence there as well.

While the tactics listed above may or may not be appropriate for your particular brand, the four steps in the sales process are universal regardless of your product or service. The important thing is to start thinking like your customers in order to build a brand that will connect with them. By creating a truly relevant brand, you will not only be more profitable as a result of your marketing initiatives, you will build brand loyalty as well.

By: Ryan Hembree, Principal | Brand Strategy, Indicia.

Depending on whom you ask, the term “branding” can mean different things to different people or groups of professionals. Manufacturers, distributors and retailers each have their own perception about the value that their products or services deliver to customers. So when trying to promote their brand, where should they go for help?

To the advertising agency, branding is about promotion and repetition: saturate the media with images and messaging so that hopefully the product or service stays “top of mind” with the customer.

To the marketer, branding is about the message: what are the benefits of the product or service and what media will be used to communicate it?

For the public relations professional, branding is establishing a relationship with the target audience, and making them feel good about the company and their purchase.

Finally, designers consider brands to be the aesthetic qualities associated with the product or service, such as its logo, packaging or support collateral.

The funny thing is that each of these professionals above seems to forget that branding is in the eye of the beholder, who is often the most important stakeholder: the customer.

Branding should be about the “complete experience that a customer has with a company, its products or services,” and it encompasses several levels of engagement with customers. Much like an onion, as one peels back the skin they will discover more about the brand, allowing them to connect at a more relevant and emotional level. Unlike onions, peeling back more layers won’t make your customers cry; instead, it will make them more loyal and fully engaged with the brand.

The outer most layer of a brand is often the first impression that a customer will have, and it usually involves the experience with the product or service you provide. Is it of high quality and dependable? Was it easy to use, understand, and explain to others?

Part of the initial experience customers have with branding relates to the next layer, which is how the brand is promoted. Did the product or service work as advertised?

The environment in which a brand is sold or delivered is part of the brand experience. For a retail product, the packaging must communicate the value of the brand. Sometimes the store where the product is sold (think Apple) or the office in which a service is delivered is part of the brand experience. In the case of a virtual store, the online presence becomes the next layer of a brand experience.

It used to be that if you had a good handshake and a professional looking business card, you could meet with a prospective customer and sell them your brand. In the Internet age, this is no longer an option—your brand must have a professional web site that allows customers the opportunity to explore your product or service offering in a pressure free environment. It must be relevant to the audience, informative, provide contact information, and reinforce the other layers of branding discussed above.

At the core of every successful brand is its identity and brand essence. The identity is more than a logo—it includes every piece of visual and verbal communication you have with customers, from the uniforms worn by employees to the way in which the receptionist answers the phone. Finally, and most importantly, is the essence of your brand: this is the compelling story behind your product or service, and the promises that you make to customers. It is the reason they should buy your brand over any other. It must be relevant and connect at an emotional level with their desires and needs.


Conclusion
While there are differing opinions about what branding might be, “branding” truly is in the eye of the beholder. However, the beholder in this case is not the manufacturer, distributor or service provider. It’s not even the creative agency that you might hire to help promote the brand in the marketplace. The beholder is the customer—and it doesn’t matter what you think the value of your brand is; it matters what customers think, and what “they” are willing to pay for.

Product and company names should be simple, unique, relevant and effective.
 
By Ryan Hembree

The first impression of a branded product, service or company is its name. Successful brand names communicate unique qualities, value and benefits, while also building a positive perception that can command a premium price. In this way, brand names become differentiators that add value within a market and become a source of competitive advantage.

Selecting an appropriate name is one of the most important parts of building a successful brand. It also happens to be one of the most challenging. Successful brand names should be simple, unique, relevant and effectively communicate consistency to the target market.

1. Be Simple
Names should be short, sweet and to the point. Brand names can be creative, yet still simple. The trick is to be clever, not cutesy or cliché. Avoid being overly specific for a company name, as it may limit the perception of the products or services you provide.

Names that are too difficult to spell or pronounce—including foreign words—only complicate and frustrate customers. Mashing two or three different words together will only result in a lengthy, nonsensical identity. Shortened or abbreviated names are not desirable either. When it comes time to make a purchase decision, will the customer remember those three letters, or will they get them confused with something else?

Likewise, the days of alphabetically listed phone books are long gone thanks to the proliferation of Google and other online search engines, so using “AAA” as a naming convention is not only unnecessary, but looks out of date as well.

2. Be Unique
In order to stand out in a crowded industry or market, a brand must be memorable—clearly identifying the product, service or business and differentiating it from competing brands.
Using the names of the founders or partners of a company may seem like a way to achieve originality, however, this ties too much equity to an individual’s reputation, instead of the quality and performance of the product or service.

Ensure uniqueness in naming by searching the Whois database at www.internic.com to see if a potential name has been registered as a Web site (.com and .net are the most commonly registered domains). If the URL is available, chances are the name is not only distinct, but legally protectable as well. A search of the online United States Patent and Trademark Office database (http://tess2.uspto.gov) will help confirm whether there is an existing trademark.

3. Be Relevant
The more relevant to target customers within an industry, the more memorable and less generic a brand name will be. Successful names offer customers an idea about the type of product or service a company provides, or how it might be beneficial to them. Simply adding adjectives to describe the quality of the brand is not enough to connect emotionally with the customer. The goal of naming is to make a product or service more approachable for customers, thus establishing a positive affinity and loyalty to the brand.

4. Be Effective
Simplicity, uniqueness and relevance are important considerations when undertaking the challenge of developing a brand name. The key to any successful brand, however, is how effective the name is. The brand must effectively communicate consistency—consistency in the messages being communicated to the customer, the actual product or service performance and the overall customer experience and satisfaction with the brand. It won’t matter how memorable the name is if the brand fails to meet the expectations of the customer. Worse yet, it could become memorable for all the wrong reasons—and that’s not effective at all.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” This line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet reinforces the idea that the core essence of a person or thing is what matters most, not what it is called. I would argue, however, that in the branding of a product, service or organization, naming is critical to success. Brand names should be specific, distinct, and relevant in order to leave a lasting impression in the mind of the consumer.

Be Simple.

Choose a brand name that has meaning behind it, or that is specific to the type of product or industry. Avoid being overly generic. Kinko’s, named after the founder’s “kinky” red hair, soon became FedEx Kinko’s after being purchased in 2004. Not only was this a mouthful to say, it diluted the perception of the Kinko’s brand. And in 2008, when the name changed to FedEx Office, it became two generic words (how often do we say that we are going to “fedex a package”? In this manner even the corporate name has become part of our everyday vernacular). I still refer to the store as Kinko’s.

Another way to keep a brand name simple is to avoid names with too many syllables; that incorporate parts of many different or unrelated words; or that may be difficult to pronounce or spell (this coming from a branding firm called “Indicia”). Some companies approach naming determined to find something that can also be used as a domain for the web. Basing an entire brand strategy on whether or not a URL is available is a risky endeavor, since almost every word in the English language has already been registered as a domain name.

Be Unique.

It is important that your brand stand out and be distinct from the competition. It wasn’t too long ago that placement within the Yellow Pages guaranteed differentiation among brand names. Since phone number listings and ads appeared in alphanumeric order, brands such as “AAA this” or “ABC that“ became the norm. Now it is possible for customers to “google” products or services, making the Yellow Pages all but obsolete. The importance of a name beginning with the letter “A” is now totally irrelevant.

In some cases an owner or founder’s name is used for the brand. The problem is that ultimately the perception and success of the brand becomes tied to an individual, and it can be difficult to transition to new ownership or sell because of the equity that exists within the market. Many law firms (and even some advertising agencies) take this “name on the door” approach, having multiple partner names define the brand in what could be mistaken for a sentence. When the receptionist answers the phone, they must resort to identifying the company as “Law Firm,” since otherwise it would take too long (and too much breath) to say the whole name.

Be Memorable.

The more relevant and less generic a brand name, the more it will stand out among a crowded marketplace. Using initials or abbreviations for a company might sound like a good alternative to help simplify a brand’s name, but when it comes time to making a purchase decision, will the customer remember those three letters, or get them confused with something else?

Likewise, adjectives within a brand name that are used describe the quality or type of product or service should also be avoided. You would think that a company called “Creative Marketing” or “Creative Planning” would have a more creative name.

Conclusion

Developing a name that is simple, unique, and memorable is just the first step in creating an enduring brand. The ultimate value of a product, service or organization will be judged by its quality (“the sweetness” alluded to in Romeo and Juliet). However, a positive first impression must first be built around that brand, particularly when it comes time for a buying decision to be made from among all like-brands.

—Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Many companies and organizations are using the current economic downturn as an opportunity to solidify their position within the marketplace, or to expand into new areas. While much thought and planning goes into the acquisition of other companies, especially with regard to finances and operations, it is surprising that most organizations do not consider the impact it will have on branding for the combined company. After all, a strong, recognizable brand that has a loyal customer base is part of what attracted the companies together in the first place.

There needs to be strong consideration given prior to launching a re-brand for a merged or acquired company. First, evaluate the overall brand strategy for the new organizational structure. Are you trying to build a monolithic brand, in which all divisions and organizations fall under one umbrella name (such as General Electric or Caterpillar), or are you creating a conglomerate of brands such as Procter & Gamble or Unilever? In the latter example, P&G and Unilever own several household item brands, but the customer doesn’t necessarily know that they are part of the much larger, international organization. In this case, each of the separate brands holds greater value and brand equity than the larger organization. More often than not, sub-brands (subsidiary brands) are created to ease the transition into the larger organization.

Common pitfalls of branding a combined or acquired company

Organizations sometimes try to assimilate the smaller of the companies into their organization, even when there exists a clash of cultures and values. In order to alleviate the fears employees or customers might have about a merger or acquisition, develop a consistent brand message that addresses any misconceptions or negative perceptions. Clearly communicate what process is taking place, how it will affect the organization as a whole, and what, if any, changes there will be to the end customer in terms of product or service quality. Deliver this message through press releases, direct mailers to core customers, company newsletters to employees, and prominently display it on each company’s web site.

Another stumbling block to rebranding a merged or acquired company is to rush the process by assuming customers or employees will automatically embrace the change and accept the new brand freely and without reservation. This happens when the larger company tries to impose its brand name on the smaller one, even if is less known or respected by existing customers. When FedEx purchased the Kinko’s franchise, this is exactly what happened. The copy and office stores suddenly became FedEx-Kinko’s, and virtually all brand equity was eliminated. Besides being a mouthful to say, it was not as memorable or convey the same personality as the original brand name, which came about because of the founder’s kinky red hair. Now simply known as FedEx Office, the brand is stale and even more generic, and an example of monolithic branding gone awry.

Strategies for extending a merged or acquired Brand

First of all, don’t change the company name (whether the one being acquired or the acquirer) over night. This will simply confuse customers and make them question the quality of services and products they will receive. Instead, modify the brand over a period of time—the larger, or less known (the combined company), the longer the brand should take to reach its final identity.

Evolution over time makes more sense than a complete revolution, and there are several tactics that brand or marketing managers can take. For example, use the acquired company name with the larger organization’s logo mark, or begin to change the color palette and typography so that it matches the graphic standards of the acquiring firm. Use all company logos side by side for a while and then phase one or more of them out, or perhaps a sub-branded approach would be more appropriate.

Conclusion

While the current economy is taking its toll on all businesses, there does exist a tremendous opportunity to extend or expand your brand. Struggling companies that need capital investment or resources for continued growth are more agreeable to mergers or acquisitions. It has been proven time and again that organizations that continue to invest in marketing and branding, even during rough economic times, emerge from the downturn as stronger leaders within their industries. As you make plans to grow your business and market share, be sure to develop a sensible strategy for re-branding the organization as well.

—Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Is it good for your brand? There has been a lot of hype over the past year or so about Social Media Marketing, and how companies are using Twitter and Facebook to reach new consumers. In addition to being able to blog from their web site, everybody wants a Facebook page and a link to follow their company on Twitter. It seems that everyone is pushing social media as the ultimate “new” way to market products, services and brands to potential customers and their friends. But do these social media tactics really work, and are they appropriate for your brand?

Social media marketing, in theory, is about creating a following (or “tribe”) of people who will become advocates and champions for a company’s product or services. Because of the very nature of the Web, social media marketing is “viral,” meaning that people will forward to their friends what they like or don’t like. In this manner, social media can be compared with another, more dubious kind of marketing technique, the direct sales “party,” like those used by Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Amway, and many others. The idea behind those business models is that if one person likes a brand, they will tell all of their friends about it (and even go so far as invite them to a sales party where guests can “learn” all about a product and feel trapped and obligated into making a purchase).

What is interesting to note about all of the hype surrounding Twitter and Facebook is that nobody, it seems, can clearly demonstrate how to monetize the tactics and make it a valuable promotional vehicle for a brand. Likewise, the waning popularity of other social networking sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn seems to indicate that the use of social media is more of a fad. And according to Nielsen Online, 60%-70% of users who use Twitter one month do not return the next. This is due to the fact that currently there is very little compelling content available—right now it seems to be more of a popularity contest between Ashton Kutcher and Larry King than (how many Facebook friends or Followers do you have?). Bombarding people with advertising and marketing messages while they are updating their Facebook page or ‘tweeting’ might elicit a negative response to the brand, as people don’t want to be distracted and “sold to” all the time.

This is not to say that all social media is bad or not worthwhile to pursue. Quite the contrary: it clearly is a powerful communication medium that proved its relevance during the recent Iranian elections, in which the medium was one of the only ways that the rest of the world could follow the turmoil that followed (Iranian television and media is controlled by the central government). Facebook is great for reconnecting with old friends or classmates, and to share personal lives with others. Some companies have posted Facebook pages (Indicia Design included), which allow for people to become “fans” of the brand, post comments to their “wall” and link back to the company’s web site. This is an example of how to use social media in a non-intrusive way that will help build perception and goodwill about your products or services.

If your company sells a product (B2B or B2C), social media can be a great way to solicit feedback and offer updates or special promotions to consumers. For example, a restaurant looking to fill empty tables can blast a coupon via Twitter and reach a broad range of people, from loyal customers to their friends. A recent article in BusinessWeek (July 13, 2009) showcases how Intuit is using social media to let diehard users of QuickBooks offer support to other users of the product through an online forum…in essence, free technical support. In doing so, Intuit’s market share allegedly jumped 4% since the launch of this new online community.

Using social media marketing to promote a brand can be much like opening the proverbial “Pandora’s box”—and unless a company is willing to take the good with the bad, it might be wise to wait out all the hype surrounding it before investing too much time or money. Editing negative comments from a blog or Facebook wall will make the brand appear to be disingenuous. Disgruntled or former employees can post harmful or derogatory remarks (as well as company secrets), and once released into cyberspace, it is impossible to retract. Short of paying a full time person to update an online forum, web site, or Facebook page, there is really no way to monitor the information that is being communicated about your brand. And unfortunately, the law is struggling to keep up with all of the issues that might arise through the use of social media marketing and tactics.

There are many unknowns when it comes to the effectiveness of social media marketing. As a communication tool, it has demonstrated its power to disseminate information to the masses. As a way of soliciting immediate feedback and targeting specific users for a mass-market consumer product, it may be effective in some instances. Before diving head first into what may be shallow water, companies might be wise to invest more resources into their current web sites by providing more relevant content or ways for consumers to interact with the brand online (through forms, surveys, online communities, blogs, etc.). These are uncharted waters, and while there may be hidden treasure below the surface, there are a lot of dangers as well. And one false move or misstep into social media marketing could derail even the most beloved brands.

—Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Nothing is more powerful (or cost-effective) than word-of-mouth brand promotion. When customers love your product, service or company, they will tell anyone who will listen about the wonderful experience they have had--in essence becoming an advocate for your brand. One need only look at the type of relationships that Apple, Nordstroms, and even Starbucks have created with their customers, who are loyal fans who are, well, fanatical about each of those brands. But how do you create this type of relationship with your customers?

While it’s true that the examples above are more consumer-oriented, it is possible to create strong brands around business-to-business products or services that will generate the same type of “buzz” and excitement. To accomplish this goal, build a brand experience that accentuates the core values of the organization and fulfills the promise of your product or service. In other words, practice what you preach. For example, does your product or service deliver on the promises it makes by meeting the needs of the customer in a user-friendly and compelling manner? Is it perceived to be of a fair value for the time and money spent? Companies that do what they say and deliver on what they promise are able to create loyal customers who will become advocates for their brand.

Not only will the quality of service or products build an experience, every aspect of the sales process can also support and enhance a brand image and garner customer advocacy. Throughout every contact and touch-point is an opportunity to build a relationship with the customer, and their perception of the experience of your brand. This includes PowerPoint presentations, leave-behind sales sheets, brochures, sales and media kits, as well as a highly customized proposal. It is important that all of these materials have a consistent message and professional look and feel. Simply having a compelling business model with a great web presence is not enough to drive sales and increase profits—support collateral (in some form or another) is necessary to enhance any online initiative.

Building a positive perception for a brand that will in turn create brand advocates sometimes requires good public relations and community involvement. Simply placing Yellow Pages ad will not do--besides being incredibly expensive (sometimes costing thousands or tens of thousands of dollars annually), they are often highly ineffective at creating awareness of the company, its products or services. Contributing to charities or creating a philanthropic event around a noble cause, as well as sponsoring other local events helps build positive perception about the organization within the community. There is a reason why companies pay millions of dollars for naming rights to entertainment and sports arenas and stadiums: positive experiences in those settings, as well as support of the local team will always translate into greater customer affinity for a brand.

Although a challenging task, creating excitement and fondness for a brand does not require lots of money. By providing an essential product or service, doing the best job possible, and making sure that the needs of the customer are met on time and within budget, even business-to-business brands can leverage word-of-mouth promotion by harnessing the power of brand advocates who won’t hesitate to refer them to their friends, relatives and neighbors.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Building effective and valuable brands involves more than just creating a logo, business cards, and a web site or brochure. There is a common misconception that a well-designed logo, “new and improved” packaging, or a sleek new customer experience on the web will magically increase sales and there will be an immediate impact to the company’s bottom line. The truth of the matter is that while these elements will help a business reach their sales and revenue goals over time, strong brands must be continually promoted in order to stay relevant in the eyes of customers. To effectively leverage your brand, it is important to keep in mind the 4 M’s of brand promotion: Market, Message, Method, and Measurement.

First, know your market. Many companies struggle to define their target audience beyond typical demographics. Even worse, some think that everyone is within their target market (after all, who wouldn’t love their product or service?). Instead of a shotgun approach to promoting your brand, focus on your organization’s core competencies by determining what resonates with and excites the customer about the brand. Be sensitive to their needs, their desires and their buying behaviors.

Second, make sure your message is relevant and consistent. Once the target market has been identified, communicate a message that stays true to the brand’s promise and positioning. “Practicing what you preach” is an old adage that is very appropriate to brand promotion—nothing will make your product or service less authentic than saying one thing and doing another. As an organization grows and expands its promotional efforts across a variety of media and channels, this can become a challenge for even the savviest of marketers.

Next, choose the appropriate method of promotion. Many think that promoting a brand involves only advertising or marketing, or a combination of the two. In actuality, there are many, more effective ways to communicate messages to your audience--besides traditional media such as print, radio and television; Public Relations, Internet and Event marketing, as well as Social Media are some examples of cost-effective tactics for improving audience perception of an organization’s product or services. Carefully consider the customer’s psychographics and preferences for receiving information when selecting methods of promoting the brand—if they are younger and technophiles, an Internet campaign might be most appropriate. If they are older, more mature, then more traditional ad placement might work best. The important thing is to remember to stay on message and portray a positive image of the company’s products or services while overcoming any misconceptions that people might have of the brand.

Finally, measure how you are promoting your brand’s image. It is impossible to know if something is working without having some way of monitoring the outcome—and measuring the effectiveness of a promotional campaign does not have to be very elaborate or complicated. Simply having a “call to action” on a printed piece of collateral allows for track-ability, whether it is a phone number to call or a web site to visit. Creating a PURL (personalized web address) for recipients of a direct mail piece allows for unique visitors to that web page be tracked using Google® Analytics. And e-mail distribution programs such as MailerMailer, Exact Target or Constant Contact will automatically track the open and click-through rates of an email newsletter or campaign. Each of these unique methods are straightforward ways of measuring brand promotion, allowing companies to determine what message is resonating with the market, and to develop new ways to creating more highly targeted campaigns to the most profitable customers.

In closing, brands must continually be nurtured through promotional efforts in order to remain at the top of customers’ minds. By looking through the lenses of the target market, the messages that will be most relevant to them, the methods of delivery of that message, and the ability to measure its effectiveness, organizations will create truly valuable brands that will help them realize their sales and revenue goals.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

When most people think of branding, they instinctively focus on the outward “package” of the brand: the logo, the web site, the marketing collateral (or lack thereof), and the value they provide and impact they make on the target market. In doing so, organizations try to determine the true needs and desires of the customer, perceptions of the brand, and what message is going to resonate.

There is, however, another key stakeholder of a brand that is equally important yet often ignored— the employee. After all, the salesperson, the cashier, the delivery driver, and the executive of a company all must interact with customers, and therefore all must know the story of the brand if they are to communicate its core values and a consistent message to the outside world. As such, brands are valuable to the internal stakeholders of an organization for the following reasons: they reinforce the company’s purpose, ignite passion in workers, and are a source of pride and overall job satisfaction.

Brands instill in employees a sense of purpose.

Organizations will spend countless hours, hold dozens of “brainstorming sessions” and spend thousands of dollars developing “Mission-” or “Vision Statements” that ultimately can become verbal representations of a brand’s essence. Naturally, because of the time and money invested, these companies will plaster these statements anywhere they can, from the home page of the company web site to the back of business cards, and everywhere in between. Unfortunately, they are not meant for external audiences or customers to see; they are relevant in helping to establish a purpose behind the brand by giving employees a reason to care about their work, their employer, and most importantly, the customer.

Brands ignite passion in employees.

Everyone wants to feel good about what they do in life, both personally and professionally, and that in some way they are “making a difference” within the world. This is the reason why many people today are flocking to not-for-profits in search of work that is meaningful to them. While most businesses are in business to make money, ultimately a company is trying to fill a market need of some sort, whether that is through a product or service. If implemented correctly, brands have the ability to communicate to employees that their goal is not only to make money, but to make a difference—helping employees get enthusiastic about their organizations and believe in the value they provide. The more they believe in the brand, the more likely they will go above and beyond expectations to help customers, thus furthering a positive perception of the organization within the marketplace.

Brands are a source of pride for employees.

Brands that consistently deliver on their promises are remembered and adored. They draw not only more customers to the company (increasing sales and profitability), they also have the ability to attract (and retain) the best and brightest talent to work for and be a part of that organization. On the other hand, employees are embarrassed to admit that they work for a brand or organization that they don’t believe in, such as those that don’t fulfill their obligations, do not value their customers or employees, or are solely focused on “efficiencies” and the bottom line over customer satisfaction. In this case, the best logo, most creative print collateral, or highly functional web site will not be able to save the brand.

There are many stakeholders to consider when developing your organization’s brand. While it is true that shareholders (i.e. the “bean counters”) demand a return on their investment in the form of increasing revenue and profits, it is important that the organization considers not only the customer’s needs and desires, but those of employees as well. By giving them a sense of purpose, getting them excited about what they do, and keeping them proud of the organization, it is possible to realize the inner value of your brand. After all, happy employees are loyal ones who will champion your brand in front of the consumer.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

In order to know thyself, first know the customer. When developing a brand, it is important to know who your customers are—not just in a general sense, as in their demographics, but more intimately, such as in terms of their aspirations, motivations, and actual behaviors (psychographics). Without this insight, it is impossible to properly position your product or service, or to develop the brand promises that will resonate with the intended audience.

Knowing your customers seems intuitive and easy enough, but in actuality, knowing what makes them tick (their true desires) is often elusive for a lot of brands. Part of the problem is that companies are so outwardly focused on driving new sales that they neglect cultivating the relationships they currently have, often ignoring or taking for granted the most important stakeholder of the brand, the customer. It is easier for them to find new clients than it is to keep their existing ones happy. Unfortunately, unhappy customers will tell as many people who will listen about their negative experience with your company. Not only will this have a negative impact on the target audience, it will affect the perception of the organization as a whole.

To discover why customers connect with their brand and how to continue to address their needs and desires, companies should attempt to uncover their most loyal (and thus, most profitable) customers. A common misconception is that organizations should engage in focus groups to answer these questions. The problem with focus groups, according to Robert Brunner and Stewart Emery in their new book, Do You Matter? How Great Design Will Make People Love Your Company (FT Press, 2009), is that companies “will be basing [their] entire business strategy on the fact that 7 people out of a group of 12 expressed a ‘like’ in a certain direction…Mediocrity is what you end up with if you try to make something everybody likes.”

To find out what those customers really want, it is best to observe them in their natural environment, either using or purchasing your product or service. This is relatively simple if your brand is a retail product sitting on store shelves, but how do you gauge the buying habits, needs and desires of those purchasing a service? In this instance, it is possible to gain valuable insight into your customer’s needs by speaking with them directly, and asking important questions, such as why they chose your company over a competitor, and what the differentiating factors were. Equally important, although sometimes more difficult, is to ask prospective clients or customers that you did not win or lost business to. Why did they choose to work with someone else? Sometimes the answers might surprise you.

These types of soul-searching questions allow you to better understand the customer’s point of view, affording an opportunity to adjust your brand to be more effective at communicating a more relevant message. Properly positioning your product or service in the mind of your target audience forms an emotional connection with customers that build brand loyalty, reduce marketing costs, and improve profitability. The more you know your customer, the more valuable and measurable your branding efforts become.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Cost effective branding strategies for an economic recession. It’s official—as of December 2007 the country has slipped into a recession, and along with it another melancholy mood has descended upon business and consumers. “Belt-tightening” and “budgeting” have been a constant discussion among the media and households as people try to figure out what to do about plunging stock prices, decreased home values, and the prospects of mass-layoffs. The real problem, I would argue, is that the more we hear and talk about a bad economy, the more frightened of it consumers become and the less they will spend on the goods and services that they normally would buy, thus perpetuating the downturn.

For businesses that are impacted by consumer and business spending (or lack thereof during periods of a recession); or that depend on the free flow of credit, the first instinct they have is to conserve cash by stopping the spending across the board—on hiring, on equipment, on required services or maintenance, and especially on building their brand (through marketing). This is not to say that watching spending within an organization is a bad thing…often tough economic times allow for businesses to re-evaluate their business model and innovate new ways of reducing costs, while providing greater value for their customers.

Often times, however, the marketing budget is the first to be cut. This can be counter-productive, as it creates a Catch-22 for increasing revenues for a business. Without marketing to create awareness of your brand or promote your products or services, how will consumers know what you offer? Or, if you are not constantly reinforcing your brand’s position with the target audience, it will be easy for the competition to leap-frog you within the marketplace. Companies that continue to market, even during downturns, will be the first to recover once economic conditions improve—doing the opposite will only lead to a decrease in revenue and sales for your organization in the long term.

Organizations should not stop spending money on marketing during a recession, but instead find cost-effective ways to continue to enhance their brand. One of the most effective (and least expensive) methods is to continue establishing an online presence for the organization, and its products or services. In a previous Re:marks article, we discussed the importance of a web site, so we won’t address that here—the problem is that once a new site has launched, there is very little effort to keep it updated and current, and consequently, visitors stop coming because there is no compelling reason to do so.

Without visitors or new content being constantly added (at least once per quarter), a web site will fall into obscurity in the minds of consumers and slip in the search engine rankings. There has been much written about the importance of search engine optimization (SEO), but very little in terms of explanation. To put it simply, SEO involves the use of key words (or words that customers might type into a search engine to find information about your product or service) placed strategically within your site; from the homepage description of the organization to the naming of images and pages, SEO is a simple and inexpensive way to increase the likelihood that your site will be found. The more good key words used within a site, the higher it will appear in Google and other search engine rankings.

Additional Internet marketing strategies can be employed to ensure that traffic will flow freely to your web site. These include: sending out monthly eNewsletters with content that will be relevant to customers (and links them to your web site for more information); promoting events or giveaways through animated “videos” that contain flash animation, music and the ability to forward to a friend (and collect those email addresses into a database of additional prospects); and “pay-for-click” advertising using strategically selected keywords (to increase the chances of customers finding your web site at the top of a search page).

All of the Internet marketing tactics mentioned above are cost-effective, efficient at increasing awareness of a brand, and help ensure increasing revenue even during tough financial times. For more information on how to realize the full potential of your online marketing, call the branding professionals at Indicia Design.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

In the last installment of “How Brands Add Value,” we discussed the importance of branding, and how it has the potential to create increasing value for a product, service or organization. By telling a compelling story about the quality of a product or service; inspiring customer loyalty through consistent and satisfying offerings; or promoting a certain lifestyle; brands have the ability to create and add real value to an organization. It is important to realize, however, that no matter how relevant these promises are to the target audience, there is another important consideration—how companies position, or “package,” their products or services can also greatly influence the value of a brand.

There is an ongoing and sometimes intense debate among professionals about how to position their offerings. One school of thought is that if a company provides services, they should try to package them as “products,” as that allows for efficiencies in terms of production and economies of scale. The problem with this approach is that while it is possible to cost-effectively reproduce an organization’s core competencies, it also can “cheapen” the perception of what is provided…products can become perceived as commodities, which ultimately leads to a devaluation of the brand (and more importantly, the price that customers are willing to pay for them). 

In the example above, adapted from Joseph Pine and James Gilmore’s The Experience Economy (Harvard Business School Press, 1999), the price customers are willing to pay for a product or service directly correlates to the perception that they have of it. Commodities, such as coffee beans, are generic and considered to be a “dime a dozen.” Maxwell House is similar in smell and taste to many other brands of coffee, and therefore must compete based on price. McCafé is a service found in McDonald’s restaurants that provides gourmet coffee, while the European-style coffee house experience provided by Starbucks allows them to charge US$3 or more for a cup of coffee. 

Instead of trying to position services as products where they would compete on the basis of price, we should package them as memorable experiences—customized transactions in which each customer receives the highest level of service and satisfaction. Developing a brand identity that takes into consideration every interaction that the target audience will have with the brand—from its logomark and packaging; to marketing collateral and advertising; to web site functionality; to the retail/physical environment that it resides in; to the actual usability of the product or service; are all important factors that make up a Brand Experience. 

Organizations that take this holistic approach to branding, by taking into account all of the ways in which customers interact with a product or service, and are able to create a unique, memorable experience through consistent and relevant brand promises, will achieve ultimate differentiation in the marketplace. In turn, the company will retain a valuable position at the forefront of customers’ minds, commanding a premium perception and price, and allowing for greater profitability. What’s more, the organization will have created a true competitive advantage that will be difficult, if not impossible, for the competition to replicate.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

When approaching the sometimes overwhelming and perplexing task of “branding,” most companies are cautiously optimistic and therefore very hesitant to pull the trigger on major initiatives such as a launch or re-brand. After all, branding is a major investment of both time and resources for what might seem like an intangible product or service. How does the client know that they are really getting a return on their investment? Do brands really add value to the organization?

Advertising agencies, brand consultants, marketers, or graphic designers will sometimes give differing opinions and definitions of what a “brand” is, and how it helps build audience perception, and therefore value, about a product, service, or organization. The problem for a prospective client is that depending on whom you ask, each response might be skewed in favor of increasing the chances of that particular creative firm winning the work.

The truth of the matter is that brands are more than simply intriguing or eye-catching advertisements, a great logo and package, or highly targeted and consistent messaging. This is not to say that these things are unimportant or irrelevant—when used on their own, each of these tactics can help enhance a brand’s image. However, the key to effectively building and maintaining a brand is to tell a compelling story about the company, its products, or services. In doing so, brands promise to provide customers with an experience that increases their perception of quality, increases their loyalty to the brand, and promotes a particular lifestyle.

An effective brand that communicates the essence of quality will give customers the perception that the product or service is better than that of the competition. Since it is perceived to be of higher quality, these brands will command higher prices, adding more revenue to the bottom line. For example, there really is not a lot of difference between a cup of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and Starbucks’ regular blend. Both are made of the highest quality coffee beans, are grown in roughly the same geographic area, and according to taste tests, have the same flavor. Then why is it that a cup of Starbucks coffee costs a dollar or so more than the cup from Dunkin’ Donuts? In this case, the quality conveyed by the Starbucks name and logo on the cup has added real monetary value to the company in terms of higher profits per cup of java.

Brands that perform consistently in delivering on their promise of quality increase customer loyalty. A satisfied customer will tell three of their friends about their experience with the brand, while an unhappy one will tell as many people that will listen. While it is true that it is easy to go out and find new customers, an organization will see a higher return on their investment by consistently meeting or exceeding customer’s expectations, thus reinforcing brand loyalty and keeping the customers they already have.

Loyal customers buy brands because they promote a certain lifestyle or image. No matter how individualistic or different a person tries to be, it is only human nature to desire to be part of a group, to “belong” to something. Brands convey to others that a person has achieved a certain amount of success, or more often than not, that he or she desires to attain that lifestyle. Products or services that deliver on this particular promise connote a higher level of quality or are perceived to be luxurious—as a result, organizations may charge more for those brands. When it comes to automobiles, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo are perceived as luxury vehicles and command a premium price.

Brand promises must be relevant to and address the needs and desires of the target audience or customer. By promising quality, consistency, and image, branding has the power to add increased value and profits to companies. It is important, however, that organizations deliver on the promises that they make, and in every interaction with the customer. Failure to do so dilutes the value of a product or service, as we will discuss in the next installment.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

Who to trust with your brand: an agency of record or a creative partner? Building an engaging brand experience is sometimes a Herculean task, one that takes months, even years, to complete. Even after a brand has been established, it must continually evolve to stay relevant with its target audience. Therefore, it is vital that a company selects and works with a creative organization that truly understands (or desires to understand) their product or service, and that will provide continuity in terms of overall quality and level of service. Graphic designers, marketing and public relations firms, and advertising agencies all claim to be experts in “branding.” While true that these different types of creative organizations are capable of handling a brand project, what clients really need is a creative partner.

The word “agency,” often used to describe some advertising or PR firms, brings to mind comparisons with law firms or accountants—not only are these service providers treated like commodities, they are notorious for fee-based work in which the primary motivation is that “time is money.” They charge for every minute they speak to or perform work on behalf of a client; call an attorney to ask a simple question, get a bill for fifteen minutes of their time. Some advertising agencies, those with large overhead and payroll liabilities, find themselves operating this way out of necessity.

Creative firms should focus on building relationships, not billable time.

There is a difference between creative companies that bill hourly and those that bill per project. In fee-based agencies, where becoming the “Agency of Record” for a client is the ultimate goal, the primary focus is on winning new business, getting a signed contract over a specific amount of time (a “retainer agreement”), and then moving on to the next prospect. The client commits to paying an up-front fee for a certain number of hours per month (regardless of whether or not all hours are expended); projects are assigned to junior staff members (senior staff is focused on acquiring new clients); and projects tend to progress more slowly (since there are only a certain number of billable hours available each month). Ultimately, this can be a one-way relationship in which the client is left under-served and unsatisfied.

Firms that focus on becoming a “Creative Partner,” however, are not out for short-term gain, but rather to develop a long-term relationship with the client. Branding is a process that takes time to implement, and it is important to have a consistent team—by collaborating with a company’s sales or marketing team, the creative partner begins to understand their needs, target markets, and ensures that a creative strategy is built around the client’s business goals or marketing strategy. Any billable time is built into a project rate that is agreed to up front, and adhered to. In lieu of a monthly retainer (that might become open-ended), the Creative Partner will propose a clearly defined, phased approach to the branding problem, establishing a schedule of projects to be billed as they are completed. If and when a dispute between the partners arises, they work to resolve it quickly and fairly, and use that knowledge to further the relationship. In this manner, a mutually beneficial relationship is established.

Whatever type of project the client needs, a creative firm should not have a mentality revolving around the billable hour, which in effect nickel-and-dimes the client. True creative partners must be willing to do whatever it takes (within reason, of course) to make sure that the client is taken care of and satisfied with the quality of service and work that they receive. Now that’s a good brand experience.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy

It used to be that all one needed to succeed in sales was a great smile, a firm handshake, and an impressive business card. If a person had these three attributes, they were pretty much guaranteed an audience in which to pitch their product or service. This personal interaction allowed for questions to be asked, concerns to be addressed, and a certain level of trust to be established between the consumer and salesperson—the very essence of branding.

Unfortunately, in today’s highly competitive marketplace, building brands through a charming personality and great looking business cards is not enough—consumers have been inundated with marketing and advertising messages, a seemingly endless selection of products to choose from, and increasing demands for their time. Therefore, a well-designed logo or brand is no longer enough. More and more, people are turning to the web in order to make purchasing decisions.

The Internet offers a pressure-free environment in which consumers can explore a company’s products or services at their leisure, and without eager salespeople trying to close a deal. A well-designed web site allows companies to communicate their brand essence—the qualities, benefits and value that resonates with their target audience. Regular email communication and promotions, as well as community forums, allow for the organization to create an emotional connection with consumers. In this capacity, the web has truly become the entry point for the brand experience.

Even though online communications are becoming essential to business success, this does not necessarily make printed collateral, such as brochures, sales kits, or direct mail pieces, obsolete. In fact, this is quite the contrary. Any type of Internet marketing effort, whether it is an informational site (referred to as an “online brochure” or “static site”), an email marketing campaign, or an electronic newsletter, must still be supported through traditional marketing and promotional activities.

Brands are more than just an organization’s logo, brochure, or even a web site. The brand experience encompasses all aspects of communication between a company and its target market or audience. Therefore, it is important that all touch points associated with your brand must have a professional look and feel, and communicate a consistent message. It just so happens that now the most important first impression is your company’s web site.

  —Ryan Hembree, principal/brand strategy