1. Your brands are more than logos and products; they are the embodiment of your business amongst its customers and the focal point around which their opinions form.
Think of it as a living thing that needs constant nurturing to ensure healthy growth. The Disney brand is far more recognisable than its logo.
They have built a reputation of making ‘dreams come true’ for their audiences. Disney is known globally as a family-orientated company based on good wholesome values. This has been the pinnacle of how the brand has evolved.
2. Be crystal clear who your consumer or customer is and what you do for them more effectively than anyone else. These two things make for the essential promise of your brand; understand it, and stick to it.
The Mini is a great example of this. Through decades (and changes in ownership) it has stayed in touch with its urban, forward-thinking audience and catered for their desire to have some fun when they drive.
Innocent used minimal advertising at the outset, adhering to the philosophy that, if you build a good brand, they will come
John Lewis, for instance, drove its brand forward by staying loyal to its customer base with its “never knowingly under sold” position, promising to beat their competitors on price. John Lewis used this motto for 82 years, resulting in a reputation for caring about customers.
Carlsberg clearly targets young to middle aged men with its long-running "probably the best lager in the world" campaign, proclaiming that "if Carlsberg did goal celebrations they'd probably be the best goal celebration in the world", and numerous other variations.
Carlsberg is one of the nation’s biggest selling lagers amongst its target audience. It doesn't don’t try to be something its not. It knows what it is and what its customers want.
3. Identify the most effective way to communicate this promise. Advertising is one way but there are many others.
If budgets are tight, be focused in your approach and creative in your thinking. Smart PR can be a cost-effective way to get exposure, and to generate word-of-mouth amongst consumers.
Just ask the founders of Innocent. The smoothie drinks company used minimal advertising outset, adhering to the philosophy that, if you build a good brand, they will come.
They used off-the-wall ideas in the early years, such as sending a minibus round London offering people free lifts. This was a cost-effective way of getting their product recognised.
Their tongue-in-cheek advice on the bottles has helped the brand keep in touch with customers and have some fun along the way.
4. Socrates said: “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavour to be what you desire to appear”. These days, it’s never been more important to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.
Don’t just say what you do – do what you say.
Nike the most obvious example, with its constant commitment to creating the best in sporting goods. The world's biggest trainer manufacturer has given customers what they want by customising its products.
But perhaps the brand that has excelled most is BP. Against all odds, the petroleum company has redefined its message and helped transform its image to a company that cares about the environment.
Its efforts to constantly improve how it operates have been applauded, and thus helped pushed the brand forward.
5. Wherever possible, take a distinctive stance in your market – occupying the middle ground only leaves you open to attack from more angles.
Dove went down a 'Real beauty' route that clearly differentiated them in specific markets and built a billion-dollar brand. The challenge is how to reflect the message to local culture. Dove’s attitude towards their products has separated them from other beauty manufacturers, all of which seem to take the same stance.
This is why Dove has managed to stand out as a leader in this market and develop a brand with a reputation for excellence.
6. Never stop expanding your knowledge of your customer – but don’t expect answers from them, only clues.
More and more, 1HQ undertakes ‘real world’, or ethnographic, research projects on behalf of its clients, learning by observing consumers as they go about their daily lives, rather than by asking them for their opinions in focus groups.
Nestle's recent launch of its new confectionary product, Randoms, is a great example of how 1HQ helped to build a brand around the culture of its target audience, rather than just listening to what the audience says. This is an excellent way of relating your product to your audience.
7. Remember there will always be an emotional, sometimes irrationa,l component in a customer's relationship with your brand. It can’t always be controlled, but if understood it can be influenced.
Consumers have now become citizens, and with multiple channels of communication have the power to influence brands both positively and negatively.
Toyota is a case in point for how a brand's equity can be destroyed over night. Crisis management there has been very much under the microscope.
Even if a brand is under scrutiny, however, it does not mean it's a complete write-off.
Everyone remembers the Tylenol fiasco, where people died from its medicines being laced with cyanide, nearly sparking the end of the company. The introduction of tamper-proof bottles restored faith in the company and actually saw sales revenue soar.
8. Change is inevitable if your brand is to stay contemporary and relevant, but don’t be tempted to abandon founding principles in favour of the latest trend.
1HQ recently gave McDougall’s a new identity and packaging – but the brief focused on the same core promise that has been at the heart of the brand since it first appeared in 1864: inspiring and helping people to experience the pleasure of home-baking. And the next generation of consumers have been stimulated in a way never been seen before.
Brands also need to work out how to engage with the target consumer and refresh their appetite for entertainment. McDonalds, for example, continues to confound its critics and the highly competitive fast-food market.
It now emphasises a localised experience with the best possible ingredients. The company has embraced the notion of healthier eating with open arms.
The introduction of salads and fruit pouches for kids has helped McDonalds to continue to flourish in today’s more health-conscious world.
9. After the deepest recession of modern times, trust is in short supply. Brands with authenticity, responsibility and integrity will prosper.
M&S might be perceived as conservative, but it still holds a special place in our hearts. Rolls-Royce has built up a trustworthy brand over the years that is known for its status, reliability and innovation, and has continued to excel throughout time.
Financial institutions on the other hand will have to dig deep. A behaviour shift is essential to restore consumer confidence in a sector in which it has been unretreavable shattered.
Going back to Toyota, which was until recently a highly trusted, reliable company, the negative exposure from their global vehicle recall has caused the public to lose trust in them.
10. With times still tough, and budgets still tight, focus is essential. Often we spend too much time generating answers, and not enough ensuring we’ve got the right question.
What’s the One Hard Question your brand is facing this year?
Kraft, since its takeover of Cadburys, will hae to ask some very hard questions. They will need to be asking themselves how to maintain the Cadbury brand, which has been built up to the highest of standards, and how to keep it fundamentally British.
Questions such as these are fundamental to global marketing and finding the right answers is what keeps brands that do it right firmly in the spotlight.
