Mood boards are a great way to bring to life your brand positioning in a compelling way. They telegraph what a brand is about. They convey your brand character in a way that words cannot. In essence, they elevate your brand story....
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What if your brand were a person? What would he look like? What would her personality be like? What if your brand were a place? What would it be? What would it look like? Who would be there? And what is the one thing your brand could be that would differentiate it in the marketplace? Asking yourself the “Person, Place or Thing” questions can help drive your branding efforts....
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Think about your brand not as a transaction with your consumer, but rather as an experience to delight your consumer. When you think of your brand in this way, it means understanding the consumer experience from start to finish – from when the consumer starts to think about your category or brand, to the actual user experience, and through to the aftermath of the experience....
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It’s more important than ever to deal with others with authenticity, kindness, and yeah – love. Consumers are taking to Twitter, Yelp, blogs, social media and websites to get and share information on brands. Thinking about the power of the Internet and how fast information travels, a positive interaction with your brand can be amplified to a high degree. On the flip side, a negative interaction with your brand can have a detrimental effect. That’s why showing the love to your consumers should be part of your brand’s mission and the company’s DNA....
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Brands that put their consumers at the center of their company develop lasting relationships with them. They have higher brand loyalty and higher levels of engagement. Consumers who feel listened to also advocate for your brand. It makes a lot of sense to put consumers at the center of your business.....
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Recently I was on a JetBlue flight to Long Beach. A few minutes into the flight, the stewardess came around selling blankets. Hmmm, I thought, "It's kinda chilly. I'd like a blanket." Then I found out that it was not just any blanket - it was an Arm & Hammer blanket. It struck me as odd. Why would I want a blanket from Arm & Hammer? Is it sprinkled with baking soda? And if so, what's the purpose of that?....
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When I arrived in Portland from New York about a year and half ago, I felt like I landed in a branding haven. Many Portland brands strive to create not just a place to hang out – they provide a brand experience. In the late part of the last century, Starbucks aimed to do create a third place between business and home. Just 170 miles south in Portland, businesses have tapped into relevant insights about Portlanders, and are providing unique brand experiences to meet the needs of its customers....
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A BRAND POSITIONING STATEMENT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL FOR A MARKETER. It’s the blueprint for your brand and it guides your brand identity, communications and new product development. Most marketers and entrepreneurs will need to create a brand positioning statement at some point - usually at the early stages of a brand or when you are repositioning a brand for growth...
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Last fall, a friend of mine worked at the first ever Hello Kitty Con, a convention that celebrated Hello Kitty’s 40-year anniversary. When my friend returned from the convention in Los Angeles, she marveled about how Hello Kitty fans were incredibly devoted to the little kitten, much like Trekkies are devoted to the Star Trek show. Hello Kitty fans are women and men of all shapes and sizes, and they span the age continuum....
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Increasingly brands are taking a stand on social causes in an effort to make their brand not only more relevant, but to be a catalyst for change in their communities. Brands are taking a stand on large social issues and in the process, are hoping to connect better to their target audiences. Brands have long embraced environmental causes. Taking on a social cause feels a bit riskier for Brands because of fear of perceived potential backlash. But it can have a big pay-off when it strikes a cord with consumers...
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Many years ago, when I was a brand manager on a food brand, I commissioned a study on snacking that required us to do some initial exploratory research. I wanted to pick two markets that were different - one that was mainstream and one that was a little more leading edge. When I started brainstorming potential leading-edge markets with my insights manager, I suggested, “What about Portland?”....
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