BrandDigital | BrandSimple: The Blog

Experiential branding is a whole new experience for some companies

Allen Adamson — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:52:14 +0000

Ever notice that the word “ambulance” is printed in reverse on the front of the vehicle? It’s so drivers can look in their rear view mirrors and know to get out the way quickly (as if the screaming sirens weren’t enough of an indication). I noticed the same reverse printing on the front of a Whole Foods delivery truck while I was out doing errands the other day. It was a brilliant branding tactic as it immediately got me to think about the first-rate food products and personal service associated with the brand name. In fact, it made me think about the actual experience of being in a Whole Foods store. While experiential branding is part and parcel of brands in categories like retailing, hospitality and air travel, lots of other companies including packaged goods manufacturers like Kellogg’s and Mar’s Inc., are turning to experiential branding tactics to help differentiate their brands in the minds of consumers. In a marketplace where audience fragmentation and brand choice are on the rise, so too are initiatives in experiential branding. In my latest column in Forbes Online I write about companies whose efforts in this area are not just interesting, but could be powerfully influential as branding apps. Should you like some refreshment as you read the piece, stop by a Whole Foods. It’s a great experience.

courtesy of Whole Foods

Good Brands Focus and Deliver

Allen Adamson — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 13:51:49 +0000

Even in Hollywood, the script for building great brands starts with focus. News of sightings of great white sharks off beaches this summer was as disconcerting as these stories always are. But for me, there was an added level of agita. I was reminded of how lousy this summer movie season has been. Where’s a “Jaws” when you could use a little distraction from the generally disconcerting news of the day. In my recent column in Forbes Online I write about how and why Hollywood’s lost its way and what I think the moguls need to do to get back on track and get movie buffs back into the theaters. The trailer? Relentless focus on a simple, compelling idea brilliantly executed. While this is of course easier said than done, I provide example film industry and otherwise, of brands that remain strong as a result of following this branding script. Given that there’s nothing much to see out there, take a minute and read my piece. And if you have any interesting movie ideas, let me know.

What do Playboy, the 2011 Corvette, and Martha Stewart have in common?

Allen Adamson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:11:38 +0000

Okay, wait a second. It’s not what you think. I’ve never been good at telling jokes and I’m not about to start. No, as a branding guy, what I noted over the last few weeks relative to the names in the above headline is that there was a common brand-building, or more specifically, re-building challenge. When I read that Hugh Hefner wanted to buy back outstanding shares of his Playboy empire and revitalize it and then saw that Chevrolet had launched a campaign for the sexy, 2011 Corvette with the same objective for its hero brand, it occurred to me that to succeed these two iconic brands should take a page from the Martha Stewart brand playbook. As a powerful brand put on the defensive after its founder had a to-do with Wall Street, the people in charge, especially the top person, knew that the only way back was to ensure that the brand story continued to be something its audience cared about and, further that every experience connected to the brand was spot-on in delivering the promise. While you won’t find it humorous reading, my recent column on Forbes Online about these three brands and the topic of brand revival is pretty interesting reading. I invite you to take a look.

courtesy of Forbes.com

TV advertising is still hot, if it follows the right recipe

Allen Adamson — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:00:56 +0000

Come on, admit it. Every once in a while you see a television advertising spot that makes you chuckle. Maybe you even spend a few moments chatting about it with colleagues at the water cooler. Perhaps you’ve even been known to send an ad link to friends and family in order to share the laughs. The fact of the matter is that good television advertising still exists, and people still pay attention to it, despite the cluttered digital environment. Notice I said “good television advertising.” While lots of it deserves to be Tivo-ed out of the picture, the spots that succeed do so as a result of following an age-old advertising recipe: Great insight about the category, a simple and compelling idea, and brilliant storytelling. In my recent column in Forbes Online I write about the winners of the 57th International Advertising Festival in Cannes and, specifically, what made them winners – with the judges and consumers. While the digital age has certainly created challenges for television branding, those who follow the tried and always true recipe for success, still keep us tuned in.

courtesy of canneslions.com

Going back to move brands forward in tough times

Allen Adamson — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:00:35 +0000

Did you know that Kellogg’s Corn Flakes has been around for 104 years? I picked up this little bit of breakfast trivia when I picked up a newspaper and saw an ad touting the fact that the cereal has been “fat-free and cholesterol-free since 1906.” Now, I’m pretty sure folks back in 1906 didn’t pay as much heed to dietary requirements as folks today. But the folks at Kellogg’s being the great brand professionals they are, know what it requires to keep a brand healthy, including the need to keep it relevant. In my recent article in Forbes Online I write about why heritage brands are going so strong today, and why, when times get tough, marketers go back to times that consumers perceive as having been more comforting and familiar. As you dig into your bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes tomorrow morning, I invite you to read what I have to say. It’s likely to be more comforting than other news of the day.

courtesy of Forbes.com

To get the new United brand off the ground, get employees grounded in the idea.

Allen Adamson — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:18:02 +0000

Who are the most important people involved in getting a new brand idea off the ground? While those of us on the brand communications side might like to think it’s us, it’s not. It’s the employees of the organization whose brand is in launch mode. For a brand to be successful, those inside the company must fully understand what their brand stands for and what their role is in bringing it to life – a consistent brand experience across all points of customer touch being the ultimate objective.

This top tenet of brand building came to mind after I read about the merger between United and Continental, and then wrote about it in my recent column for Forbes Online. My view is that while it’s hard enough to get a single company’s employees engaged with a brand idea, it’s doubly challenging when bringing two companies together. But it’s among the first things the new United Airlines management must do. Not from a 40,000-foot perspective, but from the bottom up and the top down. It’s only if the employees of a company get on board with their brand’s idea, that consumers will get on board, as well.

courtesy of Forbes.com

Position a luxury brand as the long-term investment it is.

Allen Adamson — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:24:36 +0000

Could it be that we’re over the worst of the recession? I’m in no position to answer that question from an economist’s point of view, but indications from the brand world suggest that consumers have begun spending again, carefully. While big-box discount retailers feel secure touting the value to be found inside their big-box stores, what should luxury brand manufacturers such as Hermes, Rolex, Chanel, and BMW be doing to tout their valuables? In my most recent article on Forbes Online I recommend that, instead of positioning these lovely things as short-term purchases, they be positioned as the long-term investments they are – things that are meant to last and be appreciated by the next generation. I believe that it’s only by doing this that these companies will succeed in the new normal marketplace. Take a read. It’s valuable information.

courtesy of forbes.com

Consumers have to get the brand before they buy the brand

Allen Adamson — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:16:50 +0000

Along with a bunch of other business folks, I had to resort to Skype, emails, and video conferencing to stay connected with colleagues who were stuck in airports during the recent volcanic eruption. That we were able to stay so well connected got me thinking about the latest Cisco branding campaign and how beautifully it helps explain what the brand is all about and what relevance it plays in our lives. In a word, connectivity. This wasn’t always the case. Cisco is one of many companies whose brand names may be known, but whose purpose wasn’t always quite clear, until now. In my latest article in Forbes Online, I write about Cisco, along with two other terrific brands, that recognized that until people get what a brand actually does and why it’s relevant, there’s no amount of shouting, promoting, or any other kind of pitching that will help make the sale. Call it the ultimate branding disconnect. I invite you to read this piece and, well, connect, with any input you have.

image courtesy of cisco.com

Two ways to meet the selling challenge – and win.

Allen Adamson — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:07:40 +0000

Why should I buy this? That is the ultimate question on every consumer’s mind. Conversely, why should they buy it must be the ultimate question on any brand manager’s mind in order to make the sale.

In my newest column on Forbes.com I explore the two fundamental answers to this question. Yes, there are two. And, yes, each is based on the branding fact that you must offer something that is both relevant and completely different than any other brand out there in order to be successful. Where these two answers diverge is a matter of whether the product can sell itself – is it inherently different and relevant? Or, must the marketing team look for way to position it as different and relevant?

In a marketplace deluged with brands and branding channels, each is a challenge. Take a look at the article and see which marketers are meeting this selling challenge and winning

Be it offense or defense, all brands need a “what if” strategy

Allen Adamson — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 22:35:47 +0000

With so many brands on the defensive over the past couple of years, most recently the humbled Tiger Woods brand, it’s become apparent that planning for ‘what if’ should be on every company’s brand management to-do list. With digital technology shining a brighter light than ever before on good deeds and, more to the point, bad deeds, it’s critical to do some proactive thinking about dealing with a transition in brand status, be it voluntarily or required due to person or product failure.

While this has been on my mind for some time, it was Tiger’s announcement that he would be on the roster at the Masters Tournament that got me to really focus on what it means to play defense, or offense, in a digital world. To say that time to action must be compressed is an understatement. To say that companies who think ahead of the competitive curve in this fast-moving environment are smart, equally so. Take a minute to read my recent column in Forbes Online about this topic.