Please note that KAB Marketing is no longer operating as a consulting and presentations company. The Blog "What's Branding Got to Do with it?" will continue to be published on a regular basis.
Our recent trip to Glacier National Park in Montana was one
of the most spectacular of our journey’s over the past several years to
national parks around the country and the world. Most significant memory, however, is the
comparative photos that have been taken of the glaciers over the past several
years and how fast and how significant these mammoth ice flows are
disappearing. Some say it’s simply a
matter of nature taking its course. However, the surge in ice melt is more
likely the cause of global warming and the use of fossil fuels that have
contaminated and increased the temperature of the atmosphere. I couldn’t help but think of this as an
analogy for the way many great brands are disappearing from the marketplace at
an ever-increasing rate and that this not simple an evolution of business
cycles. Rather, like our disregard for the air we breath has
had an adverse effect, the disregard for building brands that last and adjust
to the changes in customer preferences has had a significant effect on the
disappearances of some great names in marketing that (like the glaciers) we
thought would be on our shopping horizon for years to come.
Glaciers have retreat some 15 miles in past 30 years!
We’ve talked about great brands like Toys r Us, Sports
Authority, Payless Shoes, Abercrombie, Banana Republic, Gap recently in these
articles, and we’ve also seen the same retreat not in aerial photos but in
sales and market share reports for brands like Sears, Penney’s, numerous banking
organizations, insurance companies, Circuit City, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Mercury,
and the list goes on. All of those now
empty storefronts and brands, in my opinion, could have survived successfully
if the senior management, especially marketers, had developed an ongoing brand
strategy that evolved to meet the customer trends and attitudes. Great brands like Amazon, Costco, Walmart,
Geico, Lexus/Toyota have recognized that to succeed in today’s market, a
company has to adjust and consistently innovate with a premise that appeals not
only to the mind of the consumer but also the heart. That’s where the relationship begins and, I
believe, if many of our industrialists in the past had experienced the beauty
and specter of our national parks and, particularly, glaciers. They would have had a plan to protect the
brand that is our natural environment.
I was talking with our postman a few days ago, as he sat in
his over-heating mail truck. He was
complaining about how inefficient these trucks were and how Amazon was changing
the world of retail delivery. At the
same time, I viewed a feature on a news report about the growth of electric
vehicles in China and that inexpensive electric vehicles are here, now and
being mass produced as fast as the infrastructure could keep up with it. I thought about how efficient mail delivery
with electric vehicles that could be
charged every night. How the
streets of New York (and Chicago or Vegas) could be less polluted if all those
taxis and buses were electric instead of gas.
These are major improvements that can be made now that not only benefit
our environment, but also improve the brands of the postal and transportation services
to help build those businesses. Great branding can save a company with a reason
for being by adjusting its benefits and messages to more people and creating
demand. It takes a vision and a
conscious effort to create the value and a relationship that endures.
Nine years ago, I got together with another
consultant/speaker to co-author Brain Branding—Activate the Brain…Stimulate
Your Brand which is now available on Amazon and Kindle. I had been consulting and presenting on
developing an effective brand for several years, but when I heard Robyn’s
presentation on communication and whole brain thinking, I believe together we
had discovered an innovative way to make branding come alive for marketers in
almost every consumer industry. Robyn
had been enlightening her audiences on the fact that the brain is actually
divided in four quadrants—not just two halves.
As I listened to her, it became apparent that the differences in these
four quadrants mirrored four of the five steps that I had learned were
necessary in creating a successful brand strategy. So, we put our “brains” together and develop
BrainBranding. It was a new way to look
at how to understand customers better by studying the way these customers think
when they decide to shop a certain store, buy a specific brand, or use a special
service.
We have been promoting our book and presenting ever since by
helping marketers understand that there are four thinking styles:
The Investigator
(Quadrant A)- This customer
researches extensively before making
decision. And it’s not just price, the investigator wants to know
product features, reviews, warranties, service and history.
The Coordinator
(Quadrant B)- Reliability and dependability are important to this
customer. Requiring simplicity and
practicality, she wants a clear definition of the features and looks for
solutions to the need or problem that nurtured the interest. The coordinator wants
details and facts.
The Relater (Quadrant
C)- A relationship is important to this customer and they will seek out a
seller who is personable and genuinely interested in them and their needs.
An emotional connection is critical and once you have it the brand loyalty is
difficult to lose. Want benefits and will share them with others and is
motivated by a positive purchase experience.
The Trendsetter
((Quadrant D)- This customer wants the latest and the newest technology or
style. Anticipates “out of box” thinking and innovative features and
benefits. An early adapter who prefers
multiple options for brand usage.
The interesting fact is that research has shown that over
90% of the people in the market are motivated by all of these styles to some
degree. So, you can’t just brand to one
style, you have to have-e a brand message that hits all four to some extent and
to do that the marketer has to exercise these same styles in a four-step brand
development strategy and they aren’t in the same order as presented above.
CREATE
YOUR VISION—(Trendsetter)Look to the future.
Why does your brand exist? What does
your future vision look like and how will the market change. Look for state of the art options and unique
benefits. Be creative in your
message. Stand out. Have a strategy
based on the future as well as research of past competitors and brands.
CONDUCT
RESEARCH (Investigator)—Get the facts about your brand and what it’s all
about. Look at market history and
competitive brands. Look at brand
history and sustainability. Dive into
the statistics that support your brand’s position and analyze the competition
for strengths and weaknesses. Determine the brand’s position and its value
proposition. This is the TRUTH of the
brand.
COMMUNICATE AN EMOTIONAL VALUE (Relater)-
Unfortunately, many marketers jump into a new ad campaign or theme before doing
the necessary homework above. Once you’ve done the homework, you can start
communicating the feelings that you want the customer to have toward your brand
and how they feel toward you as seller.
Communicate the benefits of using your brand or service. Let them know
What’s In It For Them! Develop the HEART
of the brand—how it makes them feel inside and what personal service it
provides.
CONSTRUCT A PLAN (Coordinator)- Add some form to
your substance with a plan that is comprehensive and executable (and
understandable). Combine the 3 steps above into a marketing plan and develop a
reasonable timetable and measurement for success. Honestly determine the state of the brand
today and where you want it to be in the future (and how to get there.)
That leaves us at the Step Number 5, which we have added
because without it all of the others are just an exercise in futility or at
best mediocre results. That is to LIVE
UP TO THE BRAND EVERY DAY! In order to do
this, you must market your brand to your staff and those who represent you in
every aspect of the business. This is
just as detailed as the plan in Step 4 above.
It is not just a video or memo that briefly explains the new brand
position, it is a marketing strategy developed by and for everyone who has a
stake hold in the product or service. If
the server or salesperson doesn’t get it and demonstrate it with every
transaction, the customer won’t return.
If the service department or product development don’t create what is
promised in the marketing, they won’t buy it.
If the message isn’t consistent with your brand strategy and have appeal
to all of the thinking styles noted above, forget about success.
All of this is discussed in more detail and with specific
case studies and example in our book. We
also developed a manual that walks you through the process of developing a
successful brand. Good luck and
Stimulate Your Brand!
By this time next month, the last of the former 4400 Payless
Shoe Source stores will be shuttered and another retail brand will disappear
from the marketplace…and no one will notice.
Since the company announced its closing a couple month’s ago, I’ve been asked
a few times for my opinion on why this once aggressive retail chain that had
remodeled and re-positioned most of its stores not long ago, failed.
Soon to Disappear
Of course, my simple answer is BRANDING…or the lack
thereof. Having worked in the discount
shoe industry for the agency handling the Pic n’ Pay Shoes chain, based in
Charlotte several years ago. There
certainly seemed to be a lot of opportunity for success for a chain like
Payless. A closer look, however, showed
that it was a tough challenge despite the growth of athletic and casual shoes
and rapid changes in fashion shoe styles in the past several years. The problem with a brand like Payless was
that the name said it all. It was a
brand based on low prices and not much else in the customers’ minds. As I’ve said many times, low prices only get
you in the retail ballpark and it’s all the other things that you need to do to
form a customer relationship that builds a brand that resonates and makes a
difference when someone chooses a store or service. With the intense competition from the discount
chains, off-price designers shoe stores, and off-price stores like Kohl’s TJ
Maxx, SteinMart, etc., just having your own brand of low-priced shoes wasn’t
enough to keep a loyal customer. Add to
that the warehouse clubs that feature name brand shoes consistently at least
half off the regular retail. Don’t
forget the outlet malls that always have a number of shoe outlets and it’s more
than a challenge.
Already gone.
I recall a campaign that we did for Pic n’ Pay for their line of athletic shoes. The message was yes, this is a good price but when you compare the features and construction to the same shoe from Nike in a more convenient location, you had a brand statement that made a difference. Pic n’ Pay has long faded from the scene due to being acquired and merged into other brands.
However, Skechers has developed its brand of casual shoes with a brand statement that focuses on comfort and style and lets the retailer do the price promotion. I’ve noted that they have now opened over 3000 free-standing outlet stores and they’ve successfully created a brand selling over 170 million pairs a year and generated over $4.5 Billion in sales. It’s a brand based on comfort, but it has aggressively established itself as a strong citizen of the communities they serve and a sustainability program as well. Then, they market their shoes with effective creative that focuses on the comfort benefit, even if you have big feet like Howie Long. Click on this link to view one of the spots: https://youtu.be/CGhUEYvz8zI
Coming on Strong
Payless, to me, never seemed to have any other message than
price. Its stores were updated but not
exciting and their free-standing locations helped build a convenience attribute
but they just seemed to be just another retail location with little consumer
appeal. Additionally, their marketing
never seemed to provide any other reason to buy your shoes there regularly.
Price only gets you on the playing field, a relationship builds a successful
brand.
That’s what branding is all about. Building a relationship and then providing a reason for being that resonates with your target customer. Unless, a store invests in the product, the outlet, and the experience to differentiate it from increased competition (both in stores and online), it hasn’t much chance. Then, if you can’t make the investment to create a marketing message that reaches your target customer, the store is doomed to become another of the several empty stores dotting our marketplace…and a brand we’ll soon forget
So another Super Bowl has come and gone. The game surely wasn’t memorable this
year—although some day we will all remember the Brady/Belichick Dynasty and
this game will come to mind even if we forget who they played. The hype for this sporting event has gone
beyond overdone unless of course your favorite team happens to be playing. The media coverage, the media day, the radio
row, the pregame shows, the halftime show (yawn), the postgame show, the
highlights if any are getting to the point of boredom. So what branding got to do with it?
Well, there is no other media event on which more marketing
dollars are spent and more advertising hype is displayed than the Super Bowl
(whoops, I meant the Big Game since I don’t have NFL license). Let’s face it if you’re going to spend $5.25
million for a 30-second spot (that $175,000 a second) not to mention the
production and talent costs, you certainly do get a lot of media attention
beyond the airing of the spot itself.
So, it’s a bif spend and it’s a big opportunity to strengthen your brand
message like no other ad you might run the rest of the year.
I have to admit, I do not sit and scrutinize every ad that
runs before, during and after the game, but I do watch the game and am
sensitive to the messages just as I am when I watch Bull, SportsCenter, or This
is Us. I do this to see if any cause a
“wow” reaction or whether they go unnoticed or elicit a “What was that all
about?” reaction. Again this year, I am
impressed by the production dollars spent on these spots more than the
message. However some do break through
and at the same time, in my opinion, establish or further strengthen the
brand message for the particular product
or service. So here are my top five
spots that caught my branding eye this year. These are commercials that are
memorable not only for creativity but also for communicating the brand message
effectively. I’ve added a link to a
recap of all the commercials so that you can review them al without being
disturbed by a game or Adam Levine’s tattoos.
I’ve also noted a couple that I think wasted their money and our time
with no branding message that I can determine.
Click here to review all the spots without
interruption:
THE GOOD ONES
Dietz
Nuts: Ok, this is a pretty simply
produced spot with Craig Robinson (formerly on The Office) and his brother
and it’s about a new nut.
However, I think since it’s a spot to introduce a new kind of nut—made
out of meat not a vegetable (or is it a fruit?). Anyway, this spot gathers your attention with
a likable celebrity and a simple message that catches your attention while you
much on that bowl of beer nuts on the bar.
Humor that is realistic and a simple message and it caught my attention
to find out more about this new nut.
And, while were being nutty, I thought the spots by Planters (the #1
brand) were silly and the use of Charlie Sheen and A-Rod was superfluous.
Bubly.
A great way to introduce another new brand, Bubly sparkling water
features the guy whose name we all mispronounce, Michael Buble’ and his efforts to change the spelling to his
name even in the store. A simple name
that helps define the brand and differentiate it from the hundreds of other
carbonated drinks on the market.
Colgate Toothpaste. Never thought a classic packaged goods brand
like this would do a super bowl spot that really is on target. Featuring Luke
Wilson, a recognizable actor without any baggage to disrupt the brand message,
the message hits on the best benefit of using Colgate Total SF—that it leave
your breath fresh especially for those up close conversations. I think it was engaging, funny, and realistic
while positioning a new version of a well-known brand that we use everyday.
Fabreze.
Similar story here but not a new product. Just a new way of hitting on one of the
biggest uses of an air freshener but with a timely situation at a Super Bowl
party. No need for TO in this spot, but
the scenario is funny and drives home a new message for an every day product.
Devour Frozen Entrees. Another new product to me that I won’t forget easily. A different approach to positioning the brand from all the other frozen dishes out there and getting the message across that will turn you into a fanatic (frozenfood-ofile?). The scenarios are recognizable when someone is addicted but doesn’t want anyone to know and the brand name is interesting enough to spark some interest into an otherwise mundane product category.
There are several others, but I chose these for originality,
simple production, and getting the branding message across.
NOT SO GOOD ONES.
On the other hand, here are some who I feel wasted their
$5.25 Million plus :
Audi—Dreaming about a car during a near death experience caused by a cashew.
Nuts to
you.
Olay: Killer skin. Is this a trailer for a horror film or a poor way to sell soft, supple
Skin. I don’t think it’s a good partnership anyway.
Pepsi. I love Steve Carell, but I didn’t find these spots funny or effective.
Amazon: I love Amazon, but these celebrity spots (Harrison Ford) don’t work for
me at all.
Bud Light: Usually I find Bud commercials to be some of the best, but this one about
the jousters in its ongoing medieval campaign
is really stupid even if it is movie trailer in disguise. Dilly. Dilly
Turkish Airlines: Nice story and more of a short flick. Not sure it would make me want to fly.
Well, there are a lot a lot more but let’ s get on to March Madness and hopefully some more effective branding this year.
Spending the Thanksgiving holiday with our family in the North Georgia Mountain reminds me of how important relationships are at this time of the year. Watching some of the multitude of holiday advertsing on the air and online, also reminds me of how so many products, services and store forget that it’s the relationship that they have with their customer that determines how strong their brand is and that strength is what determines the success of their holiday sales at this important time of the year for business.
Once again the papers are filled with promotional sales for one day sales, black Friday specials and lowest prices of the season. All of these are holiday marketing staples, but it’s the branding that really drives the customer to choose one product over another when deciding on a source for gifts. Fortunately, there are still some companies that choose to make a difference and creatively reach out to build a relationship at Christmas. Let’ take a look at a few shining examples that are worth taking the time to spread my Christmas cheer this year:
Bouygues Telecom is the French leader in internet and cellular communication and they realize that the real benefit of their technology is enabling their customers to not only share holiday greetings but also to be able to relive the memories of Christmas’s past with their family. This spot translates well using a pop standard with scenes that bring a smile to everyone. Click on the link below
Macy’s. To be sure, department stores continue to diminish in their importance at what once was their most important selling season. A lot of that is due to forgetting to brand themselves in the midst of all the promotion. Macy’s is no exception to that diminishing trend. However, the store continues to maintain important traditions that are memorable part of our Christmas traditions. The Thanksgiving parade, the wonderful Herald Square store windows, and the Believe campaign continue to separate the stores from all the other retailers. Take a look at this video that captures the unveiling of the store window on a snowy night on Broadway. Click on the link below.
Frangrance gifts are a big part of all retail holiday sales, Macy’s adds some branding its relationship in the following spot. Click on the link below:
Publix has long been my favorite for branding and setting the standard for holiday creativity in advertising. This year is no different. Yes, you can get Turkeys for 99 cents a pound, but you can welcome home your son to a dinner that makes the food special to every family. Click on the link below for this great spot?
Finally, Apple has taken the spot for technology on Christmas lists for many years now, and they’ll be on the top again this year. But in this video “spot” Apple creates a new animated special that highlights the importance of Christmas wishes that need to be shared. I didn’t quite grasp the message in the commercial but this is worth the 3 minutes to tell the whole story of what technology can do to help a young girl share here holiday wishes. Click on the link below:
While in my home town, Detroit, for a high school reunion a couple weeks ago, I took a trip down to my undergrad alma mater, Wayne State University, to visit the new Mike Ilitch School of Business Building which was dedicated about a month ago. I was impressed by the building and by its location which was about a mile from campus and right next to the new Little Caesar’s Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings (which Ilitch owned) as well as the Pistons NBA team. I was impressed by the new arena as well as nearby Comerica Park (home of the Tigers, which is also owned by the late Ilitch’s family). My first impression was “Wow, that’s a lot of pizzas to build these mammoth, modern facilities! Indeed, it is and it’s particularly amazing given the competitiveness of the pizza industry in the US.
Little Caesar’s is one of the top national chains, competing with Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Papa John’s, Jets, California Pizza Kitchen and local Detroit favorite Buddy’s for a share of the pizza market. Little Caesar’s established itself years ago by marketing the fact that not only are its pizzas really delicious but that you get two pizza pizzas every time you order one at the same prices Don’t forget the take and bake stores as well which includes Papa Murphy, Straw Hat, and the Sam’s and Costco Warehouse stores). Of course, we all have our favorite local independent pizza places which help make up the over 62 million pizzerias who spread mozzarella and pepperoni in every corner of the US (and the world for that matter). So, what make one pizza shop succeed in such a competitive market place? Sure, there are the multitude of coupons that flood our newspapers, mailboxes and on-line every day. And there are the thousands of delivery cars and vans that deliver hot pies to our front doors (and don’t forget Uber and Lyft as well). However, I believe it’s branding that continues the growth of this popular staple to our diet.
I recall my first pizza job when I was in grad school at Pizza Hut which was a regional player at the time. The key to Pizza Hut’s brand was its special sauce which was confidentially delivered to each hut weekly. We made all the rest of the pie like any other but when we added the herbs and spices to the sauce, the brand took on its uniqueness. Since then, Pizza Hut strengthened its brand with innovative offerings like personal pans, stuffed crust, pan pizzas and unique toppings and amenities.
Domino’s built it brand on delivery—hot and fresh—within 30 minutes- and has developed systems to insure it still gets there hot whether you order delivery or pick up at their state-of-art system stores.
Papa John’s went even further with its “Better ingredients, better pizza” by building on its owner as an icon (although that’s been tarnished lately).
California Pizza Kitchen built on the trend of gourmet and artisan pizzas in mall-based locations and full service restaurants as well as packaging their pizzas to be sold in food stores and chains nationwide
Jet’s built on its Detroit roots by offer a square pan with a crispy crust just like Motown Buddy’s (which was included in my reunionvisit as well).
And, I could go on about why 94% of Americans eat pizza regularly at one place or another for a total 5 Billion pies annually. But, let’s just consider that it’s one industry that can attribute its success to BRANDING and watching all of the commercials and ads, there’s no question that marketing is as an important ingredient as the cheese, sauce, crust, and toppings. And it just can’t be me-too messages. Since I am paying homage to Mike Ilitch and Little Caesars, my favorite pizza commercial of all time was run in the Super Bowl (by the way the Sunday when more pizzas are consumed than any other day of the week) several years ago when the company announced its delivery system. They didn’t just announce they too will deliver, but they made a convincing message about how well they trained their delivery person’s.
Take a look by clicking on this Super Sunday spot link:
Not only did this make the case for delivery but also helped brand the quality of the service and pizza cooks as well. A strong message to compete with the mom and pop pizza shop around the corner.
And it takes a lot of branding in the independent pizzerias too. Their brand is built by the family, the chef (like in the new Coke commercials about pizza), and the servers who usually have been there as long as the ovens that bake the pizza.
When I worked in the Glendale, AZ, Pizza Hut decades ago, I was worried that I would lose my love of pizza when I made and served hundreds each week. However, when I walked in and smelled the oregano in the sauce and crusts baking, the craving was only enhanced. I’m sure many pizza lovers who still eat in or pick up have that same sensory delight, but the it’s the branding that gets us to come in time after time for the pies we crave.
SHARE OF PIZZA CHAIN MARKETSL $25 BILLION+ ANNUALLY):
Bouygues Telecom is the French leader in internet and cellular communication and they realize that the real benefit of their technology is enabling their customers to not only share holiday greetings but also to be able to relive the memories of Christmas’s past with their family. This spot translates well using a pop standard with scenes that bring a smile to everyone. Click on the link below
lot of that is due to forgetting to brand themselves in the midst of all the promotion. Macy’s is no exception to that diminishing trend. However, the store continues to maintain important traditions that are memorable part of our Christmas traditions. The Thanksgiving parade, the wonderful Herald Square store windows, and the Believe campaign continue to separate the stores from all the other retailers. Take a look at this video that captures the unveiling of the store window on a snowy night on Broadway. Click on the link below.
Publix has long been my favorite for branding and setting the standard for holiday creativity in advertising. This year is no different. Yes, you can get Turkeys for 99 cents a pound, but you can welcome home your son to a dinner that makes the food special to every family. Click on the link below for this great spot?
this video “spot” Apple creates a new animated special that highlights the importance of Christmas wishes that need to be shared. I didn’t quite grasp the message in the commercial but this is worth the 3 minutes to tell the whole story of what technology can do to help a young girl share here holiday wishes. Click on the link below:
While in my home town, Detroit, for a high school reunion a couple weeks ago, I took a trip down to my undergrad alma mater, Wayne State University, to visit the new Mike Ilitch School of Business Building which was dedicated about a month ago. I was impressed by the building and by its location which was about a mile from campus and right next to the new Little Caesar’s Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings (which Ilitch owned) as well as the Pistons NBA team. I was impressed by the new arena as well as nearby Comerica Park (home of the Tigers, which is also owned by the late Ilitch’s family). My first impression was “Wow, that’s a lot of pizzas to build these mammoth, modern facilities! Indeed, it is and it’s particularly amazing given the competitiveness of the pizza industry in the US.
and local Detroit favorite Buddy’s for a share of the pizza market. Little Caesar’s established itself years ago by marketing the fact that not only are its pizzas really delicious but that you get two pizza pizzas every time you order one at the same prices Don’t forget the take and bake stores as well which includes Papa Murphy, Straw Hat, and the Sam’s and Costco Warehouse stores). Of course, we all have our favorite local independent pizza places which help make up the over 62 million pizzerias who spread mozzarella and pepperoni in every corner of the US (and the world for that matter). So, what make one pizza shop succeed in such a competitive market place? Sure, there are the multitude of coupons that flood our newspapers, mailboxes and on-line every day. And there are the thousands of delivery cars and vans that deliver hot pies to our front doors (and don’t forget Uber and Lyft as well). However, I believe it’s branding that continues the growth of this popular staple to our diet.
I recall my first pizza job when I was in grad school at Pizza Hut which was a regional player at the time. The key to Pizza Hut’s brand was its special sauce which was confidentially delivered to each hut weekly. We made all the rest of the pie like any other but when we added the herbs and spices to the sauce, the brand took on its uniqueness. Since then, Pizza Hut strengthened its brand with innovative offerings like personal pans, stuffed crust, pan pizzas and unique toppings and amenities.
insure it still gets there hot whether you order delivery or pick up at their state-of-art system stores.
Papa John’s went even further with its “Better ingredients, better pizza” by building on its owner as an icon (although that’s been tarnished lately).
Jet’s built on its Detroit roots by offer a square pan with a crispy crust just like Motown Buddy’s (which was included in my reunionvisit as well).
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