Branding is not quite dead, Part 2
In my last post, I said I would discuss some of the key elements of Branding. Here they are, in order:
First, the Customer.
In many cases, the customer is the brand. That is, when you are designing your product, it should be with a specific target customer in mind. What unfulfilled need do they have? What is important to them? Why would they choose your product or service over another?
In a perfect world, these and other questions should be answered before any product development is done. Your product, your brand should be designed around your intended customer, as much as possible.
Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world, and many of us are dealing with established brands and changing times. But we can still ask these questions to determine how well our brand fits, and if necessary, gradually make adjustments.
The Promise
Once you have established who the customer is and what they want or need, next you decide what promise you are making to them. How will you fulfill those unfulfilled needs? More importantly, how will you do it better – or differently – than your competitors?
This is the underlying benefit your product offers. It might be better prices or better service, something that enhances their lifestyles or makes them happier. Whatever it is, it should be something that you can deliver consistently and that your competitors cannot.
The Product
Now you can start designing your product. Your product is the thing that delivers on the promise, and it must do so consistently and reliably. Nothing can damage a brand like broken brand promises. For evidence of this, look no further than Toyota. Quality and reliability is their brand promise, and it was broken. It will take a lot of work to repair the Toyota brand.
The Character
Finally, this is where the designers, copywriters, PR executives and others commonly associated with branding come in. It may seem trivial compared to the elements I’ve described, but giving your brand a personality is important. It can give customers a reason to associate with your brand, or it can be what attracts people to your brand in the first place. Regardless, it should be carefully crafted and managed.
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Nice and concise.
To your point, I’ve never been in a situation that matches the theory that the customer thing is figured out before product development begins. Everyone agrees that is the best way to go, but no one ever does it. Kinda ironic.
bd
@bdunc1
Yes, I realize that things are different in the real world. This post does set up a chronological order, but it almost never happens that way in terms of time. Product development usually (I think) starts with an idea for the product itself, and considering the brand promise, etc., may happen simultaneously.
But eventually one needs to be finalized before the next can be, and I do believe it happens that way with relative frequency. It’s just a crazy, messy process with a lot of back and forth and improvising.
It’s like a game plan for a football game. The plan might be shot after the first snap, but you still have to know the plan.