Lately I've been noticing a number of organizations sending out special brand communications that shout, "It's our 21th Anniversary" or "We Announce Our 8th Year in Business." And these aren't even major anniversaries like the ones that end in a zero or a five. Yet some marketers think they warrant a special communication to potential clients. Would you read that e-mail or newsletter? Do you have time?
Join the W.I.F.M. It's the most important radio station that I know of for smart marketers. And it stands for "What's In It For Me?" That's what you must always consider as you think about the reasons for sending out brand communications. Waste your possible customers' time and you may not get another chance to have their attention when you really do have something relevant to say. The most welcome communications offer valuable information that help people do their jobs better, more efficiently or more happily. Offer one of those things as part of your message and you will be welcomed back with open arms next time you reach out with a brand communication.
Disney just opened their new movie, "Alice in Wonderland", in 3D, right on the heels of James Cameron's 3D phenomenon, Avatar. With the advent of high definition hyper-real computer animation, these created, dimensional environments all but have us walking through forests of neon blue floating sea anemones as we fall down a rabbithole in hyperspeed. And these entertainments aren't just intended for the bubblegum set: expect to see adults, teens, seniors, preteens and grade schoolers flocking to these cinematic wonders.
It's early days in 3D yet the trend is clear. We've come to expect not just viewing but experiencing. The use of color, sound, motion and now, dimension, bring us right into the story.
As you move through strategic marketing planning leading to brand communication tactics, consider ways to insert your brand's constituents into the experience rather than just communicating at them. Interactive technology allows a two-way engagement. Holographic images allow us to walk right into a scene. Multi-sensory theaters like those at Disney World allow audiences to feel their seats move in a thunderstorm and feel the moisture of rain on their faces. Many small brands cannot afford these high test luxuries. But are there less expensive ways (scratch and sniff, moving pieces, textural components like cut-outs, pop-ups or imbedded sound chips, to name a few). Well placed, these types of tactics can breathe new life into an otherwise tired piece of brand communication and are well worth considering.
Brand Development is one of Element Three’s business disciplines, and it’s always an exciting experience when one of our clients moves into the implementation phase of launching their brand. On March 1, Connext Financial unveiled their new brand identity to their customers. Formerly known as MTC Equipment Finance, Element Three worked with the company to rename and develop a new corporate identity, which included a new logo and tag line.
Clear identification of key audiences and messaging strategies to each of those audiences formed the foundation of the launch strategy. A series of key communications incorporating print, email, and person to person contact is currently underway. The company’s new website, www.connextfinancial.com is now on line. Take a look:
This past week, I was honored with an award for mentoring at a ceremony that included business and community leaders, students, other honorees and even the Lieutenant Governor. I walked in expecting to have fun and enjoy the honor of being a Finalist. Having my name called as one of the award Winners was quite unexpected. Because I had no expectation of winning, I was relaxed and I think I took in the appreciative congratulations completely and in the moment. Believe me, this has not always been my mode of operating in the past: I used to stress out over being competitive, comparing my winnings to others.
In brand communications, I'd compare this to thinking only about making the sale instead of enjoying the actual interaction or the followup. Building customer relationships, enjoying the experience with clients, getting to know what matters most to those you serve and taking the time to find out...these are all actually smart marketing integration tactics. One of the simplest ones is just saying "Thanks" to clients who have been loyal to you or who have just bought from you for the first time. If a customer has been a pleasure to work with, tell them. In the end, goodwill comes back in many forms.
Pepsi decided NOT to run a Super Bowl ad this year. What a great idea! By not running an ad after doing so for more than two decades, they actually got more press than if they had run an ad.
The good news is that Pepsi instead is giving $20 million away in a social media project called
Pepsi Refresh. Some of my design students have already entered their project work for not local for profit agencies hoping to receive funding. It's a smart move on Pepsi's part. My students and their generation are among the most involved generation of socially conscious and engaged people in recent memory and they're more likely to align with a brand that actively supports their causes than one that throws big money at television conglomerates.
What have you done through your brand communications lately to make the world a better place AND align with your brand's constituents?
Many talented marketers wonder why the work they get from their design firms and ad agency partners doesn't stack up to their expectations, both creatively and strategically. One place to start if you want to build powerful, focused brand communications, is with your creative brief. At Element Three, we have developed a thorough creative brief format that assures that the fundamental questions of WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW get answered. It's true that most Indianapolis ad agencies have a creative job starter form of some kind. And the form alone won't assure that you get great work. The focus and finesse of the people who work with the form, however, will.
Some tips:
Demand focus in the objective for the communications.
Demand that a specific audience be outlined in the brief. You cannot speak effectively to everyone.
Expect to see specific, salient insights into that audience's lifestyle, values and demographics outlined in the brief.
Insist on a single-minded, unique main message. You cannot make great brand communications without it.
We like to agree on where and how the communications will show up. We also like to assure that there will be a specific call to action for the audience to make sure your brand communications get a real response. Contact Tiffany Sauder at tiffany@discoverelementthree if you'd like us to craft a powerful creative brief for your brand communications! It will make all the difference in the creative you hold in your hand in the end.
I just attended a seminar in which I sat in on a talk by an ex-CIA agent. The agent discussed the espionage stories she recalled in which creativity was at the core of each example's success. Core to the talk was the premise, repeated many times, that, "Of course, creativity cannot be learned. Either your mind works in quirky ways or it doesn't." The presenter went on to put down anyone who made money giving seminars on "how to be more creative, because as we all know, that's a bunch of bullcrap." (Her words, not mine.)
Listening to this discussion of creativity made me squirm in my chair. For over 20 years, I've essentially been teaching professionals and students to be more creative....successfully. In fact,
Jonathan Plucker, Educational Psychology professor at IU in Bloomington, teaches and studies creativity. He says that there are many myths about creativity and that there are a number of things we can all do to boost our creativity. In fact, his students DO learn to be more creative. Plucker says, "If you believe that creativity techniques will work for you, they probably will."
Quirky creativity? That's one way of looking at it. But for those of us who make our living being creative on budget, on time and on strategy, it's anything but quirky. The creative problem solving process can be tracked (and has been: see
Min Basadur's Simplex creative problem solving process chart).
Our brains, in this age of information, must be kept flexible, just like our bodies.
Tom Monahan, founder of Before and After, is a brain trainer. He regularly teaches methods for stretching your brain to be more flexible and creative. I teach some of his techniques to my students at Herron School of Art and Design and I see many wonderful results from students – who often amaze even themselves.
So no matter what you do, whether it involves creating brand communications or doing tax consulting, you CAN learn to be more creative!
I recently developed a talk about advertising great Bill Bernbach, one of the founders of DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach). According to
Branding Strategy Insider, Bernbach said, "You say something better if you have something to say (about your product)." And we always look for something to say. Now, whereas at the time we started (DDB) most agencies felt that once they'd found something to say they'd done their job, our point of difference was the belief that at this stage your work was only beginning."
Bernbach went on to develop advertising that started what became known as the Creative Revolution of the 60's and 70's by using insights into human nature, emotions that created the desire to purchase. His was not a scientific method but rather one based in artistry, creativity and brutal honesty. Brand communications that were developed as a result included the famous Volkswagen campaign in which the car was shown alone on a white background with headlines like, "Lemon" and "Think small." For 40 years, DDB built the brand with myriad simple, compelling messages. Other groundbreaking campaigns include those for Avis ("We try harder."), Alka Seltzer ("Thatsa spicy meatball.") and Levy's ("You don't have to be Jewish to love Levy's.").
When I was a kid, I know that seeing these TV spots inspired me to later choose to work in advertising. My career started in Minneapolis during its creative heyday in the 80's (see Fallon McElligott, Carmichael Lynch) and I can attest to the legacy of Bernbach's creative approach there. It lives on still in work done in New York, London, LA, Minneapolis, Chicago and Indianapolis.
Element Three's Brand Chemistry Process, our unique deep dive discovery of the emotional core of your brand, is firmly based in the belief that, before we can create powerful brand communications, we must not only fully understand your brand's unique offering, we must also know your customer's intrinsic reasons to buy. Once we have this knowledge, we can develop advertising that I hope even Bill Bernbach would approve.
This week, President Obama gave his State of the Union message to a joint session of Congress. No matter what your political leanings, it was easy to see that one side of the chamber reacted to his message with raucous clapping and cheers. The other, silence.
[Unlike his last visit to Congress, when one member on the silent side chose to shout, "You lie!" in response.] This year, during one especially pointed comment toward the Supreme Court, one of the justices could be seen to mouth, "That's not true." Not the most effective exchange.
Just a few days later, the president took part in a gathering of Republican House members Friday in Baltimore that brought some conciliatory words from both sides, but also some pointed complaints and accusations. See more about this by clicking
here.
According to Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, this was the most meaningful exchange yet between the two parties and it was what could be the first real step in having Democrats and Republicans working together for the good of the nation.
What's the point in all of this? Communication is so much more meaningful when it's two way. Let's translate this discussion to your brand communications. Are you allowing your brand's constitutents to respond to your products and services? Social media allows dialogs to develop that can inform your product or service development, even your brand itself. Knowing where and when to have this two way conversation is key. As part of our and marketing and brand positioning strategy, we can recommend the most fruitful places for your brand's two way conversations to take place. So you get as much out of them as your customers.
Logo creation services are us. Yes, like many other creative service firms, Element Three offers identity design as part of its scope of services. Yet a logo does not equal a brand. The two words are so often interchanged that it's worth taking the time to stop and reflect on the differences.
A logo is like shorthand for the essence of your organization's offering. It's the flag at the top of the mountain that is your brand. Because of this, it's the most obvious thing that everyone (marketers and consumers) think of when they think of your brand. Your brand, on the other hand, lives and breathes in the minds of your customers, your strategic partners, your competition and your internal audiences. It is the promise your organization represents.
Your brand can be brought to life through a myriad of things including your logo, your communications, your employees' actions and attitudes, your physical structure, products, signage, vehicles, buildings, interiors, clothing, services and systems. Take this altogether and you have what Tom Peters calls "The Brand Experience". This is a more holistic way to think about your brand. Everything your brand does and says affects the brand in the mind of your constituents. So hire us to design your logo. We'll be happy to do it. We'll also ask you about what it actually stands for.
Yesterday, a group from our Indianapolis marketing firm, Element Three, was at a client in northern Indiana. On their conference room wall was the following quote:
"You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures"
First of all, I'm a sucker for a good quote, but I liked this one for other reasons. I like it for what it told about what was valued and important in their organization.
- I learned they value long-range planning. Long range planning takes discipline, foresight and communication to maintain and implement. Clients with those attributes are successful in marketing.
- I learned this organization values risk. Any company that acknowledges there will be failure, is a company that embraces calculated risk. Successful marketing and brand development requires companies take on calculated risk.
- I learned this company understands there is not a straight line to success. Marketing is based on testing, testing, testing - and measuring response. There is not a straight line to lead generation, but rather a process of hypothesis, execution, evaluation, adjustment, execution, evaluation, and on and on.
I'm excited to work with this client. With these attributes so front and center in their culture - we're set up for a successful partnership.
Are these characteristics present in your organization?
I watched Governor Mitch Daniels State of the State Address this week. I was interested in hearing how he would chose to address the highs and the lows of Indiana's performance over the past year. While acknowledging the challenges faced by our state and the residents who live here, he also took some time to put those challenges into perspective. Indiana has successes that are worth noting and celebrating.
It got me thinking about Indiana and even Hoosiers as a brand. States definitely need to clearly articulate their unique selling points when pitching themselves as a place to do business to the outside world. I imagine the average Hoosier, if asked, would describe Hoosiers as hard-working, value-centered, and relatively conservative. While that may or may not be an accurate description, those are not the unique selling points that differentiate our great state. At least not in terms that matter when pitching Indiana to newcomers.
From an economic development standpoint, what I heard about Indiana is:
We can back that up with statistics that prove the cost of living here is an attractive differentiator.
We are one of very few states that can claim a working cash reserve. It has allowed us to navigate the current recession without making cuts to the most basic of necessities. That is not to say we haven't had to make sacrifices, but the severity of those sacrifices have been mitigated by the financial position of our state. Our bond rating remains strong, and outside companies know that they can set up business in a state that can support infrastructure development.
- Progressive posture on taxes
The reforms made to the statewide property tax system were accomplished through a bipartisan effort at a time when many states were forced to raise taxes. Residents of the state demanded change and the political system worked to support it. From an outsider's perspective, this is evidence of a state willing to tackle tough reform.
The purpose of this post is not to put forth personal political opinions. Instead it is an opportunity to review the message through the brand positioning lens. As brand communicators, the Element Three team understands the importance of defining those points of differentiation that separate you/your company from your competition. As speeches go, Governor Daniels clearly defined Indiana's differentiating points. He was "on message." It's something his team can back up with proof points. On a personal level, it made me proud to identify with being a "Hoosier."
I'm a Mac person. So let me be completely transparent about that right off the bat. But I know plenty of PCers. So I thought I'd just throw this question out into cyberspace. Are you a Mac? Or a PC? Why?
My answer: I've worked in advertising and brand communication since before computers existed. The Mac interface is frankly more fun, more visual and more intuitive and as a creative thinker, I'd rather be looking at it all day than at the other choice. Mac also seems to be the common platform for those like me who work in brand development and marketing creativity so using this platform lets me speak the same language as my colleagues.
What are you and why?
How often have you been making a list of potential ideas or solutions to a problem and been stuck? Why does this happen? Most likely, you are saying to yourself, "Wow, that last idea was great! I don't need to keep going," or "Gee, these ideas are lousy. I'm no good at this. I better stop."
Generating ideas is a key skill for developing brand communications. So here's a simple tip: don't stop and judge too fast. Come up with lots of ideas first. Work fast. Let yourself come up with as many ideas as possible. Think quantity, not quality. Later, go back over your ideas and judge them. Most of your ideas may not work but you'll have more good ones to choose from, too.
Our country has been in the throes of a hot financial mess for 18 months now. And the bankers and Wall Street mavens who caused it all are living under the same rule set they were when they made the risky decisions that led to our current troubles. So how do we expect a different outcome?
I see the same thing in organizations. A marketing director may come to the table expressing great enthusiasm for doing something really different in the marketplace to gain awareness and to drive the market and the brand forward. This is music to any brand consulting group's ears. Typically, creative teams thrive on this sort of directive and will deliver their very best work. Yet if the brand organization doesn't make any internal changes in how it approves or accepts creative work or marketing thinking, the same old comments get made and the work, in the end, can be more of what the market already has.
What's at risk if your brand communications are truly 'stand out' in your market? What's at risk if you create an internal process that allows for new ideas to be tried, even if only in some test markets? What's at risk if you don't?
After the rough and tumble year of 2009, I am still receiving holiday greetings from unemployed colleagues who used to be full up with national and international work in advertising. My friends range from advertising agency broadcast producers and creative directors in the car industry (yikes!) to international agency HR directors to agency account executives. Notice the common word "agency" as in "advertising agency". There will always be the need for persuasive brand communication...yet I wonder if the classic advertising agency is the model for the future. Most smart marketers we work with at Element Three are looking for integrated marketing across all their brand communications, whether that is advertising, social networking, events marketing, product or package design or service delivery. When you define yourself as being able to deliver only one-way messages rather than an entire brand experience, it's no doubt that things have dried up. On the other hand, folks who can deliver integrated marketing seem to be on the recovery side of the recession–and rightly so.
What's your experience?
At Element Three, we often work with mid-size organizations to help them develop their brand create and implement marketing strategy and develop creative brand communications. Sometimes, our clients are new to these processes or to working with an Indianapolis marketing firm. Often, moving through the creative process is the most challenging part for those who are new to working with an outside creative resource.
To make things easy, we take a step-by-step approach. Once the key differentiators of the brand are identified, we create a series of potential brand boards that show how your brand might look and sound in type, copy, image and color. Once a directional board is chosen for the brand, everyone feels more confident as we develop brand identity. Next, for instance, many Indianapolis marketing firms may jump right to tight, comprehensive layouts to show creative concepts. We prefer to show several rough sketches so that the client has an early chance to give feedback. Once a rough sketch is selected and feedback is given, the entire team has a plan of attack agreed upon before moving into a tighter executional stage.
Checkpoints are good because they offer a chance for communication and clarity for the marketing partner and for the client. They also make for great creative executions.
In the past, I worked as a Creative Director...the person who hires designers and other creative folk. What I learned in this role is that HOW a creative person works with others is just as important as WHAT their work looks and sounds like. Reviewing the portfolio is only half the battle. The more important area to review is chemistry. Is this a person with whom you'd like to spend time in meetings, working late, and being under stress? Can you trust this person to deliver the goods on time, as needed?
It's the same when you're thinking of hiring a creative resource company. Make sure the work is quality. Then make sure the people are quality, too. You'll change agencies less often, build a long term relationship – and get better brand communications.
If you, like I, tend to get overwhelmed at this time of year, you know how much there is to get done. As a brand communicator, you may feel the same at work. There are the obvious seasonal greetings to get out, all in keeping with the brand positioning strategy yet bringing a bit of cheer to those who have been good to you all year long. Then there are the corporate gifts and the celebrations, as well. This can all become quite an expense – and a time sucker.
Here's another idea: instead of saving up the cheer for the holiday season, find ways to bring cheer to your brand's fans all year long, a little bit at a time. If you spend, say $5,000 at the holiday season (a small amount for most brands), you might create a number of meaningful events during the year in which you bring experts in to speak on a relevant topic Or you might spend the money creating content on your Web site and inviting special guests in with a password. Because content, to many, is more important than a box of flavored popcorn or a slightly drunken party. And in the long run, it brings more value to your brand.
It's here again. December. The month when companies make an effort to thank and acknowledge their customers, clients, vendors and employees.
Unfortunately, the 'to-do' of getting a Christmas card out the door or a small gift of appreciation is thrown in among the other million things that must be accomplished at year end.
Here are a couple of points to remember when sending out your company card
- Make it personal. Keep the correspondence as personal as you can. If you are sending out a card via mail, have the person who works most often with that client add a personal note. It doesn't have to be long, just relevant. If you choose to send out an email, use personalization strings to individualize the mass communication and add a video element from your CEO. This can be done very inexpensively with a Flip video or partnering with a company like Cantaloupe.
Here is an example of an e-holiday card I received today. The communication is tasteful, but may have had more impact with video or a personalized note embedded.
- Keep it on Brand. Your holiday card is part of your brand image and should reflect the personality, values and essence of your organization. It is important that this touch-point build upon the visual and verbal branding of your company as well.
That's Good HR, a permanent and temporary staffing company and client of our Indianapolis based marketing firm, Element Three, is taking a very on-brand approach to their Holiday card. Their card is a tongue-and-cheek resume of Mrs. Clause and her qualifications for jobs outside of the Christmas season. After they send it out (I don't want to steal their thunder) I will be sure to upload a .pdf for everyone to see.
Keep in mind these two simple rules and you will have greater impact with your 2009 Holiday/Christmas card.
I would love to see your company's card - upload a .pdf or link and we'll be sure to take a look!
Powered by Compendium Blogware