Consumer behaviour is evolving at a faster pace with new emerging technologies and the rollout of 5G, Digital world is changing the way consumers purchase products and negotiate with their brands. It’s becoming difficult for brands to distinguish between themselves and their competitors as customer expectations are rising continuously.
Today’s customers are more challenged with everything from defining their own experiences, communicating to seeking out the solutions to their problems they want to do it all by themselves.
According to the research done by many universities, people interact with brands in a way similar to how they interact with people.
“Successful branding is a story being narrated to your customer across all consumer touchpoints”
-Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon
Starbucks Secret to brand success:
Starbucks
The first Starbucks store opened its doors in 1971 in Seattle. The world has created how the world drinks coffee outside Home and office. Since the early 1990s Starbucks has strived to build the brand by offering the customers a relaxing and enjoyable experience. It has consistently and effectively handled all the outlets around the globe. While other companies concentrated on advertising. Starbucks decided not to advertise instead they chose to offer its employees and partners stock options and health insurance. They also started its customer insights which are quite different from the multi-million dollar marketing strategy.
Their mission statement reads as
“To inspire and Nurture the Human spirit- one person, one cup and neighbourhood at a time”.
Another pillar for Starbucks’ brand philosophy is to be a responsible and socially ethical company. It sources 99% of its coffee through Coffee and Farmer Equity (CAFE) practices thus halving its carbon footprint. 2019 Reports to shareholders, it has announced its aspiration to store more carbon than emitting and providing clean water. In addition to expanding its plant-based options, the Company also works towards eliminating food wastage in its supply chain. In order to do so, they invest in innovative and regenerative agricultural techniques which improve the quality of their source materials ensuring the taste, visual appearances and texture of foods served in its restaurants.
Amuls’ Secret to success:
Amul cooperative was registered on 19th December 1946, due to the unfair trade practices, farmers approached Sardar Vallabhai Patel under the leadership of Tribhuvandas K. Patel. He then advised producing the milk and supply directly to the Bombay Milk Scheme instead of Polson (who did the same but gave them low prices).
Its tagline reads as
“Amul, The taste of India”
In 1966, Amul hired Sylverster da Cunha as the managing director of the advertising agency to design an ad campaign for Amul Butter. He Designed a series of hoardings with topical ads relating to day to day issues that how it all started. It was so popular that it earned a Guinness World Record for the longest-running ad campaign in the world. Amul’s revenue is 85% from butter, 90% from chocolate drinks, and 50% from cheese. They have literally changed the perception towards the brands in India. From a study conducted on customers of Amul, 52.5% of people bought their products due to quality and 30.83% of people brought them because of their brand image.
Cadbury’s Secret to brand success:
Cadbury marketing campaign
In 1824, Cadbury began operating in Birmingham. In 2010, kraft foods bought the company, and it is now (Mondelez International).
Cadbury in India was launched in 1948 and is currently headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. At present, Cadbury India Operates in 5 categories- Chocolate Confectionery, Beverages and biscuits. Products include Dairy milk, Tang, Oreo, Bournvita. The company even collaborated with the Hindustan Unilever limited to produce the products such as quality walls, cornetto, oreo, gems.
It basically follows the age segments for various of its products. The target audience for the Dairy Milk, Bournvita,5 star, Fuse & tang if for the kids. Products like Silk, celebrations are for the millennials. For adults, it has segmented the products like Bournville, Temptations, celebrations and icecreams.
It goes with digital marketing campaigns such as Dairy Milk’s Advertising campaigns, Oreos campaigns. As they cover all bases with their social media campaign, they improve it all over the place.
Amazing campaign:
Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye- A dairy milk campaign.
India being rich in traditions and customs especially during the auspicious day taking this into consideration It has launched this campaign called “Kuch meetha Ho Jaaye” in which Cadbury India positioned the dairy milk as the sweet that could be consumed during the happy moments of our lives. It also shows how it makes it possible to celebrate the big & small moments with sheer joy, connecting with people, belonging with all age groups. This campaign was also endorsed by Amitabh Bachhan.
Branding and consumer behaviours are the part and parcel of any of the marketing strategies. It basically has to understand the kind of customer they have. Research has shown that 77% of B2B marketers say that branding plays a vital role. Effectively upgrading the branding strategies for the target audience will be beneficial for the growth.
According to a study, 50% of the startups fail in their first five year.
But we are not talking about them. We are talking about 20% of the startups, that fail in the very first year. And you know why they fail? Now, this can be the reason for 50% of the startup too, but surely for the 20%.
They don’t take branding seriously.
Branding is one of the most important essentials in business, large or small. But how branding actually works and affects a small business like yours.
Let’s take a brief,
In simple words, your brand is a promise to your customers.
So, the first question that arises is, how to identify the theme of your brand?
Your brand is defined by four things :
What is your company’s mission?
What are the benefits and features of your product or service?
What do your customers and prospects already think of your company?
What qualities do you want your customers to associates with your company?
Once you figure out these four things, how will you present them to your customers?
This is where branding comes into work.
Let’s discuss some proven methods of branding and how they affect your business :
Create a visual idenity
A logo for example is something that gives you recognition. Your logo reminds the customer that you gave them the service and quality of work you promised to give them.
For example- when you see an apple logo what comes first in your mind?
It’s a premium quality, best experience, and luxury. And all these are the things that apple promise to provide, communicates through their visuals.
Integrate your brand
You can integrate your brand into every aspect of your business. Like, how you answer your business calls, it shows how professional you are. What your employees are wearing and what message they are giving to the customers, increase the experience of customers and builds trust.
For example- when you go for a coffee in Starbucks there are order takers who give suggestions for your order which is a very good thing to do to connect with the customer.
Create a voice/tone for your company that reflects your brand
A good voice should be applied to your written communication like website, advertisement, etc. it helps customers to connect with your company which results in making them permanent customers.
Be honest while branding
Don’t say something you can’t do or we can say don’t overhype your brand.
For example, if you are not the best in your field, then don’t say you are the best.
Honesty is the most valuable ingredient of customer experience.
So we can say that branding is the backbone of a business/startup. A good brand gets things like funding, investors, good employees, customers, etc very easily, but a local brand always struggles to get these things.
What kind of personality does your brand have? What are you trying to convey to your audience? To answer this question, you need to know your brand and how you want to portray it. Do you want to come across as friendly? Playful? Sassy? Serious? The answers to these questions will determine how you want your brand to be portrayed to the audience. The best way to do this is to ask yourself what kind of interactions you want to have with the audience.
Let’s see some archetypes examples, so you can decide where you fit in
Brand Archetype
Caregiver
Caregiver – Mother Teresa
As the word suggests, the caregiver is truly a selfless individual. They are driven by a desire to protect and care for others. In their own way, they’re like superheroes! Their motto is: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” As a caregiver, one must keep in mind that their job is all about truly valuing the people they’re taking care of. Think of them as your children and you should feel immediately compelled to work on treating them like family – not slaves or employees. Being driven by an inner need rather than money, to watch over others.
In branding, the Caregiver archetype is best for –
Education
Health care
Non profits
The character of the Caregiver archetype is a perfect fit for brands that help those in need, make their customers feel secure, protected and cared for.
And although TOMS shoes is a profitable brand, the business model is based around helping people.
Ruler
Ruler – Tony stark in MCU
The Ruler knows that the best thing to do to avoid chaos is to take control. The Ruler has the highest authority in the surrounding. He is respected by all and has the full faith of the people. He organizes his army(staff) and tells them whom to take. He is in charge of representing the country’s(organization) people. A Ruler is a good man who lives with the masses. He is a good leader who understands what’s best for the people of the country and does everything in his power to bring order to chaos.
The Ruler is the boss, the leader, the corporate CEO, the parent, role model, manager, or anyone with a commanding and authoritative manner.
In branding, the Ruler archetype is best for:
Luxury Cars
Watches
Upscale Hotels
To resonate with a ruler your brand should exert its leadership and demonstrate its superiority.
The Creator can be described as someone who specializes in shaping the experiences of a target audience. A Creator will always draw upon their own personal experiences, memories, or imagination when it comes to creating new products and services as this intersection is where they feel most inspired. There are many different types of creators. They simply all have one thing in common – their passion and joy for creating something out of nothing. The Creator archetype is a fundamental force in the universe. They are found within an individual who has the will to try and bring something new into existence, whether that be directly utilizing an external medium or not. They are like lightning because they have the power to strike down ideas without warning and create things from whole cloth with just one flash of passion, no matter how ridiculous it may seem on its surface.
The Creator’s core desire is to create something of enduring value. And they fear having a mediocre vision or execution.
In branding, the Creator archetype is best for:
Art / Design
Technology
Marketing
Creator brands tend to have loyal followers because they often inspire their customers to be better creatives themselves.
The Innocent is a personality type who is optimistic about life. They believe that life is meant to be fun and that there is no reason to be down in the dumps all the time. They see life for what it is, a beautiful journey that is filled with beautiful experiences. They are very expressive and like to have fun. They love to laugh and make others laugh. If an Innocent walks into a room, you can expect laughter to follow.
Aveeno and Dove are both skincare products that promote natural ingredients and simplicity. They also adopt a simplistic persona that represents women more naturally.
Sage
Sage – Swami Vivekanand
The people known as the Sage are an elite group of philosophers or intellectuals who study esoteric topics of the universe and the human mind. The Sage is enthralled by the mysteries of the universe. They search for the meaning of life through teachings and ideas that are thousands of years old. They seek to find answers to the meaning of life and the role of the human being in the world.
The Sage’s core desire is the discovery of truth.
And they fear ignorance and being duped or misled.
Google has become the biggest source of knowledge but they rarely provide this knowledge rather they are the guide to their audience to find the answers that they need.
Explorer
Explorer – Indiana Jones
The Explorer has this thirst for discovery and to connect with nature. Their motto is: “You only get one life. Make it count.” Explorer’s are the eternal wanderers, the big dreamers, the explorers at heart. It usually takes an event in their life to move them and inspire change. They are the ones who are happiest when they’re travelling and experiencing new things. They are the ones who take photos and write in journals. They don’t like to sit still for too long. They have a deep appreciation for everything. They don’t waste time. They appreciate travel, new experiences, the outdoors, and a new adventure. Everyone should be more like the Explorer!
Also maybe known as the seeker, adventurer, wanderer, individualist or rebel.
The Outlaws are an association of freedom-loving individuals who want to enjoy life without being dictated by “The Man.” Their goal is to live life to the fullest and not adhere to any rules. They enforce their own moral code and teach others to do the same. The Outlaw has something special to it. It’s not something that a lot of people like, but there are a few who will always love the Outlaw. The Outlaw is all about doing what you want, no matter what anyone says. You don’t want to limit yourself to rules, you want to make your own rules!
Harley Davidson is the typical outlaw brand and probably the most focused archetypal personality that there is.
Magician
Magician – Gandalf
The Magician is a free thinker. They have a limitless imagination. Everything else is possible to them. The Magician’s have dreams that other people see as impossible. They have a motto is: Anything can happen! Magic is the technology for making dreams come true.
Magicians see the world in a different light. They don’t see the sky as the limit. They see the sky as a potential stage for a great magic performance. Magicians have learned to beat the odds. There is nothing impossible for them.
Also known as the visionary, catalyst, innovator, charismatic leader, mediator, shaman, healer, or medicine man or woman.
In branding, the Magician archetype is best for:
Entertainment
Beauty
Health
And any brand that delivers some kind of element of mystery or mystique.
Disney is the typical brand when it comes to all things magical.
Hero
Hero – Captain America
The hero is passionate about life and makes friends with everyone he meets. When he hears of the need for a hero, he is ready to answer the call and save the world. This is where a hero is born. He uses his strength, wit, and amazing skill set to help people who have helped him along the way. The world needs heroes and the hero will not let them down.
The lover is all about being in a relationship with the people, the work, the experiences, the surroundings they love. Their motto is: “I only have eyes for you.”
They are known as partners, friends, intimates, matchmakers, enthusiasts, connoisseurs, sensualists, spouses, team builders, harmonizers. The lover’s main desire is to attain intimacy and experience sensual pleasure.
In branding, the Lover archetype is best for:
Cosmetics
Jewelry
Fashion
Any brand that implicitly promises beauty and sexual appeal is a Lover brand.
The main focus of the Jester is having fun and doing what makes you happy. They are known for their sense of humour in their actions and can also be a bit of a prankster. They also tend to not be restricted by social norms and don’t care what others think. They are a wildcard and you never really know what they might do.
Jester and humour in general are best suited for men especially if the brands are associated in any way with having a good time.
Everyman
Everyman – steve smith in “the pursuit of happiness”
There are many virtues to being an everyman, but perhaps the most important one is the fact that they have the freedom to do whatever they want, whenever they want. They have the freedom to do what they want when they want. This includes going to the park or beach, or even wherever they feel like it. The everyman is also someone who is very approachable. They are someone you can talk to and have a conversation with.
People who are considered the Everyman are those who are normal, down to Earth, and humble. The Everyman is an average person whom others can relate to. They are not rich or famous. In contrast, the Everyman is the average Joe that is a regular person in our society.
You might think you have a unique product, but the truth is, there is already a productservice like yours, if not then there will be soon. You have a business, you want it to succeed, but other businesses out there just like yours want to succeed. In fact, you will find that most businesses are trying to do the same things. So how to differentiate from others if not with the product? This post will try to add a different perspective so stick with it.
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP, also seen as unique selling point) is a factor that differentiates a product from its competitors (eg. lowest cost, the highest quality or the first-ever product of its kind).
The USP is often used to describe product features and functions. However, it should be centred on the customer and their needs, not on the product itself. That’s where UBT (Unique Buying Tribe) comes. UBT means a loyal customer base. A UBT is the dream of any business. A loyal customer base will buy your product no matter what and how the product behaves in the market. A UBT can help any business grow big. It is a fact that businesses that manage to create a loyal customer base will do better in the market. Any strategy to build a loyal customer base is worth exploring and analyzing.
Let’s talk about what creates a UBT –
It’s starts with you
Creating a tribe means connecting with them on some higher level, inspire them but you can’t expect to be able to motivate others and inspire them if you are not motivated and inspired yourself. And it doesn’t happen overnight. It becomes a habit, it becomes a ritual. You have to put in the time and it takes time for people to see the change. The first thing you need to do is to start recognizing the value you have inside your own head. What is it you want to do? What is it you want to give to this world? Why do you do what you do? Why do you wake up every morning? Why do you get up every morning? What is it you want to do with your life? Where do you want to be in 5 years? Where do you want to be in 10 years? How do you see yourself in 20 years?
Be honest with yourself
I am not sure that there is anything more important to a business than being honest with yourself. In fact, it is probably one of the first things you should do when you open your doors. It is all well and good to have business plans and goals that are going to make your business grow. You will need to look at your market and ask yourself “is this actually what I want to do or doing it for just to fit in”? You will need to see if there is a gap that you can fill or something that you can offer that is different. But it is also important to be truly honest with yourself. You will find people who share the same values and are not there for just money but are part of your tribe, family, and community.
HIgher purpose
What’s your organization’s higher purpose? A higher purpose is essentially the reason why you started your business in the first place. It is the ultimate value that you provide for your customers, employees, and shareholders. A higher purpose is something that helps you stand out among your competitors. It is what brings a sense of meaning and gives your employees a reason to go to work every day without feeling like they are just a number. It is the ultimate value that helps define your vision and keeps your team focused on the future. It is also the ultimate benefit that attracts customers and builds loyalty. For example, Tesla’s higher purpose is to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport. What you see in this statement they working for the future, to sustain humanity.
Resonance
Now you have a clear vision and mission, your team has a clear vision of what you want to achieve. You’re excited and ready to go. Naturally, you start by thinking about how to build the thing, now You need to start to think about your tribe with the why. It’s a principle called resonance. It’s a word that is thrown around a lot these days, but the truth is that most people don’t really know what resonance means. It’s a concept that has been used in many different contexts, but the most relevant in the context of this article is that of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s theory, as you might remember from school, says that humans need to achieve a certain level of belonging, safety, and love before they can achieve more meaningful goals, like self-actualization. You see, the problem with innovation is that it doesn’t start with a visionary, a new product, or a new business. It starts with the people who are going to use the product or service.
A lot of people believe that branding is something that you only need to do if you are a big company or if you want to start a big company. This is wrong and I am here to tell you why.
The landscape of businesses is changing. Big megacorporations seem to be going out of fashion as businesses are becoming more agile, nimble and flexible. Anyone can have their audience now, but what does this mean for the modern-day marketer? What does it mean for modern-day business? This blog will attempt to answer this very question. Who needs branding? Let’s see a simple definition of a brand, A brand is a promise. A promise that a product or service will deliver a certain experience. It’s a promise that you will feel a certain way when you consume the product or service. And when you make a promise to a customer, you had better live up to it. The truth is that every single company no matter if it’s big or small needs to define their brand and so they need branding.
Let’s see if you need branding. Ask yourself these questions and if the answers are several yeses then you need branding.
Do you want to build community?
We believe that every community is built on a foundation of shared values. If you want to build a successful community, you need to make it easy for people to connect. The branding, positioning and marketing help establish a set of common goals and beliefs among your customers, employees, or other key stakeholders.
Do you have a different perspective?
You know that you have a voice, there’s a certain way that you think and philosophies with the world that can be infused into your business. While you may not think that’s important, it can help your business stand out. This is where branding comes. You position yourself for the people who will listen and connect with your thoughts.
Do you want to stand out?
Branding is the tool that helps you define your identity that leads to creating content about your product and company, that makes stand out. Branding/positioning is the process of creating a name, symbol, slogan and/or design for a product or company that are memorable and unique. The goal of branding is to develop a name that customers can identify positively with their products.
Do you have a mission or vision, a purpose greater than money?
Here’s our mission at ADS to create value for our clients, if we couldn’t create the value they were seeking for we won’t take any money. And you can see that we have a greater purpose than money.
Do you have that kind of purpose, mission or vision and if yes. Then branding helps you convey it to your community.
Do your staff need direction
If you are a business owner, it is important you lead your staff in the right direction. A business owner is responsible for providing direction to their team as well as lay down specific guidelines that are relevant and essential to the success of your business. It’s important that you ensure your team understands your vision and is clear about the direction you want the business to take. For you to do this, you need to set up effective communication channels, clarity of thoughts. All these can be done with branding.
We hope this blog has helped you understand the concept of branding. Now that you have a better understanding of the importance of branding, we hope you can use this information to improve your brand and take it to the next level. If you’re interested in seeing what we can do for you, contact us today. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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