So, I sit down at my computer this morning all excited to write about branding, a topic that I'm very passionate about when it comes to marketing and sales. Before I mosey on over to my blog's control panel, I decide to check my email. And what d'ya know? I receive a great article from iMedia titled Brand vs. product: what really drives reputation? It was written by Marian Salzman, partner and CMO, Porter Novelli Worldwide.
Do great minds think alike, or what? Or, maybe it was just coincidence.
If you don't read any further, read, re-read and digest what Ms. Salzman writes in this one tiny paragraph.
What makes the difference now is delivery, not promises -- it's not what a
brand says, but what it does. A brand's products earn a brand permission to ask
for a slice of consumers' time, attention or money.
Brilliant!
Marketing people who hold the title "Brand Manager" should be stripped of their titles (yes, you know who I'm talking about) and be appropriately dubbed, "Delivery Manager". I worked for a company for two years where the "Brand Manager" couldn't land on a brand. It's like giving birth to a baby and not being able to name it and leaving it up to people to guess.
This brings me to my initial chicken vs. egg question. Which came first, positioning or branding? I'll answer the question and say, "positioning". Why? Because branding isn't something we control. Our customers, employees, suppliers, competitors are all part of the group that decides what our brand is. Not us.
Go back to the beginning of any business, matter how big or small, and you'll find one person who had an idea. In the 1870's, Joseph Campbell didn't just one day say, "Hey, let's design a red and white can and put some broth and vegetables in it and sell it in grocery stores and call it Cambell Soup." Campbell, whose company originally canned vegetables, jellies and minced meats, learned that soup, which was very popular in Europe and not the U.S., was gaining popularity in the states. He already had most of the ingredients in the tomatoes, vegetables and meats. So, he decided to come up with a product that was convenient and affordable for consumers. Campbell Soup was unveiled at the 1900 Paris Exposition and earned a gold medal.
Cambells positioning was convenience and price. And, yes, it was, "Mmmmm good!" Thus, the Cambell Soup brand was born. It's red and white can, inspired by the colors of the Cornell University football team, is still one of the most recognized products. When I'm looking for soup in the grocery store, I can the aisle for the red and white cans. I know I'm not getting a home made quality soup, but I purchase the Campbell Soup brand because of the delivery of a product that's affordable and convenient.
So many companies today have lost track of their brands due to poor positioning. Take banking, for example, an industry where I've worked. "Community Bank", "Business Bank", "Friendly Bank", "Hometown Bank", "Sit Down Bank", "Internet Bank". . . the list goes on. One of the largest banks, JPMorgan Chase & Co., founded in New York in 1799, is positioned as a "global investment and commercial bank with both wholesale and retail operations in more than 50 countries."
Banks can do all of the positioning they want, but I, as a consumer, am in sole possession of their brand. When I see Chase bank, I see a bank that has my mortgage but will probably never have my checking account unless it buys my current bank. Why? Because for me, they made promises but their delivery fell short, just like Salzman warns. When I look at my bank, Old National Bank (www.oldnational.com), I see a bank that, for the most part, delivers. It's a comfortable and convenient place for me to deposit my money and receive quality financial advice. They offer great customer service and their banking centers are first-class. As long as they keep delivering on their promises, the Old National Bank brand has equity with me.
So, as marketers, what are we to do? We focus on our products and stop the brand-speak. In her article, Salzman writes:
Consumers want compelling demonstrations and credible recommendations --
and with today's rapidly proliferating social networks and specialist blogs, they have no trouble finding them. To get onto consumers' radars, a brand needs striking products that get people talking. This means enormous opportunity for
the smartest marketing and public relations agencies -- agencies that recognize that the savviest consumers pay more attention to the tangibles (products) than to the intangibles (brands).
If your products and services fall short in the minds of consumers, your brand can't save you. Consumers are smarter and do their homework before they buy.
If you want to effectively position your products so that you can build brand equity with your customers, BTK & Associates can help. Visit www.btkmarketing.com or email brian@btkmarketing.com.
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