A New Brand World
8 Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century By Scott Bedbury
“Companies that present a clear, cohesive, distinctive, and relevant brand identity can create a presence in the marketplace, add value to their products, and may command a price premium”
As an alumni of Nike and Starbucks in their brand formative years, Bedbury is as authoritative as anyone on the planet on the ‘often mysterious’ process of branding. In an increasingly competitive product market, brands can define your products and give you an enormous competitive advantage.
Key to this is “Brand Environmentalism” where your brand is reflected in everything your company, product, and workforce does. A brand should be ubiquitous within the company.
This book is full of great case studies, which is very useful and effective, as every brand is different, from Harley Davidson to The Gap: Brands that took commodities and made them into something much more – not just different, but better.
There is also excellent detail on implementing a brand strategy in your company or organization – Bedbury goes beyond just laying out great ideas. He lays out in good detail the structure and policies that will help your company brand itself properly.
Brand is about tapping into the essence and ethos that defines you to the folks that matter – your core customers, your potential customers, and your employees.
Insight & Ideas to Try
A great brand starts with a great product or service that people want, need, and understand. Without that, all of the branding and advertising will not help. Advertising must create a proposition that your product or service delivers on consistently.
Brand Awareness does not equal Brand Strength
Branding is a balance and interaction between left-brain and right brain – process and creativity.
Branding is an important part of attracting and retaining employees.
You cannot build a brand if the company has no “Heart and Soul” It is “Like putting lipstick on a pig”
Over time, your products will change, and you will target different segments, but your brand remains.
Failing to build and maintain a strong brand will reduce your offering to a commodity.
Market Research – polls & surveys, will only lead you to uninspired results.
Brands have one chance to make a first impression.
Growing a brand too fast can dilute it and undermine its value, particularly if a strong foundation has not been established.
Aim higher in Maslowe’s ‘ hierarchy of needs: Esteem and Self-Actualization
In Online Branding, TRUST is much, much more important than price.
“A genuine emotional connection must be intrinsically relevant to what your brand stands for, to the unique physical and emotional needs you deliver, and to what you believe at your core to be your timeless values.”
