The What and Why
February 23, 2010
The What and Why of Branding
The WHAT
Branding is something different. It is not marketing in the traditional sense. It is not graphic design or logos. It is not reaching a target audience with a perfected politically correct message. Branding at its core is real, maybe perfectly raw and transparent. It is spherical, not linear.
It starts with an individual brand (person, idea, organization) and it reaches out to the next sphere. If the idea, person or organization is good enough then it will continue to reach further and further with an exponential effect. A great brand will last a thousand years. It breaks barriers and transcends generations. Disney is one of these brands. Apple is becoming one of these brands.
The WHY
Great brands offer something unique. They offer a connection. Which brands do you identify with, about which you find yourself saying “I fit here”? It may be a coffee shop, a computer or a car. That feeling of “I fit here,” is a deep connection in the heart of an individual, contributing to a sense of identity.
Branding is about the individual, never the masses. Think of your customers by name, by face. When a customer is treated like an individual, they feel valued. Because of this, they can’t help but to talk about the brands that reach out to them in this way. The great brands start with the individual.
2010 Branding Trends
October 7, 2009
- Value is the new black.
- Brands are increasingly a surrogate for value.
- Brand differentiation is brand value.
- “Because I said so” is over.
- Consumer expectations are growing.
- Old tricks don’t - and won’t - work anymore.
- Consumers won’t need to know a brand to love it.
- It’s not just buzz.
- Consumers talk with each other before talking with brands.
- Engagement is not a fad; It’s the way today’s consumers do business.
Twitter:http://twitter.com/brandmilitia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JustinFoster
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/agencyunderground
Posted via email from Tricycle’s Lifestream
5 Branding Lessons at CPK
September 3, 2009
- Listen to your employees - in the right culture, they will give you great data
- Be truly different - in any economy, it is foolish to try to compete as a commodity. Even more so in a recession.
- Thank your customers - this is a "no duh" that many companies forget to do.
- Be part of the community - again, a basic blocking-and-tackling concept but difficult for many companies to grasp.
- Stay true to your original idea - this doesn't mean to not be innovative; it means staying true to the original purpose of why your brand exists.
Posted via email from Tricycle’s Lifestream
Trike Show: Ben Quintana
August 26, 2009
The Trike Show with special guest Ben Quintana!
In this episode of the “The Trike Show“, Justin is joined by special guest Ben Quintana, Director of Public Relations and Leadership Development at Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce. Listen for a great discussion about the leadership in Boise, recommended readings, who you should know, networking and a variety of subjects.
What the Heck is Branding?
August 26, 2009
- Identity - creating a name, logo, color scheme, tag line/slogan, etc.
- Awareness - creating I've-heard-of-you in the marketplace.
- Perceptions - developing/creating an image using words, pictures, sounds, etc.
- Promotion - creating behavior in the marketplace; also known as the "squeeze".
- You are getting out-hustled by inferior competition. You know you are better, but they are selling more.
- Your sales results are out of alignment with your business plan. Or to put it another way … your marketing investment is not producing enough sales.
- You struggle every time you have to articulate why someone should buy from you. This is why so many companies resort to cliches or cheesiness.
- Your customers tell you they love you - but also ask you "how come more people don't know about you?" Being a best-kept-secret just means you are not very good at branding yourself.
- Your audience has stopped responding to your advertising/marketing. It's probably not just the medium; it's also the message. You need to re-capture their attention.
Justin Foster | Founder/Partner
Tricycle - Brand Development
Blog: brandmilitia.com
Lifestream: http://justinfoster.posterous.com/
Twitter:http://twitter.com/brandmilitia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JustinFoster
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/agencyunderground About Tricycle The true purpose of branding is to inspire people to fall in love with you. When you inspire people to love your brand, you will have greater customer retention, higher marketing ROI, and a legacy that changes lives. Tricycle, a modern branding firm, was created to provide the expertise and systems required to communicate your brand with boldness, creativity, and discipline.
Posted via email from Tricycle’s Lifestream
Threadless’ Social Strategy
August 11, 2009
Jolie O’Dell from ReadWriteWeb has an insightful discussion with Bob Nanna of Threadless. Threadless is one of our favorite brands. We love the business model, the “democratic” approach to branding, and their culture. My favorite words are in here: “love” and “listen”. With the breakdown of traditional media and standard demographics, ALL branding is eventually one-to-one. This is why brands that approach their audience with the desire to have true relationships will be the ones that thrive. Threadless is a classic example of this.
Tip of the hat to David Armano (@armano on Twitter) for the find.
Posted via web from Tricycle’s Lifestream
Inside Netflix’s Culture
August 7, 2009
I’m not sure Netflix is happy that their internal presentation was leaked and posted on SlideShare, but I hope they did it on purpose. We have been preaching for awhile that the leading indicator of a brand’s health is how they treat their employees. As such, this glimpse inside of Netflix shows what they truly are - accountable, personal, and fun. This culture makes it way out to the customer experience, advertising, community involvement, etc.
A secondary thought … typically large companies can learn a lot more from small companies. Corporate cultures tend to be slow moving, soaked in politics, and heavily influenced by shareholder value ( v. customer/employee value). In the case of Netflix, however, there are lessons that small businesses can learn. Chiefly, keep thinking big, but acting small.
PS A tip of the hat to Fast Company’s on-line newsletter - where we first found this.
Posted via web from Tricycle’s Lifestream
The Value of a Conversation
July 29, 2009
- Listening
- Empathy
- Telling a story
- Authenticity
- Inviting others to participate
Posted via email from Tricycle’s Lifestream
Podcast: Can You Sell?
June 16, 2009
Listen to Justin Foster on the subject of “Can You Sell?”
He will teach you how to become a rainmaker in any economy! If you are not getting the sales results you want? If it is getting more and more difficult to find new business? If your income is dropping? Quit blaming the economy and focus on who can really change this … YOU!
Listen to Justin by clicking on the player or download:
