Why Most Brands Just Scratch the Surface

1683024-inline-inline-1-how-brands-make-you-fall-in-loveOk, so I’m doing my Xbox 360 Kinect workout and the virtual trainer Alex yells at me, “Come on man, DIG DEEP.” Yeah, easy for you to say, Alex, you are an avatar and you do not perspire, sir. But the point is, when it REALLY counts during a physical workout, we all know we have to dig deeper to get to that next level — what really matters. The same is true of branding. As I’ve said many times, branding isn’t a choice or a clever way to somehow increase sales for the quarter. You’re already doing it whether intentionally or not. But a good majority of intentional brands fall short of the true power of branding: feeling. mu legend zen for sale It’s not about what stuff you do. Everyone does stuff. Legal stuff, Accounting stuff, Manufacturing stuff, Human Resources Stuff, Management Stuff. Good branding is about the stuff your company does makes them feel. Branding is always about feeling because it’s deeper than the surface level. So why do so many companies fail at getting beyond the surface level? I know why. Because branding at the surface level (simply what you do) is:

  1. Safe — “I’m a lawyer and I sue people.” Pretty safe. No chance of anyone being offended, etc. Also pretty generic and hard to differentiate from thousands of others who do the same thing.
  2. Easy — “Providing effective IT solutions for growing businesses” Uh, yeah. Branding is work because everything you do counts. adidas zx 500 pas cher Yes, everything. louboutin femme And sometimes it’s just easier to cut the workout off early rather than really get in there and sweat for it. And of course, the results equate to the amount of effort generated to get them.

A recent FAST Company article entitled “Researchers Explain How Brands Make You Fall In Love” quotes C.W. Park, director of the Global Branding Center at USC’s Marshall School of Business. He says that good brands that make buyers fall in love have three attributes:

  1. Enticing Self Benefits. Park says that products must entice consumers through the senses. timberland soldes Is it aesthetically pleasing to look at it? Does it sound good, smell good, feel good?
  2. Enabling Self Benefits. The product should make people’s lives more comfortable and convenient. “It’s about functional pleasure and letting consumers know what kind of life they can live by using a brand,” says Park.
  3. Enriching Self Benefits. This is the most important. Parajumpers Homme “The consumer relates to the brand through shared values or principles,” says Park. In other words, the message must resonate deeply with the consumer’s sense of self. Park points to Nike’s slogan, “Just Do It” and Apple’s “Think Different.” The former is about not making excuses. The latter is about ingenuity and creativity. These are ideals that connect with consumers; they create a psychological bond.

He also says “So many brands focus on the functional benefits of a product, but that’s just the starting point in developing a relationship with the consumer.” In other words, when thinking about your company’s brand, DIG DEEP. and don’t be afraid to get to the good stuff – the emotional stuff that really connects with your customers, your community and will differentiate you in the crowded and loud marketplace. If you want help, call or e-mail us and let’s talk about it. I’ll be the guy yelling back at virtual trainer on the TV screen. adidas messi 2017 (BTW – He can’t hear us).