The Power of Brand in the 21st Century
Have you noticed that you call every virtual meeting a Zoom meeting now? Regardless of the platform that you are actually using to hold it, it’s a zoom meeting. This universal use of a brand term is not new at all, in fact, it’s not even new in the virtual meeting space. We used to call everything a Skype meeting. And while Skype certainly still exists, its definitely fallen out of the spotlight! In some ways, how often we used a brand term is a direct index of how popular the technology and more importantly the brand has become. If a brand hopes to make it big in 2020 and beyond, it’s imperative they are able to collect their brand image, and turn it into a household name, something recognizable and undeniably them. Doing this will allow them to tap into the unlimited potential of brand power.
Brands have existed for decades, and recently, they’ve become a cornerstone of modern day marketing. This century, more than any other, has seen a significant growth in consumer product and service offerings. There is an overwhelming amount of choice out there. As a marketer, this explosion in offerings and choice makes it incredibly difficult to earn new customers, and, equally as important, retain them. Why choose a Pepsi over a Coke? They are essentially the same product. But ask a Coke loyalist to have a Pepsi and they will outright refuse you! That is the power of brand: It instills loyalty and it retains customers!
Just about anything can be branded, but when we think of brands we often think of consumer products such as Apple or Coca-Cola. These brands have become larger than their products. This allows them more freedom to experiment. Introduce new concepts to the market all the while knowing there will be loyalists happy to at least try it out. Apple for example, is responsible for several products including iPhone, Macbook, iPad and so on. But do you remember where they got their start? The old school Macintosh. Even the world famous iPod is a thing of the past, almost, but Apple certainly isn’t. This power allows them to try experimental concepts such as the AirPods or Apple Watch, with faith that their loyal customer base will at-least try them. Both products were gambles for any company, but their risk is greatly reduced when they stick their world famous logo on it. As marketers we have to strive for this level of longevity and loyalty. A brand isn’t just a name, it’s a name with the power to influence, and this has to be earned. Sometimes brands are lucky and one product or service will allow them to break into the market and start to establish brand equity, but for some it may take several iterations and attempts before the brand starts to hold its own weight.
Here at Venna, we believe that Brand is everything. Every marketing campaign, strategy or ad should keep in mind the broader brand message and support the brand’s long term objectives. What are we trying to say with this? How does it reflect on the brand? what does it say about the consumer? What is the brand, and how does this campaign, strategy or ad further its ambition? When working with clients it’s imperative that we are both crystal clear on what their brand is, and what it aims to be, so that every piece of creative that goes out, serves to bolster this objective.
Branding should be at the forefront of all of your marketing efforts. If you are looking for ways to solidify your brand image and increase the opportunity for your customers to become brand loyalists, then please get in touch using the “contact us” page on the website. We would love to chat!
