HOW DOES A
BRAND COMMUNICATE?
Communication has become an everyday word we take for
granted. People communicate all the time, but getting
them to do so effectively is not easy. How more difficult
it is to get a brand to communicate well.
So how does a brand communicate? Traditionally, brands
do so by advertising. The right advertising
gets the product known, but the benefits may
not last for a long time.
Branding, however, offers more benefits and rewards.
The first step begins with brand differentiation. The
minute a brand is perceived as different, it creates
mind share, because being different creates a powerful
impression. Brand building doesn’t stop with brand
differentiation. It’s an on-going process that
relies on brand building activities like advertising
and promotions. But the difference is, advertising and
promotions in branding involve an in-depth study of
the brand, the concept behind it, what it wants to communicate
and who it communicates to. When brand communication
happens, it increases mind share, leading to market
share. This market share guarantees ROI.
Let’s take IKEA. The IKEA Concept is founded on
a functional home-furnishing offer that makes it affordable
for as many people as possible. It’s founder,
Ingvar Kamprad, believed that it is possible at prices
much lower than competitors, by using simple cost-cutting
solutions not affecting quality. This concept is very
much alive today, reflected in its slogan, “affordable
solutions for
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better
living”. This slogan communicates effectively, telling
consumers just that.
IKEA doesn’t rely on its slogan alone for communication.
It distributes free info-packed catalogues and has constant
sales and promotions. And by guaranteeing high quality,
IKEA also maintains its integrity and credibility. IKEA
is proof of how successful brand building can be. All
these help to create the mind share that is hugely responsible
for its successful market share.
MTV has made a home in our minds. Why? Because it is
able to communicate with TV viewers everywhere. It started
out as the world’s first music TV, captivating
audiences with the concept that people could watch their
idols performing instead of just listening to their
music. MTV did not stop there. It continued building
its brand by creating new ideas. It invited controversial
rock icons like Marilyn Manson to be interviewed. That
way, MTV communicated because it understood what the
audience wanted and gave them just that. MTV also introduced
Interactive TV, inviting people to phone in to ask questions
and be a part of the programme. Once this communication
is built, MTV has taken the first, and most crucial
step towards ownership of the mind share. And once the
public knows and wants MTV, the market share will grow
naturally.
So communicate your brand. Give it a voice and let
it speak. Make it wanted. Why? Because branded means
wanted.
To make your brand communicate, talk2us@peopalove.com
or call
+604-2288 696
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