A new methodology is needed that can define a brand so that it is big enough to leverage the many forms of communication available today. We need to move away from the methodologies that were used to develop short form communications and rethink the very foundation on which communications are developed.
Every advertising and branding agency claims to have a magic
black box that can cure all common brand and communications diseases. The
need for a black box is born out of the client’s need to feel comfortable with
a creative direction and the need for the individuals responsible for message
development such as the creative team to have some understanding of the brand
before developing mass or finely targeted communications.
These approaches follow one of two schools of thought. The
first uses interview and optimization techniques to determine what is an idea
worth developing. It routinely involves some understanding of the
competitive landscape, a general sense of consumer trends, interviews with key
executives mixed with a list of functional benefits associated with the
product. The methodology results in a written concept and sometimes
creative work that is constantly changed until a room full of prospects in a focus
group facility yawns their approval. Ideally they actually show some kind
of enthusiasm. The result rarely works since it is based on a visceral reaction and is not generally predictive of behavior.
What is needed is a new synthesis of the latest thinking
in the behavioral sciences. One based on
the belief that consumer purchasing behavior is predictable across groups of
people. The development of ideas should be based on well researched patterns of
existing behavior where a brand is literally mapped onto these current
behaviors. This would have the effect of demonstrating to the consumer how they
should relate to the brand, how the brand information should be internalized
and exactly what part of their life the brand will improve. Consumer
exposure is then used to refute or confirm the previously developed
hypothesis. The result is a clear path for communications
development. It also results in a much clearer understanding of potential
functional deficiencies that need to be addressed if a brand desires to dominate
a market.
At minimum it provides a fresh and alternative perspective on
the brand. At its best, it sets a new direction that will accelerate
market share and insulate the brand from competitive or generic encroachment. I learned a great deal from Gad Romann who remains a great source of information and inspiration on the topic. There is no one else that is even close.
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