Building a digital brand

#twbdigital

The definition of brand

A traditional definition (economic 4Ps)

“A name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of them which is intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or a group of sellers to differentiate them from those of competitors”

The American Marketing Association (AMA) 1960

A contemporary definition

“What it does, how it behaves and how it communicates to its customers and various audiences in all of its manifestations. Good brands want to connect with their customers on an emotional level so that they become loved and trusted.”

Mike Dempsey, quoted in Design Week January 2015

Brand models

MARKETER CONSUMER

Broadcast Brand

CORPORATION

MARKETING APPROACH

Company focus (broadcast)

● Economic Transactional, marketing, short

term, but tangible results

● Identity Behaviour, corporate ID, build reputation, recognition, vision values mission

BRAND CONSUMER

Dyadic Brand

HUMANISING THE BRAND

Receiver focus (value & equity in the consumer)

● Personality investment of emotional bond

prompting projected animism of the brand

● Relational Value in interplay and exchange encourage ‘consumer self’ expression to develop loyal promoters

BRAND

CONSUMER CONSUMER

Triadic Brand

ENJOYING A SOCIAL LIFE

Context focus (owned & marketed by consumer)

● Community retention, dialogue, built through

shared affinity: life, animism actualised, research

● Cultural broader target, develop associations to culture and emotion, increased individual & social impact.

Brand formation

2. EXTERNAL ELEMENTS

BRAND

Corporate Identity

Organisational Identity

mission vision culture

Perceived image Reputationloyalty, promoters

1. INTERNAL ELEMENTS

“A consumer perceives a brand’s equity as the value added to the functional product or service by associating it with the brand name” David Aaker 1993

How is brand equity built?Strong brand perception:

● Clarity of compelling purpose ● An ownable promise● Trust - delivering quality efficiently● Consistent Identity● Developing relationship - familiarity & values

How is brand equity compromised?Weak brand perception:

● Confused purpose● Broken promise● Lack of trust ● Inconsistent experience● Just another face in the crowd

= Association with poor quality

“Brand is not what you say it is. It’s what they say it is” Marty Neumeier

Establishing Guidelines

What is your experience of brand guidelines?

Impact of not addressing digital in brand expression

● A confused schizophrenic identity● A fractured broken appearance● Frustrated User Experience● Unprofessional - inefficient● Unrewarding

“When an organisation has a clear idea about itself, what its business is, what its priorities are, how it wants to conduct itself, how it wants to be perceived, its identity falls fairly easily in place” Wally Olins 1979

Advantages of a considered brand

● Efficient● Great for designers - defined approach● Creative & UX development● Management ● Delivery● Platform for creative expression

= Makes everything easier

Challenges of a community & culture focussed brand

“The field of brand management has come a long way from the assumptions of linear communication behind the earlier approaches to accepting the chaotic autonomous consumer

forces in this approach” Heding, Knudtzen & Bjerre 2009

Recognition - repeated message, consistency, coherent experience - once this is established you can start to flex a bit!

Thanks!