A brand is more than just a name, a trademark, and a logo. Although these are the things that will visually remind customers of your product or company, your brand should go much deeper than that. It should convey a message or an emotion that is related to your organization; in fact, it is the expression of your corporate vision and image.
The message should be consistent with every marketing campaign, in order to have a unified voice. At the same time, customers can also recognize your brand more easily as they connect various advertising efforts together.
You need to be clear on the message they want to convey and on the target audience you’re trying to reach. Once this is clear, it is possible to create different designs so long as they are consistent with the main message.
The biggest challenge is not just to create a unique brand, but also to raise the public’s awareness of your brand. This way, they will still be able to connect it to your brand and its message, even when you introduce a new advertising campaign.
To capture the attention of the public and achieve brand familiarity, businesses can use these innovative methods of brand building.
Create A First-time Experience
A good and creative way of getting customers to know your product is to make them connect to your brand. The best way to do it is to help them “experience” what your brand stands for. Your customers will not only become more aware, but they will feel emotionally connect to your products or services and therefore engage with them more readily.
For example, a travel company or an airline can encourage people to upload pictures of their ideal holiday. They will then receive recommendations on destinations, packages, and other travel offers that encourage them to make their dream vacations a reality.
Jumpstart A Viral Campaign
Utilize the power of social media and you can turn your brand into the next big thing. Encourage customers to share your video or your advertisement to reach as many people as possible. By creating emotional campaigns or by providing incentives to sharing, you can easily get the public to know your name very well.
Promote A Change
Many customers like buying products that promote good things. For example, your product could use natural or guilt-free ingredients or support the welfare of the people who plant the raw materials or those who manufacture the final product.
Some companies also aim to be environmentally-friendly by re-using or recycling old products, giving discounts for those who swap them for new ones. By doing the same, not only do you connect with more conscious customers, you also create a positive image for your brand.
Use Guerilla Marketing
Do not settle for the usual marketing campaigns; instead use your creativity to draw attention to you and your brand. Here are 20 real examples of how guerilla marketing can a strong impact and capture the audience (including National Geographic’s famous shark bus.)
Develop A Unique Identity
Use a catchy tone or an unforgettable tag-line that will allow customers to connect to your brand as soon as they hear it. Use it in every campaign and you will find that it will slowly stick to the minds of the public, reminding people of your company and product every single time.
Make It Local
Many international companies and brands have a general theme when it comes to a product, but they allow local branches to adjust them to suit the country’s culture and public taste. Without doing so, you can be sure that the local market will not be able to relate to your brand. You have to understand what the people in a specific culture value and look for, including other factors such as purchase decisions and buying patterns.
Part of making it local is to make sure that your campaigns and ads can be found all the way to the street level. While the Internet and social media increase brand awareness for those with access to at least a smartphone, there are still masses out there who have less access to your online campaigns, so do not put all your efforts on this type of marketing. Localized efforts will help you make sure that the message reaches everyone.
Open Communication With Customers
A huge advantage of social media marketing is to allow companies to not just send the message,but to also hear back from the customers. This way, you may get direct feedback from the market on the good and bad aspects of the item so you can improve them. More than that, it presents a very positive picture that you are accessible, customer-focused, accountable and responsive.
Beware though, of the dangers of social media. While responding to customers might be seen in a positive light, not being able to commit to this type of communication might paint a different picture.
All companies want that their customers to know their brand by heart. However, this does not happen overnight. Most of the time, you will have to spend a lot of time, effort, and money to become a household name. By being innovative in your methods, you will be able to achieve your goal faster and with higher chances of success.
