Common Myths about Branding
When you hear a brand name or see its Logo, what thoughts come to your mind? If they are positive, inspiring, and make you want to run out to buy the brand’s newest product, then, of course, the Branding is done right.
Been in Brand Management I’ve been constantly bombarded with best practices for branding and what should or shouldn’t I do. I am continuously working with all sorts of people – from marketing to advertising to research – to make sure my brand stays consistent and true to itself. Every person puts his/her point of view forward with their best knowledge. Sometimes the tips and ideas, in short, their “FACTS “are poles apart. With so many conflicting “FACTS” it can be hard to decipher which tips will help my brand to achieve and which are leading to further astray.
Moreover, there is so much misinformation and misunderstanding around what branding and brand strategy is and isn’t. Understanding a brand inside and out, matching marketing efforts to brand strategy and keeping an eye on new trends and competitors is all I have to take care.
Do you remember the fable of Chicken Little? Yes, Henny Penny, which more is commonly known as Chicken Little in the US. If one person tells you the sky is falling, you probably laugh at him. But if you’re told the same story over and over again, soon you believe it. No matter if the sky falls or not. This also rings true with Branding – just because everyone else is saying or doing something doesn’t mean that it works.
Plenty of time I see people throw thousands of dollars away trying to grow their businesses with traditional branding techniques because everyone else is doing it. We need to understand with the ravages of time everything changes. Technology has created new ways to build and brand your company now. Traditional techniques don’t always work anymore.
In this article we are scrutinizing the most common myths, so you can re-orientate your thinking to take your business to the next level and increase your profits –
- Your name and Logo is your Brand
When I tell people what I do, they usually ask as me if I create Logo or Name of Brands. It is hard to explain them.
A logo and name mean nothing by itself. A brand is so much more than just a name and a logo. While these two are undoubtedly important for your business, they are just a part of a bigger story. These are just representations of the brand as a whole. Branding is all about the feelings and emotions attached to your company.
Let’s think of examples. When you think of an iconic brand like Coca-Cola or BMW, you can probably picture their logo in an instant. But is it just about the logo?
Is it not about the Colour Red in Coca- Cola that ignites the thirst in you? Or is it not about the in circled white and blue of BMW that drives you crazy? I am sure most of you will be able to recognize them if they are reading in some other language.
Why? Because of the Branding. This is the power of branding!
This is the entire brand experience – A collection of touch points and experiences is what makes a brand.
Way Out- Branding consists of more than just a logo and name. When you commence on this journey, remember to make sure you’re getting at least a basic brand identity kit. This includes a logo, colour palette and fonts with which people can connect. A Kit with which people can identify your Brand. A kit, which can start rolling out your brand consistently across all your communications.
- More you spend on advertising, the more profitable you will become
First of all, let me clarify all and out there. Don’t mix Advertising and Branding. Advertising is the message about the business you want to give. Branding is the message you receive from others.
“Let’s Spend 80% of the Marketing budget on Advertising’’, the other day I heard an Advertising Salesperson. And let me tell you, this mantra is lived by every salesperson out there.
Unfortunately, constant repetition gives this mythic more credibility and power. If you do anything in business just because it’s what everyone else is doing, you’re in big trouble. What is the unique strategy are you adopting? How are you putting yourself unique?
Way Out – Many current brands spend thousands of dollars on their monthly advertising budget. Alas! Most of this money is wasted on ineffective ads. There are much smarter ways to build a brand. Don’t get offended, I am telling this from my personal experience. There is a place for advertising in branding–but it is brand maintenance, not brand building. Advertising lacks the credibility that builds a brand requires.
The best way to build credibility is to utilize the Media in the form that best suits your Brand. Online, Print, Television and OOH media outlets are looking for quality content and contributors now and then.
- Branding is too expensive.
A lot of people believe this myth that it’s practically written in stone. It might be true that many new brands fail because they lack funding. But you don’t need to spend a fortune to launch or grow a successful brand – it’s not about the money, but about the ideas.
We started De- Sant with little capital, using all of the tools available on social networks and through online and connections. Branding is surely not a matter of multi-million-dollar campaigns. It’s a matter of portraying the right experience and being tactic of how your brand is portrayed at every touchpoint. You should focus on marketing to larger markets online and build your credibility through word of mouth. Later on, you can also rely on media features and placements.
Way Out- You cannot reach only hundreds but thousands of new contacts and potential customers or clients using online tools such as LinkedIn and other social media Mediums. Start looking for local newspapers and Magazines. Even if you’re looking to expand worldwide–start close to home.
- Customers ONLY care about the product and Services
Customers care a lot about choosing a brand that appeals to them and can connect with. A stuntman or a fan of an Athlete is more likely to pick a Red Bull energy drink over, a Monster. Ever Imagined WHY? Because Red Bull’s branding which promote themselves among these groups of people.
Malcolm Gladwell said: “Buyers make most decisions by relying on their two-second first impressions based on stored memories, images and feelings”. This means, an advertisement you saw some time ago is now embedded in your brain and will impact your choices! Remember, buying toothpaste in grocery shop because you recently saw the Advertisement. No matter how good the other toothpaste is, or how bad the first one might be, you will most likely choose the one you are familiar with.
It is not wrong to say Customers care ONLY about product and Services. These are what drive your company forward, but it’s all about the aftertaste that a transaction leaves.
Way Out- You can always launch a beta test for your Brand product or service to get exposure. Post on social networking sites and ask readers for their opinions and feedback. Check how to build a strong social media presence – https://de-sant.com/tips-to-build-better-social-media-presence/. A great way to start to build your audience is to post on a social network and link back to your site. Survey readers can download and participate in. Make sure to the survey about them, not about you or your product or service.
- You should have a wide range of skills to do good Branding
Experiences teach you a lot. In my case, it is applicable. I’ve met many skilled, well-organized and business-minded people who failed to create a profitable brand. The truth is that no matter what you do to control your brand, consumers still largely shape your brand. If you’re great with people, a good presenter, a real motivator and good at accounting sure, you’ll for sure have an advantage. But the truth is that even if you have none of those skills or attributes, you can still be an extremely successful Brand.
Way Out – There lies one brand-building skill that most businesses don’t even consider. If you master this skill and make it your priority, you can launch and lead as many successful brands as you want –Daily Marketing. Remember not just Marketing, but Daily Marketing. That doesn’t mean the same way every day, with some way unique every time.
You must be thinking HOW? Simply, commit doing five new things each day to grow your business -make that call, post a new social media post, launch a blog, release an article or anything which profits your Branding. See the difference yourself then.
Most of the Myths, I listed in this article claim that branding is something insignificant for a business. However, its power lies in being closer to the people than the actual product or service. Branding is all about people, their emotions, their stories, aspirations and interactions.
No matter what the age or state of your company is, Branding does not have to be a complicated process. I know because I’ve been on both sides of it: the expensive, time-consuming side and the simple, no-frills side where everyone is happy.
It is the High time to break these Myths and evolve with time. If you think there is a Myth which roams around the Market and want to share. By all means, go for it.
