Who brings your brand to life?

One of the most exciting facets of working with brands is the fact that you are dealing with something extremely intangible - highly dependent on the actions of a great number of different actors. Strategists seek to mould the brand to claim a certain market position, but it is commonly known that external actors like consumers are the ones who determine the meaning, and ultimately the power of the brand. But there is another part of the equation that in my experience is often forgotten…       

Being the marketing nerd that I am, I often find myself in situations where I end up wondering “do you even care about the fact that you a putting your brand in an extremely bad light, acting as you do”. The answer is most likely “no”. And I think the reason is one of two things. Either, to little emphasis have been placed on the importance of managing the corporate brand identity and insuring its consistency, or too little effort have been put into translating the overall strategy into concrete actions for the employees – they simply don’t know how to act according to the brand and business strategy.

For instance a few days ago when I was driving on the highway – keeping a reasonable pace - a van rushed up from behind and began to pressure me, and continued to do so for a while. Now this may not sound like the most exiting story, and most of you who on a daily basis drive on the highway will probably be thinking – “happens all the time, what’s your point?”

The thing that caught my attention, when looking in the rear view mirror, was that not only did I see an annoying van trying to get past me - I also saw a huge company logo, the brand of a Danish moving company. In my consciousness, the van became a embodiment of the brand - a brand that now annoyed me, and I could not help thinking “if I where about to move, I would most certainly not choose that company!”

You see my academic upbringing within the field of communication strongly preach that a business’ success is highly dependent on the ability to align the internal and external communication efforts. A company must act consistent to their overall strategic platform in each and every consumer touch point. Now I hardly believe that the moving company’s management had strategized that their company should present themselves as “annoying” attempting to push other people of the road. Never the less – that little experience influences my perception of the brand and company.

The song I am attempting to sing is certainly not new, but in some cases I believe the words have become muddy and only the melody is vaguely remembered. My point being, the power of the brand may lie in the minds of the consumers, but the employee’s play a great part in bringing the brand to life.

It is not that I am saying that it is a task easily undertaken, but in my opinion there is much value to be gained from allowing integrated communication to be a greater deal of the strategic platform, and from helping the employees to understand exactly how they can contribute to bringing the brand to life – exactly as the strategist intended. I for one will continue to sing this song, and applaud business’ that take up the challenge, as I strongly believe, the hard work will pay of in the end. 

Thank you TV, my old friend in need

Do we as consumers still crave attention and a greater choice in the possibilities to be “online” and a part of everything. Or do we perhaps also enjoy the opportunity to “be offline” and “just be entertained” without having to invest a part of ourselves?

I saw a trailer on TV2 the other day, it was for their daily morning show ”Go’ Morgen Danmark” (good morning Denmark). It was a spin-off of my beloved sit-com FRIENDS. To the tune of “I’ll be there for you” the hosts where shown in different scenarios from the show. It got me thinking. Have my television become an old friend that I just can’t let go of, where I just can’t seem to make the transition into making it ”someone that I used to know”. Or is my TV more a trusted friend in need, which as a medium provides me with something unique that keeps me coming back?

I thought about my day. I get up in the morning; I check my email and Facebook. I go on with my day; I take a look at LinkedIn and my news app and get up-to-date on Twitter, meanwhile the latest mails ticks in and the newest updates on Facebook is pushed to my Smartphone. I shape my online presence by “liking” things that are important to me, and by participating in my friends’ online-selves on different social medias. I constantly offer my involvement and a part of my limited attention to a vast variety of sources that crave it. Evening comes. I’m tried. What do I do? I turn on my television – but why? What is it that the television does for me?

I have come to believe that there are basically two reasons why my ongoing relationship with my TV continues to thrive. For one, I have grown up in an environment where it was natural that the television filled the living room in the evening time and brought the family together. I therefore have a strong habit for including my TV in my evening leisure time. Watching TV feeds my human craving for nostalgia, and my Danish need for “hygge”.

Secondly, I believe that my TV provides my mind with a sanctuary wherein I have to opportunity to escape the constant need to be “online” and “social” – with a environment where I can be entertained, where I gain new input and insights, without having to invest a great deal of myself in the transaction. I only need to provide my attention – not my feedback and social-acceptance. I can’t click “like” or share an update – I do not have to process the likes and updates of my online friends. I can just sit back and enjoy the one-way communication for as long as I desire. And when my need for this is fulfilled, I can take out my Smartphone or laptop once more, and return to the online universe – and if I miss my TV friend(s) I can even meet them there.

I had to think about it a bit, the answer was not clear to me a first, but through reflection I was able to move past the economical founded irritation of “why isn’t there ever anything good to watch” and come to realizing that my old friend the TV actually helps me cope and deal with living in this new world where everything and everyone is online always.

So to me, my TV is valued friend who helps me cope with being a citizen in this over-communicated world where everything is going digital. In the mist of this progress of everything “going online” I also find my self confronted with even more means of watching TV - where and whenever I desire. And I’m left wondering; is that really what I desire? Do I feel relived that I do not have to miss my favorite show, or pressured to spend even more time ”online”? My personal jury is still out, and I’m awaiting the verdict. However I will not be surprised if my habits will once more adapt and take in this new way of having a relationship to my dear old friend – my beloved TV.  

My extended life…?

Brands and products help me form the identity I desire, my Smartphone aids my mind in keeping track of all the things I would otherwise forget - but have my IPhone also become the main facilitator of my social life? I’m puzzled.

I have long been aware of the fact, that in the eyes of my social surroundings, I become a certain person, when I’m seen with my IPhone tightly clutched in my hand. Namely the choice of brand forms a clear picture of me being “a Apple person”.

My IPhone does of cause not have this special ability, all the brands and products I’m seen with has this ability. We call it “the extended self” – as we extend a desired part of ourselves on to a brand or product in order to express part of who we are or want to become. The active environmentalist will for example most likely choose organic products and a high-society success will want show himself in the presence of high-end brands to maintain his image.    

Recently I became acquainted with the term “the extended mind” and it got me thinking - especially about the relationship I have with my IPhone.  

The term “the extended mind” is used in psychology to explain the displacement of cognitive processing onto either a physical object or a social context. As an example a person with Alzheimer’s may rely on a notebook to remember how to perform a task such as making lunch, and most of us tend to use our friends or family to help weigh different options when making a decisions. In other words, things and tasks that would otherwise occupy our mind is sort of “outsourced” to another entity.

I for one use my IPhone for keeping track of my appointments, my contacts and their birthdays. Through Facebook and Linkedin I even keep track of their whereabouts and careers. I check my bank, my mail and my to-do list – heck I barely know what time, day or week it is without consulting my beloved Smartphone. It should be safe to say, that I extend my mind onto my phone.

But what about the social networking and communicative aspects? As mentioned, I keep track of my friends and family, by using my smartphone as a gateway for all my online-social-interaction. I’m on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Messenger, Google+ and I receive text messengers, mail and of cause something totally old school called “calls”.

My IPhone provides versatile possibilities for interaction, which suits my dynamic way of life, wherein time is a critical resource. It allows me to nurture, sustain and live my social life regardless of where I’m at and what I’m doing. It allows me to extend my presence onto multiple settings, and aids me in forming my “online-social-me”.

I can’t help wondering, can a new marketing term be coined? Should we begin to talk of “the extended (social) life”?

How would such a term influence upcoming marketing approaches? My first assumption will be, we must seek to integrate everything we do in the Smartphone medium, and begin to move away from distinguishing between the notion of “online” and “offline” communication. If Smartphones truly are an extension of our selves, our minds and our (social) lives, they have also become a valuable entry point to our consciousnesses – and that is in my opinion worth giving some more thought.            

Flash Mobs Rule..!

I want to plan one - I want to experience one – I want to be a part of one !!! 

 

How would you react, if you where in the Copenhagen Metro and all of the sudden someone started to play on a flute? You would probably think “what a freak”. But what then, when a bunch of violins, trumpets and so forth joined in, and you realised that you where actually surrounded by an entire symphony orchestra? I will bet my hat on one thing, you would remember the experience, and you would tell others about it.

 

Flash mobs may not be bleeding edge, but still, the concept so radical demands our attention, and the experience is so extravagant, that I do not think flash mobs will ever “go out of style” or begin to bore its audience.

I believe that flash mobs are the ultimate Firestarter within the field of viral marketing. A unique and an intriguing discipline, due to its ability to spread a marketing message or achieve a marketing goal, through the likes of word-of-mouth and social networks - the key goal being to get people to talk! What better to do just that, than a public event, that not only steals the attention of the people actually present, but also get distributed via You Tube to countless more viewers?    

Marketing professionals, such as my self, are constantly challenged with finding new means of getting our target audience’s attention. We search for ways to combine new and old media, new innovative ways to create extraordinary experiences.

This blog post is more of a statement than a “sense-giving”. To me, flash mobs are an inspiration to future marketing executions! – A beacon of light the mist of thinking differently – A motivation for pursuing the ability to create a great brand-hype, without having to buy into numerous media-platforms.    

We are what we “own” – or maybe what we “like”…?

Do you think differently of a person standing in front of you in the supermarket queue if her groceries are solely organic? And do you form certain assumptions about a person if he wears only high-end brands like Ralph Lauran and Burberry?

 

You might not want to admit it, and it may happen more or less deliberately, but there is a very good reason for this act. Since the beginning of time (or almost, at least) we have identified people and ourselves by possessions. One of the simplest examples being, that the man with greatest fortune, was a man of power[1].

One of my favorite insights on how we form our identities is the sociologist Erving Goffman’s theater metaphor[2]. Picture yourself on your first day in a new job - lets say in office environment. You will most likely want your new colleagues to see you as an equal, and you will properly dress in a manner, that you believe help you achieve this. If you are a man you might wear a shirt and tie, if you are a woman you might have bought a new “work-handbag”.

Now imagine you are actually on a stage, and your new colleagues are your audience. You are playing the role of “respected professional” and the shirt, tie, or handbag is the prop you use to convince your audience.

We do the same with brands. We might draw on the Fairtrade brand as a prop to portray the character of “the responsible consumer”, on the Nike brand to play the part of modern athletic, or on the Apple brand to become the creative and innovative first-mover.

In my previous post I tell of how we seek out brands with which we want to be friends, based on how appealing we find this brand person. Seen in the light of Goffman’s insights, we want to use this brand friend as a prop - we want to add elements of the brands personality to our own identity, by associating with the brand.

The key in all this is, that we need a stage and an audience in order to become the person we seek – in order to form the identity we desire. I find Facebook extremely interesting in this connection. What better stage to act on, than one where the audience is as big as your friend list, I for example have 118 friends on Facebook – and I could easily add more. The props on this stage are then of cause the posts we make, perhaps even more, the things we like.

Through Facebook we can connect with our desired brand friends by simply clicking “like”. The brand hereby becomes a part of us – or at least our virtual-representation – but never the less, a part of the character – the identity – we seek acceptance of.

But it not only the brands we “like” that forms our identities. Facebook is basically about making status updates and liking or commenting on them. As mentioned above we need an audience, and we need the audience to recognize the character we seek to portray, getting our friends to “like” our Facebook activity as well as linking their activities, also forms our virtual-me. I therefore strongly believe that we, perhaps more or less consciously, use Facebook seek acceptance of the identity we desire.

A new mother may for example seek to form an identity of the devoted mother. She might then use Facebook to share success experiences and post pictures of her little miracle. She might also “like” political correct baby brands such as organic baby food, or anatomically correct pacifiers. And she will properly also “like” and comment on her friends baby-related status updates. When her friends see this, and “likes” these activities, she will feel reaffirmed as the mother she wants to be.

I believe we all do this - whether it is the devoted parent, the motivated athlete, the fun party enthusiast, the experienced traveler, or the hardworking professional - we all use Facebook as a medium to create some side of ourselves.

However I can’t help wondering, how is this virtual-me connected our real-life identity? Do we use the online social world as a getaway, because it is much easier to become who we desire here, than in the real world? Or have we become so intertwined with our virtual profiles, that the two things cannot be separated? 

If we truly are what we “like”, do we put enough thought into our Facebook activities? How cheap is our identity for sale – will we “like” almost everything if we are promised a prize?

I am most curious on this matter, and will return to these thoughts later in my blog.

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[1] Belk, 1988

[2] Goffman, 1959

A glance at Brand Personality

If your favourite brand were a person, who would it be?

Is the Fiat 500 brand for example a beautiful young woman, who knows how to accessorize down to the last detail, such as her car? And is the BMW brand then a successful executive, who always wears a suit and a great smile? 

 

See there you get a glimpse of my perceptions, and that is exactly what a brand’s personality is – a tangible representation of the perceptions each of us attaches to a brand[1].

I find the notion of brand personality intriguing because research have shown, that we as consumers are prone to seek out brands, and commit to them, if we find their personality desirable or admirable[2]. In other words, we want to be friends with brands who appear, as we would like to appear.

So how can we as marketing professionals uncover the personality of our brands, and does it even make sense to do so, if it is merely a subjective representation depending on the individual consumers interpretation of the brand?

In our study, we (my thesis partner and I), applied association exercises in our in-depth interviews. And we were able to uncover, that our narrow defined group, overall shared a perception of the Fairtrade brand as being a caring and responsible person, who could appear either superior to others or unattainable as a friend[3].    

Who would not want to be friends with a person who cares for others and does a lot of good in the world? And deep down most people would even admit, that being friends with the cool guy is quite desirable.

But what if the gab is to wide, and the brand person appears too far out of reach for us. Instead of being a desired or cared for friend, the brand instead becomes annoying, and only reminds us of all the things we ought to do – of the person we ought to be – who we will never become?

Seeing a brand in the perspective of its personality, therefore opens the door for a deeper understanding of not only which meaning we as consumers assign to a brand, but also to whether or not we find the brand appealing and inviting in terms of forming an relationship. 

It is widely argued that in order to create value, companies must connect to their consumers and build relationships[4]. Brand personality, is to us a relationship facilitator. By forming the brands identity to be a person with who the consumer would want to be friends with, the first step towards a meaningful relationship is made.

In this social media world we live in now, the possibility to connect brands to consumers is most certainty there, it need only to be grasped. In my next blog post, I concentrate on identity construction and in this connection the use of social media. Also I will tie it all together with my insights on brand personality, so stay tuned.

If you want to know more about the Fairtrade study I mention above, you can find the entire publication at http://studenttheses.cbs.dk/handle/10417/1867. It was written in a brilliant collaboration with Caroline Marie Tetzlaff Ebbesen and CBS.

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[1] Levy, 1959 in Lee & Rhee, 2007; Aaker, 1997

[2] Veloutsou, 2007

[3] Hestehave Degn & Tetzlaff Ebbesen, 2010

[4] Ind & Bjerke, 2007; Hogan et al, 2005; Vargo & Lusch 2004

Welcome to my blog

So this is me, giving blogging a go. 

Already I’m thrilled, and trying hard to figure out why I have waited so long to create a blog.

You see, I’m a bit of a geek - I actually love to play around with complex academic insights and groundbreaking theories. To be challenged with forming new understandings and hereby expanding my knowledge, is something that brings me great joy.      

I blog to share all the thoughts, that consume my mind. However, to spare you a bit, I dedicate this blog to the subjects of communication and marketing. Already I have many topics queued up, and I’m exited about soon being able to “make sense” of it all in this forum.

In future posts I plan to address: the notion of brand personality, the concept of the extended mind in reference to the extended self, my experience gained in working with different visual identities, the consumers identity creation through the means of social media, the field of BtB marketing, as well as comment on marketing executions/ads that either like or unlike.

I hope that you will enjoy my writings

- Nina Degn