Thanks to the Web and a surge of social media, communications between the consumer and producer has shifted. We now have the opportunity to glance at what the average consumer says about a brand. Take for example "The Turnaround" campaign launched by Domino's Pizza in response to negative feedback about its food. The company faced its critics and created a new pizza from the crust up, and it's looking like it will be a huge success.The takeaway? Listen to what your target consumer is saying. Knowing how they feel about you before you speak to them puts you two steps ahead of the game. Shaping our traditional methods of advertising around positive and negative social feedback has become the foundation for keeping a brand alive. All we have to do is listen.
The BadIn this time of tightened wallets, sales are down and companies are looking for answers. Rebranding may help, but it should never be done without inspired purpose, an executable vision and total commitment. Uninspired changes are a fruitless expenditure and may even hurt your brand.The UglyRebranding is a serious endeavor; it requires strong fundamentals and execution. Yet every now and then, a company will reject the fundamentals and opt for the dreaded logo competition - soliciting work from the unskilled and untrained, which pretty much guarantees that the final product will not be strategically sound, as was the case recently with a popular tourist destination. Designers, branding specialists and marketing teams are trained to provide on-strategy direction and art – while logo competitions open to the masses sometimes replace that expertise with "pretty."The GoodSo who's doing it right? PBS rebranded in September, inviting viewers to "Be More." It took the time (almost a full year) to do the research and to commit to an inspiring new vision. In doing so, PBS stayed true to its tireless message of discovering our world and promoting new ideas, while positioning itself in a bright new light. It is foolish to rebrand without solid reasoning. Make sure you have a story to tell.
Embracing leading-edge technology is important but watch out for the bleeding edge of over-investment in the latest craze. Rather than spend on the unknown, strengthen the areas that have good ROI and integrate a pinch of innovation. Investing in things that lose value once driven off the lot is going nowhere fast. Utilize free resources and maximize your mileage.Examples:
If the car runs well, why buy a new one?
What will consumers be searching for as 2010 unfolds? How can you make sure your business is at the forefront of their interest? Here's what's trending this year.
For these and more trends, visit TrendWatching.com's January 2010 briefing.