Brand Communications

Brand communications
Communication happens when the consumer meets the brand Imperative to ensure that every brand meeting builds the brand Is it happening?

Brand communications
Consumers are constantly meeting the brand
Through advertising With editorial mentions By sponsorships On the point of purchase materials Over the supermarket shelves

They often meet our brands, but how often do they notice them?

The need for communication

The need for impact The need for an involving, positive experience The need to affect behaviour The need for high payback

Communication imperatives
Communication process begins after identity process is clearly laid out Remember, brand communication is just a reflection of strategy Put differently, strategy leads creative and not the other way around

Communication model

Non-receipt of message
Selective Attention
Due to message explosion

Selective Distortion
Receive what fits into their belief systems

Selective Retention
Only a few remain in memory

Effectiveness influencers
The greater the influence of communication source over recipient, the greater the recipients change/effect in favour of source Communication effects are greatest where the message is in line with the receivers existing opinion, beliefs and dispositions Communication can produce the most effective shifts on unfamiliar, lightly felt, peripheral issues that do not lie at the core of the recipients value system

Effectiveness influencers
Communication is more likely to be effective if the source is believed to have expertise, high status, objectivity or likeability The social context, group, or reference group will mediate the communication and influence whether or not the communication is accepted

The communication process

Communication is not a one-way street anymore Communication is an interactive dialogue between the company and its customers
Takes place during the pre-selling, selling, consuming and post-consuming stages

Companies must ask not only How can we reach our customers? but also, How can our customers reach us?

Communication imperative
Managing and coordinating the entire communications process calls for a unifying mechanism

Integrated Marketing Communications

Integrated marketing communications

IMC is a concept of marketing communication planning that recognizes the added value of a comprehensive plan It evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communications disciplines and combines all these disciplines
To provide clarity, consistency and maximum impact Through the seamless integration of discrete messages

Why IMC
Fragmenting mass markets into a multitude of mini-markets, each requiring its own approach

Proliferation of new types of media

Growing sophistication of customers

Advantages of IMC
IMC produces stronger message consistency and greater sales impact Forces management to think about every way the customer comes in contact with the company
How positioning is communicated Importance of each vehicle and timing issues

Assigns responsibility to unify the companys brand images and messages as they come through thousands of company activities

In essence
IMC will improve the companys ability to reach the right customers with the right messages at the right time and in the right place!

Communication Approach

Communication plan
The communications plan is an investment plan Establish goals, identify alternative routes, weigh up the risks, potential benefits and decide which route is likely to be effective, within your financial limitations By using this as a model for investing, in different channels, brand value can be increased

Hallmark of a good communication plan

A good plan will provide a strategic framework to identify the different goals for brand communication
Assign these to channels which will be most effective

Will provide a blueprint against which campaigns in different channels will be briefed and evaluated Will aid priority setting, and a check on how realistic brand objectives are Will provide an overall work plan for the communication team, company and agency

Role for communication

What role would the communication play in the overall scheme of things?
Introduce the brand Make Brand TOM Reinforce attitudes Claim leadership

Define the role creatively and persuasively

I have to to I want to Move the brand from the shelf to the hand bag

Communication strategy
What would be the overall communication strategy?
The strategic route to achieving our intended goals

Some examples
Shift focus from functional to emotional benefits Increase visibility Establish brand superiority Create launch excitement

Taking a creative leap

Vaseline lip guard
Appropriate the property of smile

MasterCard
Give an emotionally bankrupt brand, a heart

Tone of voice
Define the tone and manner of communication Some examples
Leadership Empathy Humour News

The 8 Essentials

1.

Address the key business issue

Communication to be developed in context of business goals and brand strategy In effect, what is required is a clear definition of the role of our brand communications a need to be able to answer the questions
What is the purpose of this communication? How does our Communication fit into the life of the brand?

The question to ask are:

What is the business-based purpose of the communication? Why are we doing it?

2.

Build consistent long-term Brand Equity

Ensure that all brand communication delivers a clear, relevant and competitive consumer benefit Communication should bring consumer close to brand and enhance the quality status of brand Need to make people feel that brand is playing a real role in their lives, and is relevant to them The question to be asked: Is every communication derived from and reflective of the BPS?

3.

Be focused on single-minded Strong Idea

A Strong Idea binds all communication together so that they are cohesive / consistent What constitutes a Strong Idea?
Must be related to the brand; must involve the brand Must be related to, or evolved from BPS Must be involving for the consumer and hold their attention Should be unique Is proprietary Should work across all forms of communication Should be enduring over time

4. Be highly visible
It costs the same to run a TVC whether it is dull and boring or whether it is relevant and involving
A good ad is the best media discount possible

Ensure all communication investment is money well spent, and this means communications have impact
Impact that is relevant to our brand

Some possible clutter breakers include

Making communication simple Developing additional communication channels Being innovative in media Making better use of sampling and relationship marketing

5.

Be locally relevant to core target

Need to catch the eye by planting a relevant idea in the consumers mind
This is just right for me and the way I live my life

Focus the message / execution on the core target and not over-worrying about the alienating effect on others

6. Be likeable
All communication should be likeable
Achieve best scores in tracking research for likeability of brand vs. competitors

All communication should be contemporary, both in content and tone

Reflecting life as it is lived today, and positioning the brand as relevant to todays way of life

7. Be executionally excellent
Many brands are consumed for pleasure, enjoyment and indulgence
Consumption shots should realistically communicate this in a totally credible way

Unique, proprietary product shots and mouth-watering consumption sequences appeal to senses
Help create appetite appeal, differentiate our products and motivate purchase

8. Bring about a sale

Seek to create communications which have
The consumers interests at heart That are involving in content and execution That are original and provocative That get talked about Have the must see again factor

To help ring in the cash registers!

Unilever Principles for Great Advertising (UPGA)

1. Concentrates on one big idea

Brands benefit is conveyed, not just by a selling message or a series of messages
But single-mindedly, by one big idea

A visual and or aural expression of that one big concept exclusively linked to the brand
Example: Dove

2.

Promise discriminates brand from competitors

The advertisement must communicate a benefit
But different from competitive brands

The brand must therefore communicate uniqueness

Uniqueness in physical brand itself or in some other value inextricably associated with brand

Example: Close Up, Vaseline

3. Involves target consumer

It elicits a favourable emotional response by appealing to the consumers self interest
Relating to a known need or problem Promising satisfaction of that need Solution to the problem

Example: Surf

4.

Establishes relationship with consumer

The ad should induce a strong feeling in favour of the brand It should establish a preference for brand, so consumer feels confident choosing it

Example: Vim, Wheel

5. Its credible / feels genuine

Though manner of presentations may involve humour/hyperbole, the fundamental benefit must be obtainable

Example: Bru, Hamam

6. It is simple and clear

The execution should be simple and the expression unambiguous It should be clear from the ad what target is expected to do
This does not mean everything needs to be spelled out

Communication is two-way. The consumer should participate Example: Lux

7.

Integrates brand name with central idea

The big idea must be inextricably linked to the brand name It must be remembered only in association with the brand Example: Lifebuoy, Clinic Plus

8. Takes advantage of each medium

Ideally, big idea should find expression in all media
TV, Print, Radio, Outdoor, Direct mail

Each medium has its own characteristics, which offer opportunities for exploitation The big idea itself is fundamental but the ad should take maximum advantage of the media possibilities available Example: Rin

9. Idea must be campaignable

The big idea will and must endure
It is not a single ad but a campaign It is not one campaign but a series of campaigns This is more than simple repetition or even variations on a theme The big idea will not only endure, it will grow

Example: Axe

10. Must help build brand personality

Each ad affects consumers perception of the brand
If any ad conflicts with that perception it will cause a negative feeling and several such ads will begin to weaken brand personality

It is vital therefore to ensure consistency

Each ad helps to build or reinforce the desired brand personality

Example: Ponds DFT, Magic Talc