Arena 3
Imagine a marketing and branding concept that provides a completely holistic approach to the brand experience, based on a heavy knowledge from the buyer. While this particular can make perfect sense with a person with any business savvy today, the message was not this kind of an easy sell just 5 many years ago. Then, a good approach so simple and clear sounded just like a foreign language.
The conversation would go something like this:
Customer: "We have a good advertising agency of record that handles our branding and marketing needs."
Agency: "So your ad agency totally understands your consumers, develops brand insights, and manages your internet, in-store marketing, direct, client intimacy, store design, viral, sales, special events, sponsorships, item placements, and PR strategies along with all the other brand touch factors?"
Client: "Hell no! We have different agencies and different internal decision-producers for each and every of people places."
Agency: "So your agency of record (AOR) defined the brand and manages dozens of firms to make certain brand consistency?"
Consumer: "No way. One firm can'big t perform all that."
Agency: "Then who owns the overall brand experience?"
Client: "I guess our CEO will be ultimately accountable for that."
Agency: "Oh, so he/she works with all the firms to make sure everything will be on track?"
Client: "He/she doesn'big t have time for that. He/she mainly deals with monetary decisions, acquisitions, Wall Street and stuff like this."
Well times have altered haven't these people? The fact is the standard agency model offers totally fallen aside. If a good agency doesn't suggest a great integrated branding and marketing model in today's evening and age, what opportunity would these people have to get a gig? And who is the AOR anymore? Is it the mass media agency, advertising agency (now often separate), the digital agency, the retail design group or a brand consultancy?
Today'ersus business world demands a clearer and less complicated approach coming from agencies. Marketing and branding plans should be described clearly, executed quickly and measured precisely. It furthermore helps that these are wildly successful. So just how can a marketing / branding agency accomplish what was once the job of as much since five separate agencies?
A good concept is to start with the concept your best customers personal and drive just about all great brands. These are generally the individuals who are already fired up and fired up about your brand. These "brand warriors" come in many different types and are available almost all over the place, especially online: Tweets supporters, Myspace fans, and so on. These people are valuable because they supply insight into what aspects of your current branding are appealing and are creating a positive impact on your market - essentially, free market research. The 80-20 rule will be still because solid today as when it had been first identified.
The point will be, you might also understand this cult customer subculture and their relationship with your brand. Once you do, you can be out and attempt to clone the behavior. Before you realize it, your small cult of fans and brand warriors is actually growing. Make sense?
