torsdag 27 november 2008

Obama

Electing Barack Obama for president of the US has resulted in such massive ovations all over the world. What is it then - besides his political message - that makes him so popular and interesting?

He and his team have worked in a clever way with the brand Obama. It has been the most successful branding campaign in American presidential election history. He is enthusiastic, renewing, inspired. And it seems to me like it is genuine. He will represent a fresh new start, which many people have waited for. Read more about the campaign here: Obama - the brand

Now, as he moves on from his candidate-days to some real stuff , it will be interesting to see how the branding strategy will be developed. The person Obama has been a lot in focus during this period. Now the political issues will need more space, backed-up by the guarantor Obama. It will be a tricky and exciting case to handle for the branding experts. I will watch and learn.

Is your Advent-candlestick working?

We are moving closer to the first weekend of Advent.
Is your candlestick working? It is quite frustrating to dig it out from a box in the attic, prepare room for it on the best windowsill, plug it in and realise that it is totally dead. You change the lamps and nothing happens.

This is when you need some happy candlestick-fixers and a cup of glögg.

Vimmerby Energi invited all their customers to some glögg and candlestick-fixing yesterday. The place was crowded with customers and the Santa Claus-workshop was very busy fixing their customers´needs. Happy people returned home with one less Christmas-hassle on their mind.

One of the core-values of Vimmerby Energi is vicinity. With an event like this, they build their customer-relations and strengthen the brand. People will spread the word about it and they will remember it all year long. Way to go, Vimmerby Energi!

måndag 24 november 2008

Product vs brand

In the beginning, there is only the product.



The qualities and capacities signify the product. The name or brand doesn´t mean much, since people can´t associate to it. The product stands for itself. If the market needs and appreciates it, the product will survive.

As time goes, the market will start relying on the product. They will trust that the product keeps delivering the same quality, pricelevel, service and functions as they have become used to. And to make it easier, they will start associating the name or brand with these qualities.

When the following product is released under the same brand, the market will trust that it holds the same qualities as the first product. They will accept the new product without needing to judge it in detail. So the brand has partly taken charge of the clients´satisfaction. The single new product won´t start from scratch on the same low level as the first product did.

With a consistent behavior in launching products, you will slowly build your brand. At this early stage you need to build trust, awareness and positive associations. You don´t need confused customers.

I´m simplifying the process of course. However - over time, the qualities of the single product lose importance when it comes to buying-decisions. The brand will be the overall convincing-factor and the product will be the confirmer.

When your products - over a longer period of time - confirm the characteristics and values that the market has started to associate with the brand, you are quite safe in your customers mind. Then you can start playing with new and attractive attributes - but always with your fundamental brand values in mind.