Historically brands were managed via brand guidelines that specified font, colors, icons, visual imagery, logos, and design—all of which wereincorporated in the brand’s vision, mission, positioning and benefits. The brand “toolkit”—before social media— was about creating these emblems to represent the “expression” of a brand.The emblems were the means for the brand to communicate to the “audience.” Done well, those brand emblems or assets created the experience of— and the perception of the brand.
The brand’s identity—and thus brand equity— was then expressed through:
• Promises & Guarantees
• Position & Ideology
• Logos & Icons
• Tagline & Key Messages
“Driven by the fundamental shift in control from companies to consumers, the future belongs to those who make emotional connections with them.”
– Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi & Author of Lovemarks Effect
Winning in the Consumer Economy
While the old brand assets obviously still matter, a brand’s ability to compete in the digital and social world requires something additional.
When a brand participates with their customers, those interactions shape customer’s perception of the brand. Transitioning from static logos to interactions requires a brand to create new brand guidelines to incorporate social media. Those guidelines need to detail how the brand organizes it’s communications into interactions and drives engagement with customers.
Engagement means that a brand must become an active participant with it’s customers. Digital brands are not just “things” customers
buy. Today’s customers are seeking an experience, where the audience is the main attraction, not the brand. The brand is no longer the “story”
– the interaction is. The currency?
The authors of the Cluetrain Manifesto said, “Markets are conversations.”
The social web is essentially a storytelling medium. To effectively engage customers, a brand needs to develop a brand persona and the
ability to uniquely tell its story. Part of telling that story is also creating compelling content.
How Branding Building & Marketing Changed With Social Media
“With more and more consumers committed to spending their money before they set foot inside a store, the challenge is: How can you get them to commit to spending on your product or service? The answer is you’ve got to make an emotional connection with your consumers.”
-Marshal Cohen, Chief Industry Analyst, NPD
Today, brand perception is shaped by the conversation between the brand and the customer, where the customers’ motivation is to make an emotional connection with the brand. It’s imperative to understand the difference between “awareness” and being “loved” by customers. To be a “Loved“ brand requires the brand correspond with customers in a genuine, authentic and real persona. Out with stale, stiff, rigid one- way brand communications. In with social, deeply personal , novel two-way dialogues.
Thus, Digital Cosmetic Brands are activities and social experiences requiring a brand to define their behavior strategy. Some of those interaction behaviors include being:
• Transparent, of service, entertaining
• Providing utility, rewards & unique, exclusive experiences.
What might get in the way of delivering social experiences?
Executive Success Acceleration Firm
We work with brands & software companies to deliver increased revenue and decreased costs.
Our Motto? Learn. Share. Grow!
@DrNatalie L. Petouhoff
Want to see how to get an ROI from Social Media? Check out these fun videos:
Video 1: Building the Business Case for Social Media
Video 2: How to Measure the ROI of Social Media
Video 3: How Social Media Benefits the Whole Company
Here’s My book on How Businesses can Drive Sales on Facebook: Like My Stuff: How To Monetize Your Facebook Fans
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