Companies with similar products see very different levels of success. Sure, things like location, customer service, and resources have an impact – but often it comes down to branding.
Years ago, one of my mentors would often ask me “How do you want the person seeing this to feel?” He’d ask this question even if it was for something like a simple email header. At the time, I was in a job where each day was busy and demanding, and sometimes I just wanted to get the darn email header done. But he would continue to ask that question. That question alone helped make me a better marketer and is something I ask myself and my clients in any new project.
When brands are most successful, they create an emotional connection with their audience. Without it, a brand is much more likely to be overlooked. One of my favorite examples is Dollar Shave Club. Razors had existed long before this company existed. But, they completely disrupted the market, using humor and developing a likeable personality that humanized the brand.
So, how do you make your brand stand out?
Personality. What is your brand personality? Is it funny, confident, ambitious, trustworthy, energetic, wise, generous, silly, talented, upbeat, adorable, loving, daring, charming, knowledgeable, gentle, helpful? I could go on and on. Think about Coke’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign where they put popular names and messages on their cans. This campaign worked extremely well to make a personal connection with their audience.
Visual. Depending on the advertising medium, you have about 1-8 seconds to catch your viewers attention. Think about some of the anti-smoking campaigns you’ve seen. Most include an image that gets the point across in instant while connecting with viewers. Next time you drive on the intestate, think about which billboards drew you in and which ones didn’t. Ask yourself why – I’d bet the best billboards made you “feel” something in a way that perhaps you hadn’t before.
Vulnerability. Marketing used to have to be completely polished. But in today’s age of digital marketing, that is no longer the case. Looking “perfect” can actually backfire and make your brand less relatable. Embrace your flaws. Apologize if you make a mistake. Use vulnerability to drive closer relationships with your customers. One of my favorites campaigns that showcases vulnerability was done by Microsoft. Internet Explorer was outdated, and they knew it. Their campaign said, “The browser you loved to hate just got better”. This approach helped build trust, showing they understood their product challenge
