Are you overdoing your brand?

Popular brands are sometimes seen exhausting available resources, sometimes overusing the potential to communicate. This article argues feasible to self destructive brand management techniques

Value seen in an investment, corporate or personal, is dependent on distance that it can be carried for. This could be either time variable or dependant on share of words spoken. Largely, this distance lies in understanding the requirement in and adopting to a customer’s requirement. But that in no way would mean a previous success factor could be re-done. The current context of customer interactivity, stresses the ability in being innovative.

The following methods can be used in adapting to today’s customers lifestyles.

Flexibility in channels used to communicate

Increasingly leading FMCG brands focus on strong BTL channels with one on one interactive touch points. Falling apart from purely ATL driven communications for awareness building or penetration, the use of more than one vehicle to drive objectives of awareness, increased purchase intention is seen.

This not only helps in getting their communications through innovatively but also creates a lasting top of mind recall while distributing the investment per head over a longer period of time, among a larger audience.

Choosing the best channel

Communication is the life blood of a relationship. The same stands true with your customers. Justifiably communication is not limited to only a copy of the press ad. Unlike in the era where marketers had a few expensive ATL channels and limited BTL sources, today a potential user can be found in multiple sources. Irrespective of the fact that your product is a mass/niche, the fragmentation of media and cannels of advertising has overlapped segments.

An average individual will be exposed to more than three ATL channels on average per day. Extreme loyalty and a perfect segmentation would bring this down to two: peer influences and other uncontrollable exposures such as within the mode of public transportation. But a marketer should take extra effort in understanding the consumers mind set at the time approached, frequency, duration and importantly the tone of voice used within.

Tone of voice

Within the years of adaptation of internet for information dissemination and control, media and brands have equally found positioning challenging. What mood would they most likely be in when they make decisions on a large investment such as a laptop or a car? Would it be while shopping? At a movie? Or while driving? Or being driven?

Senior management is expected to justify their investments through tools such as GRPs and CPRPs. While these measures would largely justify the accuracy of your target audience a professional marketer is trained to leave nothing unmeasured.

However, looking at the decision making occasion may have the capacity of changing the way customers feel and perceive about the brand or company. Linking the tone of voice according to the channel used could get a customer excited.

For instance, a customer intending to purchase a mobile device may hear radio adverts, then press releases. He would then find out the functionality on YouTube and search for pros and cons from current users online.

Chances are a tweet or a Facebook comment/question. He would then talk to friends and decide on the purchase. Note the moods and levels of reception on all the above stages.

Alternatively your customer might want to borrow a loan from a bank/financial institution. What would the better channel be? A formal recipient audience such as LinkedIn or a work at home-leisure seekers Facebook time? Note the impact a formal vs. informal tone of voice could create.

(The writer is a Chartered Marketer and holds a BBM from the Bangalore University. She could be reached via [email protected].)