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Thursday
Apr042013

Branding Is Like Dating. Can You Turn Your Fling Into True Love?  

DateThursday, April 4, 2013 at 9:46AM

Listen, I am a romantic and I believe love at first sight can happen. And when it does, fireworks go off! But more often than not building a lasting relationship takes time. Trust, honesty and respect are all required. Toss in the aspiration to live a similar lifestyle and you might just find yourself committed.

The courting we do as brand marketers with our audience is similar and the requirements are very much the same. People fall in love with brands they trust.

Branding is about making an emotional connection — like the pure happiness you feel when you take your first sip of a tall, decaf, skinny, two pump vanilla latte from Starbucks. It might even be your favorite part of the day. Somehow, it is always what you need and lives up to your expectation every time.

Stay True to Your Story

As branding and society evolves, now more than ever, the principles of content marketing are replacing many old, traditional marketing theories. Today, building a strong connection with your audience is extremely important. Don’t be afraid to share information. Tell your story. It is one of the most underrated skills in business.

If you provide your audience with engaging experiences and content that resonates on a deep level, their loyalty will increase. Continue to stay true to what grabbed their attention in the first place and build upon those engagements with content marketing strategies.

Content marketing is a way to share valuable free content to attract and convert prospects into customers, and customers into repeat buyers. Have you ever noticed Starbucks’ on-going commitment to raise awareness for social global responsibility? Their website is full of generous amounts of free information on how to minimize our environmental footprint.

So, what brand does ALL this best? You guessed it, Starbucks.

While offering high-quality whole bean coffee is the essence of what they do, it doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of their story. Starbucks’ coffeehouses are the beacon for coffee lovers everywhere. You can count on genuine service, an inviting atmosphere and as they put it, “a superb cup of expertly roasted and richly brewed coffee every time.”

Starbucks also prides itself on being a neighborhood gathering place and couldn’t be happier about it. How many times have you stopped by with a friend, a colleague or with just a good book, and spent an hour having your favorite Starbucks drink?

Love Among the Lattes

Their passion and desire to connect their brand with their customers is clearly a priority and shines through in their marketing and content initiatives. And for that reason, no one implements a social media strategy quite like them.

For the second year in a row, according to a study done by advertising research firm, PhaseOne, Starbucks ranked number one in social media.

Talk about building a relationship with your audience!

Here are two more examples of how Starbucks stands out from the crowd:

1. Starbucks created one of the most successful online/offline campaigns by placing posters in major cities across the country. People were then challenged to be the first to find and tweet pictures of the posters and submit headlines for future ads. They also invited employees to participate. A testament to their positive company culture and insight on the importance of turning employees into brand champions.

2. Starbucks’ Facebook page has more than 34 million likes and engages their audience by speaking to their coffee preferences and personal stories. By incorporating the “idealized self” concept, (how people see themselves and what is important to them, based on their needs and desires,) Starbucks successfully “taps into individualized experiences that appeal to their unique preferences,” states PhaseOne. This strategy is then cohesively integrated to all online and social media engagements.

With 34 million Facebook fans and over 3.5 million followers on Twitter, the proof is in the pudding — I mean latte. Come on, if that’s not love what is?

 

Case Study:  Hotslings hired Mind Machine to develop their brand using an integrated growth strategy that would position Hotslings as the authority on attachment parenting and baby slings.

Scope of Work:  Strategic planning and positioning, brand development/management. Tasks accomplished: refreshing corporate ID, creating sales, marketing and press collateral, designing advertising campaigns, website development, re-structuring of global sales force, opening new distribution channels and key accounts, overseeing trade show booth design and presence.

The Results:  Hotslings was recognized as the original fashion sling and as the leading designer soft baby carrier in America. Sales tripled. Key accounts such as Toys "R" Us and Nordstrom were established, stronger retail relationships and introductions were made and new product lines were launched. The global sales force multiplied and visibility for the brand radiated throughout the industry and among consumers. Tremendous brand equity and credibility was established and interest in brand acquisition made possible. Media Mentions included Fit Pregnancy, Pregnancy and Baby Couture.
Case Study:  Bravado Designs, a Canadian company and industry leader, is a well-respected expert and sought-after maternity intimate apparel brand. They hired Mind Machine to establish a stronger brand presence in the U.S. Our efforts focused on new business development via exploring new channels of distribution, opening key accounts and building strong retail relationships.

Scope of Work:  Strategic brand planning, sales presentation development, pitching and securing targeted retail relationships, account management and consultation on retail negotiations.

The Results:  Mind Machine secured Target as Bravado’s strategic retail partner in the U.S., offering quality lingerie for everywoman. Basics by Bravado launched store-wide in over 1,100 doors with 4’ of secured real-estate and in-store signage. The partnership expanded Bravado’s distribution and grew their market segmentation. As a result, the company’s revenue, customer reach and brand awareness increased exponentially. 6 months after launching at Target, Bravado was acquired and joined the Medela family - the world’s leader in breastfeeding systems.
Case Study:  Brands 88, an affiliate of the PAJ Group, has more than 30 years of experience designing, manufacturing and distributing jewelry worldwide. They hired Mind Machine to strategically and creatively interpret the ELLE Magazine brand for the jewelry category and to position and market the acquired license in the marketplace.

Scope of Work:  Brand development/management, marketing, design and creative direction. Present brand plan to upper management. Develop sales training manual for national independent sales force, design corporate ID, develop sales presentations, write newsletters, marketing and sales materials and press kits. Spearhead advertising, promotions and public relation efforts.

The Results:  Mind Machine established a brand bible for ELLE Jewelry. This roadmap became the “go-to” document for all creative and strategic decisions. With direction and focused messaging, the team transformed into proactive brand champions armed with the tools and collateral to stimulate growth. Retail sales soared, the sales force grew, and brand awareness escalated. Client was honored with the impressive JA Golden Apple award for “fusion”. Media mentions included Accessories Magazine, In-Store Magazine, Modern Jeweler and Women’s Wear Daily.
Case Study:  As Executive Director of Consumer Brands for Hooray! - the consumer products division of The Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company - Alise Robinson was challenged by the company's president to create and bring to market original content through the manufacture of consumer goods.

Scope of Work:  Pioneer the consumer products division from the ground up. Create original content, in-house brands for the company and spearhead all related brand and product development, design, marketing, advertising, sales and licensing initiatives.

The Results:  Huggy Buggy was renowned as a wildly successful and multi award-winning preschool specialty toy and lifestyle brand. The toy program boasted more than 30 SKU’s with national and international recognition and distribution. The brand was supported with comprehensive merchandising, a licensing program, and point of sale signage. The division grew into a multi-million dollar business with a line of innovative books for toddlers created in partnership with Barnes and Noble, and a proprietary brand developed for Toys “R” Us. The family of brands developed under Alise’s vision and management sold to a third party. Media mentions included The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Child Magazine, Parents Magazine, Time Out New York and Fox News.
Case Study:  Simple Wishes - a start-up company in the maternity/nursing industry - hired Mind Machine to lead executives through a strategic brand development process that ultimately would help define the brand, positioning, objectives and goals. Mind Machine was contracted to create sales and marketing collateral and consult on sales, marketing and PR initiatives.

Scope of Work:  Brand development, strategic planning, copywriting, collateral design. Provide overall consultation on advertising, public relations and marketing initiatives.

The Results:  Mind Machine developed focused messaging and designed a consumer brochure and sales catalog incorporating lifestyle imagery, typography and branded styling. With a strategy in place and a revived look and feel, new retail partnerships and third-party strategic alliances formed. Streamlined systems and procedures were implemented and resulted in a mindful, easy and effortless flow of communication between company, retailer and consumer.
Case Study:  3D Magic Factory, a boutique animation studio, hired Mind Machine to consult on the development of marketing and sales collateral for the award-winning preschool DVD, Gilgglebellies. The objective was to gain the attention of retailers, potential licensees and consumers for this emerging brand.

Scope of Work:  Marketing, branding and positioning.
Case Study:  PAJ, Inc., one of the world's largest sterling silver jewelry suppliers, hired Mind Machine Founder Alise Robinson as on-air spokesperson and guest-host to represent their in-house and licensed jewelry brands for electronic retailers QVC, HSN and HSN Japan. In her first assignment she served as spokesperson for ELLE Jewelry (a licensee of ELLE Magazine) and guest host on QVC. After two years of successful shows, PAJ, Inc. hired Alise to represent two more lines: Shiny Style, a techno bond jewelry collection on HSN Japan (Jupiter Shop Channel), and Silver Destinations, a sterling silver and gemstone collection on HSN in the U.S..

Scope of Work:  Fashion, research and brand expert. National and international spokesperson and guest host on QVC, HSN and Jupiter Shop Channel (HSN Japan).

The Results:  Alise helped PAJ, Inc. build successful new show concepts and made personal TV appearances promoting and selling their product designs. By marrying an impressive knowledge of the product with a friendly, engaging manner, Alise was able to easily connect and resonate with consumers on-screen. Her eloquence and charming on-air style led to excellent sales across the board.
Case Study:  Bright Entertainment, creators of original content specializing in marketing and design, was an entrepreneurial endeavor for Alise Robinson. The mission was to provide fun, thought-provoking and innovative entertainment for children.

Scope of Work:  Brand, story and character development. Responsible for identifying and pitching publishers and toy manufacturers, creating brand presentations and overseeing negotiations.

The Results:  Authored and created the novelty children's book series Space Craze. Secured a publishing deal for the following titles: "Shining Stars", "Blast Off!", "Shapes In Space" and "U, F, & O, Where Did They Go?". Created Space Craze brand extensions and developed an additional library of original branded content.