Brand Boring or Brand Buzz?

I heard an advertisement on the radio the other day that surprised me, not because they were saying anything noteworthy, but because it was so banal. It was a national company's ad. They pay an ad agency to write and produce their commercials. There are so many words at their disposal, so many descriptions, so many emotional statements to attract customers, why would they use the trite phrase, " knowledgeable, friendly staff to serve you"? Even if they couldn't think of anything exciting, they could have used, "if you've got questions, we've got answers", "we specialize in providing answers"?"specializing in premium products and effective solutions"."Try and stump the staff with your questions, they love a challenge". "We don't have all the answers but we'll help find solutions"

Even if you don't have anything new to say, you can still say it with style, create a connection to the consumer or create a buzz. Use customers' experiences and what they have to say to create a unique message. There is a reason that a customer comes to you rather than the competition. You may have to ask a number of questions to get to the real reason. Even if the only reason is that you are closer than the competition..you can make a joke about it. You can brand your business with an attitude rather than a specific product line. If you present your business in a blasé manner, people will be blasé about dealing with you.

Ho Hum is not something you can take to the bank! Building a recognizable brand offers measurable results, measurable through increased response, increased traffic, and increased attention. Take a stand, chose a niche and give it different perspective.

Think about how long the t-shirt has been around. How many hundreds of times has it been reworked as a successful business? With the right words and vision it's not just a t-shirt; it's a billboard for social commentary, beliefs, attitude statements, advertising, fashion and/or art. Each of these businesses has successfully created a unique niche by creatively saying they sell t-shirts. T-Shirt Deli ? Chicago www.tshirtdeli.com/, Turkish T-Box http://www.t-box.com.tr/v2/, Banka de Camisetas http://www.bancadecamisetas.com.br/, skwTeez www.squeezeteez.com

Yes, you do want friendly, knowledgeable staff working in your business, but if you want to convey that or any other message to prospective customers, present the information so that it's believable. Forget the clichés and take some time to put together words that mean something to your prospective customers.

Nancy Fraser is the president of Nota Bene Consulting an advertising and marketing company that offers "out of the box" communication advice,design development and implimentation of branding and marketing campaigns that require clients to "First Ponder and then Dare". http://www.notable-marketing.com



John Deere and NASCAR; Excellent Use of Brand

We should all recognize the marketing efforts of John Deere... Read More

The Big Uneasy: Clearing the Clouds of Guess

People often come to me to assist them with developing... Read More

Choosing the Right Color Palette

Color is a highly personal experience ? everyone has favorite... Read More

Franchisor Policies for Unlicensed or Sold Territories

Franchisors often have issues when they own a brand which... Read More

FTC Reviews The Franchise Rule

After more than a decade since the last attempt to... Read More

Brand Lo-o-o-o-o-ve...

So... how have you been building your brand lately?Now, I'm... Read More

Is Your Logo Helping or Hurting Your Business?

The quality of your logo can mean the difference between... Read More

Value Proposition Writing - Brand Identity Guru

Your Value Proposition, or as I usually call it, your... Read More

Jan Verhoeff: Brand Your Market

Marketing potential of any product is based on recognition and... Read More

Logo-ize For Instant Identification & Increased Awareness

The task of creating an indelible impact on the memory... Read More

How a Great Tagline can Help your Business

"Just do it." "We try harder." "The Ultimate Driving Machine."... Read More

Branding 101: Why Its Critical to Business Success and How to Do It Right

What's Your Brand?A brand is a product/company personality that helps... Read More

How Important it is to have a Professional Logo Design for your Business?

There are a lot of things that contribute towards the... Read More

Articles: The Perfect Branding Tool

If you own a web-based business, you're probably aware of... Read More

You Bored Me at Hello - Top Three Strategies for Networking Your Brand

"You had me at hello," those famous words from the... Read More

Corporate Identity - A Rough Guide

A rough guide to corporate identityThe tabloids report the millions... Read More

Im Just Starting, Why Do I Need a Logo Design?

Businesses eager to open often give little thought to their... Read More

Co-Branding in Automotive Service Businesses

In a world of co-branding, point of destination strategies and... Read More

Don?t Overlook Your Email When Considering Your Brand Identity

You wouldn't skip letterhead when sending out a sales letter... Read More

Brand Building 101

Building your brand into a brand leader isn't easy. There... Read More

Your Small Business Name -- Important?

You bet a name is important. Many small business owners... Read More

Brand Equity - Brand Identity Guru

7 Qualities Of A Strong Brand:1. Commands premium pricing while... Read More

Differentiate and Dominate

Quite often small business owners will ask me to reveal... Read More

My First Year In Cyber Space

My first year as a Cyberpreneur was a steeplearning-curve. I... Read More

Company Vehicles Have Advertising on Them; Tips on Driving in Parking Lots

Try to avoid backing up whenever possible. Occasionally some one... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: