Both your logo and packaging are part of brand image, but neither are equal to your brand. Your brand, and how you build a brand, is changing rapidly. It's time to adopt the new playbook or risk being left behind in the dust.
The biggest brands of yesterday were built by creating an appealing brand message that would speak to a target audience, and plastering that message tens of thousands of times (mainly via TV ads) until the general population accepts it. If you had deep pockets and a compelling message, you could build a brand.
The products didn't always live up to the promises of the advertisements, but that didn't really matter. The voice of the advertiser was stronger than the voice of the consumer. Disappointed consumers didn't have a strong enough voice to move the needle.
With the invention of the DVR and our general resistance to traditional advertising, the playbook is changing. In fact, it's already changed. Furthermore, channels like Twitter, Facebook and Yelp make it impossible for a brand to hide behind their advertisements.
Today, the voice of the consumer is much stronger than the voice of the advertiser. As a result, every business should be focusing on creating the best possible customer experience.
What you say matters much less because:
- Far less people are listening to advertisements
- Real customers are speaking and people are listening
The only sustainable solution is to raise the bar and improve your customer experience. This is a great opportunity for companies, who are willing to look in the mirror and take this seriously. This is forcing companies to do what all the great companies have been doing all along: listening to their customers and constantly striving to better serve them.
You don't really have a choice. It's time we all realize this simple truth. There is no where for mediocre companies to hide, and tremendous opportunity for companies dedicated to serving customers and who actually care about doing a great job..
