Three Dimensional Branding
By: Bob Diakow |
July 23, 2010
Typically businesses have looked at branding from two perspectives. One being a visual, where a company’s logo or identity system has traditionally communicated the “look” of the company when communicated to a target audience. The second is more from a verbal or messaging point of view. With the advent of the Internet, brands and branding has changed, as we know it.
There is now a third dimension to brand development. Brands that leverage their assets throughout the Internet, now have the capability to receive instant feedback from their brand decisions and strategies. This valuable information can be used to position a brand swiftly and effectively, taking advantage of situations and opportunities as they arise. Additionally, brands have the opportunity to create an experience that reflects the interaction and engagement that is now available thus affecting the overall business plan of the company. Furthermore, it allows brands to recruit brand stewards that can champion a brand from a third party position further broadening a brand’s influence.
It is this third dimension that will significantly influence a brand’s reputation, experience and market acceptance as they build towards sustainability and the Internet evolves.
Sales Versus Marketing
By: Bob Diakow |
June 28, 2010
For as long as people have been trading services and producing products, there has been a battle between sales and marketing. Sales are measured against short segment quantitative reporting and do not relate to long term sustainable planning. However, marketing’s strength is one that charts a course that can stand the test of time and provide a plan that can weather turbulent times.
As we look more closely, the two outcomes are more perpendicular than parallel. As with many strategies there are exceptions to the rule. However, based on the fact that sales structures are dependent on quantitative facts the method disallows much flexibility or proactive adjustments and is highly based on market conditions.
Whereas marketing is a much more proactive approach that drives customers to a brand and its influences. Based on the leveraging of a brand’s assets, a much broader market penetration can be achieved resulting in a more efficient business structure.
With the advent of the Internet and especially social media marketing centric companies versus sales focused organizations, companies are able to target market without having to rely on one-to-one inefficient selling processes. In addition, the Internet provides a platform for continual contact with a company’s target customer.
When and when not to App
By: Bob Diakow |
April 15, 2010
As I-Phone and I-Pad technology continues to evolve, there seems to be a race to have SmartPhone applications without researching the consequences. Many decisions are necessary in creating the correct messaging to accomplish the goals of the strategy.
With the various platforms for SmartPhone technologies it is important that the application is designed to live in the right environment. According to AdAge research, Blackberry, Apple iPhone Android and Palm all have created a niche in the market that aligns each brand with an identifiable demographic profile. As an example, Palm which had aligned itself with early adopters to mobile technologies, has a higher index for 35-44 year olds than any other manufacturer with more than 25% of users falling into that range. On the other hand, iPhone boasts the highest percentage of users with more than $100,000 in income.
Furthermore, Blackberry with its profile being very much a business user, has garnered the highest segment of users reporting income of more than $100,000 annually. However, the downside to this platform is that the typical user does not surf the web as much as others, and when they do, they spend less time online.
The bottom line is: it is reported that IPhone apps, at best, reach 25% of SmartPhone users of the fast growing segment represented by 42.7 million Americans. Compare that to the fact that by 2013 it is predicted that phones will overtake PCs as the most common device to access the internet worldwide.
There is a way in which to solve these platform issues within this fragmented technology. Web development providers are now able to create web sites that are specifically formatted and coded to operate in a fashion similar to an app on SmartPhones without the platform compatibility issues. The drawback of the mobile websites is their inability to take advantage of some smart phone hardware features such as camera and compass options.
There is also the issue of exactly when is the best opportunity to engage with the target audience and the call to action strategies. Unless the application has entertainment and high volume functionality, a case can be made for mobile designed web sites. Apps will continue to act as a branding function while mobile sites operate as an advertising model to concentrate at a point in time, with slight crossover opportunities. As technology continues to evolve and speeds improve in the mobile market, you will see the line continue to blur between mobile web site strategies and smart phone applications.