The Future of Branding: A Series

This past week, I had what was easily the best conversation to date on the future of the branding industry. Sitting with the CEO of a design consultancy, our free-flowing dialogue embarked upon a number of tangents, all on the premise of finding a calling within this vast and changing industry, It brought to mind a favourite metaphor.

When most of us think of surfing, we think of places where oceans meet shoreline, where even professionals consider 35 foot waves "jaw-dropping." 

In 2003 and 2004, documentaries, Step Into Liquid and Riding Giants, exposed the breathtaking world of tow-in surfing. With the help of experts in weather forecasting and submarine geography, riders were able to predict the location (sometimes hundreds of miles offshore) of waves up to 100 feet tall. Such waves - freaks of hydrodynamics - could only be caught if towed into the break by a jet ski or even a helicopter. 

If 100 foot waves are too extreme of a metaphor for the future of branding, a more fitting example may be the "rare surfing phenomena" that produced a tranquil, yet epic, tidal bore a trio of paddle surfers were able to ride for 5 miles and 45 minutes in Alaska in 2010. I could not embed the 1-minute video clip, but it is worth watching. 

Whether waves are 100 feet high or 5 miles long, a lesson holds true for both: It was neither supreme talent nor technique* that made their feat achievable. It was the understanding of how and where to position themselves that dramatically changed the end result. 

Companies face this same challenge. The perceptions, tastes and habits of consumers are changing and they must understand how and where to reach them in order to maximise effectiveness of their branding.

In the following series, I will explore the talent and techniques that remain fundamental to branding, the conditions creating these great waves and the tools required to create a larger (100 foot) and longer-lasting (5-mile) impressions on consumers. 

Stay tuned. 

* Big-wave surfers are among the world's most experienced, but not necessarily the most decorated in professional competitions, while stand-up paddle surfing is considered very easy to learn.

Olympic Branding Part 2: Prioritising Stakeholders & Defining A Message

IOC President Jacques Rogge congratulates LOCOG Chairman 
Seb Coe following the successful Olympic bid in Singapore, 2005 

In a previous post, I explored how part of my pessimism leading up to the 2012 Olympics was based on the logo. It was a first impression I believed organisers and designers got wrong - especially the mascot - but a first impression nonetheless. 

Poor visual identity can still be overcome by delivering on brand promise and providing a great customer experience. In the following series of posts, I look at the other aspects of London 2012. 


Delivering a great customer experience requires a clear message that aligns the entire organisation. That message is formed by understanding the needs of the people most important to your brand.

STEP 1 - DEFINE THE STAKEHOLDERS

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) stated their goal was to "deliver the best possible Olympic and Paralympic Games experience for everyone involved, ensuring a real legacy and inspiring people to join in and truly make these 'everyone's Games.'"

In this case, "everyone involved" includes:

• Athletes - essentially the product on display, but also consumers of the Games - hoping to compete for their countries and gain notoriety

• Londoners - who hope to benefit from a tourism boost in the short-term and infrastructure improvements in the longer-term, not to mention the pride of being a host city

• Visitors experiencing the Games

• Corporate Sponsors -  since over $1 billion was raised from sponsors, these partners hope to gain from publicity of being associated with the Games

STEP 2 - UNDERSTAND STAKEHOLDER NEEDS

During their official bid presentation in Singapore, 2005, Bid Chairman, Seb Coe outlined the three principles that would guide London 2012 organisers:

• "First, we want to deliver...an electrifying experience for competitors and spectators...which distinguishes the Olympic Games from other sports events. And that magic begins with the venues.  

• Our second principle is to be your best partners. IOC members...Sponsors and the media.  

• Our third principle is to deliver a lasting sporting legacy...We can no longer take it for granted that young people will choose sport. Some may lack the facilities.  Or the coaches and role models to teach them...We are determined that a London Games will address that challenge."

More specifically:

• For Athletes -  Denise Lewis, representing the London Athletes Commission, explained “everything athletes need was designed in from day one. Training venues. Security. When a fraction of a second, or a fraction of a centimetre, can be the difference between winning and losing and can change your life...you appreciate that the small details have been worked out years before."

• For Londoners -  Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, pledged “the Games will dramatically improve the lives of Londoners.”  Prime Minister, Tony Blair furthered: "Our vision is to see millions more young people in Britain...participating in sport, and improving their lives as a result of that participation...But it takes more than 17 days of superb Olympic competition.  It takes a broader vision."  

• For Visitors -  Livingstone continued: "As London's Mayor, I know hat what you want from me is to take whatever measures are necessary to deliver a safe, secure and superb Games."

• For Corporate Sponsors - According to the LOCOG website: "The London 2012 brand is also vital to the funding of the Games and is the London 2012 Organising Committee's most valuable asset. To ensure we maintain both the emotional and commercial value of the brand, we need to carefully control its use and prevent its unauthorised exploitation."

STEP 3 - PRIORITISE STAKEHOLDERS

A brand can't be all things to all people. The needs of certain groups will often conflict, so a company must choose whose needs take priority when conflicts arise.

The motto for London 2012 became 'Inspire a generation,' indicating that the youth of Britain and their future were the major priority. 

STEP 4 - DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE TO STAKEHOLDERS

Only with a firm understanding of the promise to each stakeholder, can we fairly judge the Olympic experience. 

In future posts, I'll begin to grade how LOCOG delivered on the promises it made.

Cautionary Considerations for Brand Names

In a previous post, we explored characteristics of strong brand names - the best are memorable and communicate a message. Having already covered naming categories and features that increase recall, here are a few cautionary steps to ensure your name is remembered for the right reason and avoids communicating the wrong message. 

KEEP IT SHORT

A crucial aspect of a repeatable name is brevity. This doesn't mean all names should be single words, but as a general rule: less is more.  

An oft-cited historical example is Vicks VapoRub, whose sales struggled when it was known as Dr. Richardson's Croup and Pneumonia CureSalve. If there is more to say on your logo or packaging, save it for a tag line. 

ONLY MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN KEEP

This practice holds true in all aspects of branding, not just naming. BP's Horizon Oil Spill in 2010, for example - the worst oil disaster in history - was committed by a company who, a decade earlier, rebranded itself as "Beyond Petroleum" to be viewed as more environmentally friendly. BP was recently found guilty of "gross negligence and wilful misconduct."

Words can have serious consequences. Recent research shows brands that work harder to promote a certain reputation come under far more scrutiny when they fail to meet expectations.  

CONSIDER YOUR CONSUMER

A brand name should be relevant to the education and vocabulary level of the target consumer. 

The name Viagra, for example, uses less complex vocabulary than it's formulaic name Sildenafil Citrate. Simplifying scientific names for medicinal products is a fascinating area of brand naming. 

DECIDE WHETHER TO BE DISTANT OR CONSISTENT

No rule states a good brand name should always stand out. In come cases, you do want a name that helps you to fit in. 

Law firms are almost always named after their founding partners. In this case, a law firm that uses a different naming convention may seem illegitimate or unprofessional by comparison. 

The first step is determining the type of signal you want to send. Given the visibility and permanence of brand names, it may not be worth the risk. Other aspects of the brand can be used to highlight distinctiveness.

A memorable example occurred when the British Post Office Group infamously changed it's name to Consignia in 2002. While intentions were honourable - signalling a new direction after being privatized - manufactured or outlandish names seem more appropriate for pharmaceutical and technology companies:

“Naming a company Google or Squidoo or Blueturnip in the dot-com world isn’t weird. It’s the equivalent of naming your kid Michael.” - Seth Godin

BE ORIGINAL

An overwhelming number of Asian brands include words like "golden," "moon," "fortune," "lucky," "harvest," and "prosperity." While the words have positive associations - key to a strong name - they are so common in nomenclature they are no longer distinct or believable. Other examples include "happy," "excellent," "best," "quality," "top," "smart" or "reliable." Imagine if Sears's car battery was named Reliable, instead of DieHard?

Being forced to think outside of the box is a good thing. Magazine titles Flex and Escape have far greater symbolism than their generic-named competitors, Fitness and Traveller. 

QUANTITY, NOT JUST QUALITY

It's funny how we can sometimes ignore simple logistics. We could find the perfect brand name, but if a “.com” or “.org,” domain extension isn't available, we might end up driving business towards a competitor. There is also the minefield of trademark restrictions to navigate. 

By some measures, less than 5% of names submitted for trademark pass an availability screening. 

A few strategies can help circumvent this challenge: 

• Generate as many ideas without judgement as possible during brainstorming so you can easily return to previous ideas
• Intentionally misspell words in your product's name ("Froot" instead of "Fruit") 
• Transpose words in the name to create a different order

CROWD SOURCE

The end consumer will tell you if it sounds pleasing to the ear or otherwise, so make extensive use of focus groups and outsider opinion. 

At the end of the day, it matters more what consumers think about your brand name than analysts and executives. 

TRANSLATE

If a brand is global, it must consider the meaning of its name in every country it does business. This particular item is one I will explore at greater length in a future post. 

Why the Odd Working Title?

Brand naming is one of the most difficult tasks in branding. 

A well-chosen name - or in this case, blog title - can communicate positioning with little explanation, while a poorly chosen one can confuse the target audience. 

Even though it's not at all creative, at least the current title for this site does communicate a message:

• This is a branding blog 
• A title has yet to be determined
• A title will be chosen at some point 

The mission of this blog is to take you through the process of branding. Therefore, I intend to take you through the process of naming as well. 


I will divide the process of naming into three initial steps: 

1. Exploring the naming and mnemonic devices that make brand names expressive and memorable
2. Highlighting cultural and other pitfalls in brand naming
3. Beginning the process of naming this blog by working backwards from the premise

The third step is obviously the most important. Before considering a visual and verbal identity, a company must first be clear of its promise to customers and what makes it unique. As such, the first steps before naming my blog have been to: 

• Outline my personal background and ethos
• Articulate my vision and mission
• Write a few posts to get a feel for my own style of writing, and
• Understand more clearly what I think will make these pages unique in the blogoshpere

We're ready to begin. 

Singapore's "National Night" a Viral Success, but was it Effective?

When striking up a romance, you have to "break the ice." 

Of course, these strategies are also useful in influencing others in our work and personal lives  - not just in courtship. 

On August 9th, Singapore celebrated its 47th birthday with the usual fanfare. But this year, the Singapore government and Mentos released a hilarious video urging Singaporeans - with some exceptions - to "get busy" and procreate in order to combat the nation's record low birth rate:

Not surprisingly, it went viral - so viral that before I could email it to anyone in Singapore, a friend in Canada had already sent it to me. According to Chris Jaques of M&C Saatchi Asia, four kinds of video content are most commonly shared online: 

The most successful viral videos in history share the same traits - they are either funny, emotionally powerful, exciting or sexy. 

Produced by BBH Asia Pacific, the video is part of a new campaign for Mentos - whose objective is to raise awareness and sell more product. Conversely, Singapore's objective is to raise the national birth rate. I don't need to point out which outcome requires a bigger commitment from their target audience.

Persuading Singaporeans to have more children sooner is not simply a matter of making them laugh. While a viral video can break the ice, there are social and economic issues to address. 

Governments are like corporations in that they, too use branding (not just policy) to influence behaviour. But a common mistake for many companies is over-reliance on advertising to communicate a desired message. Advertising should be the last step in getting what you want from your audience. 

Although humorous, making a call to action without solving underlying problems or barriers will do little to influence behaviour.  

Since low fertility rates can impact economic growth, this is a legitimate area of concern for Singapore. In a future post, I'll explore what Singapore is doing, what else it should be doing and how it can better communicate its message.

Stay tuned. 

Branding Athletic Apparel: A Series

Sports branding has always fascinated me. Long before I was aware of branding as a phenomenon, I was consumed by it. I cringe when I think back now, but first learning to play golf, I always wore a black Nike hat with a red shirt like Tiger Woods. Even today, a favourite website in my news feed is Uni-Watch, a site devoted to the "Obsessive Study of Athletics Aesthetics."

A brand is much more than the product we wear. While "quality" and "fit" might be how we rationalise our purchases, there are stronger influences at work long before we step-up to the cash register. 

As I've mentioned previously, the purpose of this blog is not simply the study of branding as a series of one-off articles. The aim is to make concrete recommendations. 

Apart from my own experiences, athletic brands make an especially compelling study because there is so much to analyse. Among their many characteristics: 

• The top athletic brands have both transformational and traditional types of leaders 
• They are active in endorsements and cross-promotion
• They are breaking new ground in terms of technology
• Some set style trends - not only on the field or in the arena, but on the street
• They are experts in guerrilla marketing as well as traditional advertising
• They have had failures, as well as success, entering new categories

According to Forbes, the most popular sports apparel brands are Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Under Armour. But only two (Nike and Adidas) cracked Interbrand's list of the Top 100 Global Brands in 2011.

Aside from research to understand the category and its competitors, specific conclusions I intend to explore are: 

• UNDER ARMOUR - Among the top ranked brands, Under Armour is the youngest. Compared to Nike (1972), Adidas (1949) and Reebok (1958), it was founded only in 1996.  The recent five-year agreement to become "technical partner" of EPL club Tottenham Hotspur is its largest team sponsorship to date, and certainly it's most notable outside the United States.  Where is it heading, and what should it be doing? 

• PUMA - Puma is noticeably absent among the top ranked brands. Having transformed itself over the past decade from a cash-strapped alternative brand - even claiming responsibility for the new segment: Sportlifestyle - what can it do continue to stay relevant and, perhaps, one day appear among the world's Top 100 brands?

• LI-NING - Named after one of China's most famous Olympians, the regional brand made an aggressive push in to the United States in 2011 that coincided with steadily declining sales, eventually culminating in the ouster of it's CEO. How can it turn itself around and does it really need to become a global brand to succeed?

Vision & Mission for These Electronic Pages

Though I will, from time to time, comment on news, experiences and personal bias, the purpose of this blog is not simply the study of branding as a series of one-off articles. 

The greatest value will come from the practical application of branding theory with the aim of proposing what specific companies should do to improve their brand strategy. 

Assuming roles of researcher, analyst and consultant, I will decipher the key aspects of brands: 

• What is the source of a company's sustainable competitive advantage?
• Is this the driver of a clear, emotional and compelling vision?
• Are decisions at the top of the organisation made based on “How will this impact the perception of our brand by consumers?” or “How will this impact our value to shareholders?"
• Do people and processes within the organisation bring the promise to life?
• Do products within the brand architecture (from their name to their features) communicate the proposition?
• Is the identity communicated effectively to the intended audience? 
• Is there a gap between perception and reality that influences status among competitors?

Although a compelling proposal is the ultimate destination, important lessons will come from the journey itself. In sharing each step, these pages will paint a picture rather than take one. And I imagine the end-result to be more rewarding.


Among others, some initial themes that will become a common thread include:

• The contest for dominance in athletic apparel 
• The unstable battleground in mobile technology and social media
• The dynamics of branding financial planning in Asia

As theories weave together each post, expect the strategic picture to become more clear as pieces of the puzzle come together.

A Brand Strategist Without Brand Loyalty?

I was asked recently: "What brands are you loyal to?" Truthfully, I'm not really loyal to any particular brands. 

Is this a wrong answer? Does this strike you as odd? 

Consider an analogy: In my training as a financial salesperson, I attended countless seminars on the psychology of selling insurance and investments. When an opportunity arises today to consider a financial product, not only do I know what's coming, I know precisely which features to question and which are truly important. This same works for branding. 

It seems I am no longer easily persuaded by gimmicks, association, imagery or statistics. Having a more critical eye toward branding and marketing, I might not be as vulnerable to the psychological influences of a PR or advertising campaign. But, I must make an important distinction:

Just because I am not loyal to a particular brand, does not mean I am not susceptible to branding. 

I use brands to make decisions daily. The most recent example being my search for a new toothbrush and razor. When presented with mind-numbing variations of toothbrushes and razors - some that vibrate, some with six blades or different types of bristles - deciding that I prefer a simple product hardly narrows my choices. This is where branding has its influence. 

The central purpose of branding is to guide the consumer to choose your product a midst a dizzying array of alternatives. 

In this case, I settled on mid-range products from Oral B and Gillette. But in future, I may very well purchase products from Colgate or Schick. Though I may not be intensely loyal, I do recognise and utilise the influence of brands. 

When broken down in this way, I don't think it was the wrong answer at all.

Olympic Branding Part 1: Failed First Impressions

“If, in the business of communication, image is king, the essence of this image, the logo, is the jewel in its crown.”  - Paul Rand

I am fascinated by the Olympics. There are hardly any sports that don't excite me, but for some reason, I was not optimistic about the London installment. The source of my pessimism started with the logo designed by Wolff Olins.

Branding is about differentiation, and a logo is meant to capture elements that make the subject unique.  

Designers succeeded in differentiating London's logo from others in Olympic history. Immediately recognizable and memorable, it was the first logo to incorporate flourescent pink and purple - a trend carried on to the uniforms of volunteers, venues and flower-beds across the country. 

But it was almost universally hated and I agreed wholeheartedly. 

London's problem was not with it's colors. The failure was in it's design:  

• It had no intuitive meaning. No story. No appropriate one at, least. And certainly none that represented what we know and love about the city of London
• It was simply the numbers "2012" reinterpreted and rearranged. Easily rearranged into another inappropriate logo
• It's shape was fractured, disconnected, incongruent and broken 
• It brought to mind the grafitti of a downtown alley you wouldn't dare walk alone at night
• It invoked the British punk movement, hooliganism, a clash against society - hardly Olympic values 
• It looked like a comic book explosion when rockets on rooftops already had enough spectators worried
• The "zero" was shaped like a stop-sign, and the outline like London's un-grid-like streets. Fitting given how crowds controversialy stayed away from downtown businesses to avoid congestion
• Adding insult to injury, was Wenlock, the official mascot. Two years before Games, there were over 17,000 webpages comparing Wenlock to a giant penis. I can only imagine what that number is today.

Rationalizations from designers were lost in the noise of criticism, and in branding, public perception is all that matters.

Consider it in contrast with the Rio 2016 Logo created by Tatil Design:

• It is harmonious, warm, flowing, and organic. 
• It doesn't require much interpretation to conjure a message of unity. No similar words come to mind when looking at the London logo - just questions. 
• The interlocking figures capture the contagious energy, exuberance and festive atmosphere of the city's Carnival

Most importantly, the Rio logo is human. The Olympics are remembered for it's athletes the triumph of human spirit. 

Not until Barcelona 1992 was a human figure represented in an Olympic logo, and it became recurring theme in Nagano 1998, Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, and Vancouver 2010. 

According to the Olympic Charter: "The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity." The logo successfully marries the spirit of the city with that of the Games. 

Organizers have taken an encouraging first step, but there is far more to the brand than it's aesthetics. 

A logo alone does not make the Games. To further Rand's analogy: The conduct of a King does more for his image than the the jewel that adorns his crown. 

Stay tuned.  

About the Author

I grew up as a "third culture kid" in the Philippines, Bangladesh and Germany. A Canadian, I now live happily in Singapore for a second time. Given my background in investment management, I was recently asked: "You have a Masters in Finance. Why would you throw it away for brand strategy?" The answer: 

My background casts the concrete foundation for branding. 

My passion lies in discovery. 

In academics, I found greater success and ambition in strategic consulting, organisational behaviour and innovation than the finite analysis of financial statements. Throughout my career, I uncovered the synergies between branding and investment management. 

When clients invest, they buy part of a business. Managing a portfolio requires in-depth knowledge of varied industries and economies. Advisors must know:

• Each leading company's brand architecture, consumers and competitors 
• How each brand, its products and services are perceived
• The message being portrayed by marketing, PR and operations
• The big-picture fundamentals of the industry and its future

A brand is the most important asset of any organisation. It impacts how a customer buys a product for their home, a service for their business and an investment for their retirement. 

For years, I've studied brands from the sideline. 

For years to come, I aim to be a part of their success.

A few months ago, a friend suggested I select one of the world's Top 10 most valuable brands. "Tell me what would you do with it," he asked. My proposal lead to an interview with the Director of an acclaimed consultancy who politely conceded, "Without the work you did, I wouldn't be seeing you." 

Such was the impetus for this Blog.

Let these electronic pages be an outlet for the research I already do and enjoy daily - a body of work to refer to when asked: "You have a Masters in Finance, why would you throw it away for brand strategy?"
                                                    
- Marc Bauche