Brand managers seek the magical marketing plan that will connect you to your audience and make your product an irreplaceable part of their lives.
However, if you aren’t clear about who you are, no one will be interested. It’s crucial that you understand your brand’s identity and voice, along with how you should start customer relationships.
Here are 12 basic identities a brand can assume:
1. The magician makes dreams come true.
All about vision, magician brands don’t offer a better toothbrush or help you keep your house clean. instead, they bring your wildest dreams to life. What they offer is a grand experience no one else could achieve.
Disney is fundamentally a media company, but it offers consumers a transformative experience. Disney is in its own category because of the grandness of its vision.
2. The sage seeks the truth.
To a sage, wisdom is the key to success. Everything is secondary to the pursuit of knowledge. A sage brand might not feel warm and cuddly, but it commands your respect through brilliance.
Harvard University is one of the most revered universities in the world. Boasting an alumni list that includes eight U.S. presidents and 21 Nobel laureates, Harvard’s brand seeks to be the smartest.
3. The innocent wants to be happy.
Everyone is free, virtuous and happy in an innocent’s paradise. This brand doesn’t guilt you with an ad or go to great lengths convince you to purchase. Instead, an innocent brand will charm you with nostalgia.
Orville Redenbacher fits this brand archetype. The popcorn company’s mascot is a grandpa who hasn’t stopped having fun since bowties were high fashion.
4. The outlaw wants a revolution.
The outlaw isn’t afraid. These brand types control their messages without regard for the status quo.
Building a cult following like Apple is the ultimate goal of an outlaw brand. Apple’s ads don’t tell you to stand in a crowd or go to a concert. It tells you to be yourself, to dance whenever you like and to do it with its products.
5. The jester lives in the moment.
Jesters love to have fun, and seek to make your day better. Humor, silliness and even nonsense are all in a jester’s toolkit.
Old Spice is a jester archetype. Some male consumers react well to hyper-masculine branding, while others don’t. By making a joke out of manly brands, Old Spice appeals to both sides.
6. The lover wants to claim you.
Passion, pleasure and sensuality are the lover’s keywords. This brand type wants you to associate it with life’s important moments. Products and services you buy to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries are often from a lover brand.
Godiva’s ads don’t cause you to think about your health, finances or future. Instead, Godiva seduces you. It invites you to take part in one of life’s greatest indulgences: chocolate.
7. The explorer craves freedom.
Other brands help consumers build homes, but explorer brands help you explore the world. Many outdoor brands are natural fits for this archetype.
Subaru doesn’t sell cars based on luxury or comfort. Instead, it stresses the freedom a Subaru provides.
8. The ruler seeks power.
Luxury and exclusivity are a ruler’s aims. A customer who buys from this brand type belongs to an elite group. Being perceived as high-quality and expensive, such as with jewelry and high-end vehicles, is crucial for a ruler brand.
You don’t buy a Mercedes Benz because of its crash test rating, heated seats or gas mileage. Instead, the status of consumers who purchase Mercedes Benz is proclaimed every time they park their cars.
9. The caregiver nurtures.
These benevolent brand types want to be there for you and the people you love. The opposite of controversial, consumers can depend on them.
Johnson & Johnson’s tagline line is “a family company.” The brand focuses on how its products take care of your children and helps families.
10. The hero proves itself.
The hero makes the world better by being the best. This brand won’t nurture, but it will challenge you. If you want to rise to the occasion, you’re going to need a hero’s help.
The U.S. Army’s recruitment commercials feature troops jumping out of helicopters, running through training courses and protecting the country. They’re designed to compel you to “answer the call.”
11. The “every guy/girl” wants to belong.
There’s no glitz or glamour—just a reliable product that gets the job done. This brand type appeals to everyone, but it’s the hardest archetype to pull off.
Folgers doesn’t market to a hip crowd or brag about its high quality, all-organic coffee. Instead, its catchphrase is simple: “The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.”
12. The creator craves perfection.
A creator isn’t worried about the cost of production or making things at scale. They care about one thing: building the perfect product.
Lego can recreate, in stunning detail, the most famous sights of the world. It doesn’t build new sites, or create technology that put the sites in your home. Rather, it takes simplicity—blocks—and pushes it to perfection.
Most communicators assume their brands they are the “every guy/girl” type, but most aren’t. To find your archetype, ask yourself what makes your brand special and how your customers best connect with your products.
Deb Gabor is the founder of Sol Marketing and author of “Branding is Sex: Get Your Customers Laid and Sell the Hell Out of Anything.” Connect with her on Twitter: @deb_sol.
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