Digital Media Technologies Have

8/8/2019 Digital Media Technologies Have

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07

Speak Openly in Your Relationship The relatively new ability of consumers to communicate freely with interesteddigital parties means that demands and complaints can spread as quickly

as good brand experiences. When a young Norwegian recently establisheda group on Facebook to demand that Coca-Cola’s soft drink Urge be madeavailable in 1 ½ -liter bottles, the support it received and the media coverage itattracted made the brand introduce the product on the market.

Or when a gamer found a glitch in Electronic Arts Tiger Woods golf game thatallowed the digital Tiger to walk on and hit balls from water hazards, this “glitch”was shown on YouTube and picked up in blogs. But it did not force the gamingcompany to x the product; instead they produced an advertisement with thereal Tiger Woods walking onto a pond and knocking his ball resting on a lily padinto the hole. This was an inspired response.

It gives much food for thought that the brands with the best direct contact totheir customers often have quite low advertising budgets. Apple, Virgin andConverse are a few examples that spring to mind. This does not mean thatthey do not invest resources in their behavior; instead they use their energies inalternative ways. The three companies have control over their entire value chainto such a degree that consumers have their perception of the brands conrmedwherever they encounter them. At the same time, these brands are felt to havea presence in the world in almost the same way as their customers. You sensethat they are enthusiastic about what they do.

Critical consumers have found it easier as a community to challenge thepromises made in advertisements. For example, potential buyers now regularlycheck consumer reports prior to purchasing a new DVD player. In their capacityas “day-to-day experts,” consumer testimony can prove to have as muchinuence as any ofcial expert in the eld.

The ability to communicatefreely with digital parties means that demands and compaintscan spread as quickly as good brand experiences.

Brand Personality The Yellow Paper Series



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The brand is without a doubt best served by being precisely what it purportsto be, so that it can live up to reality checks. If the brand delivers the goodsand is also open to dialogue, there are no grounds for complaint about unmetpromises or false expectations. The more human and understandable a brand’sbehavior is, the greater the degree of latitude and forgiveness it will meet in themarket.

Customers who complain are the most concerning and at the same timethe most interesting group of consumers. They respond actively to the badexperience, instead of calmly opting for the easy solution and discreetlyswitching to another supplier. These are your most important customersbecause the conict seldom remains within the four walls of the company whena customer can easily log onto the Internet and spread the angry message. Bycomplaining they demonstrate an active involvement in your brand, positioningthem as potential brand advocates. They can be an important inuence on thebrand, if at an early stage you can engage their enthusiasm to help solve theproblem.

Unfortunately, this fact is not reected in the brand behavior of most companies.Often there is a great focus on being efcient at attracting customers using everymeans possible, but hardly ever is there someone at the door trying to retaincustomers when they leave.

I worked for many years with a leading telecom company where weimplemented a determined “win back strategy” aimed at the customers we hadlost within the last two years. Thirty percent of these customers came back tous, simply because we showed an interest in them and discussed their needswith them. This is a bigger success rate than I have ever heard a sales campaignachieve. There is much to be won by having a coordinated customer front.

Customers who complain

are the most concerning and at the same time themost interesting group ofconsumers.




09

Are You Attractive? The brand’s personality must resonateintuitively in all who are involvedwith the brand or are in contact withthe company and the products.

Therefore, it is essential to build on thevalues and competencies that alreadyexist in your company.

Today Volvo can brand itself basedon a responsible attitude under thecatch phrase “Volvo for life,” becausefor decades the company has been

renowned for making the safestcars. This shifts the focus from acompany that is out to make moneyto a car manufacturer aware of itsresponsibilities and that addresses theconsumer’s need to protect his family.

In other words, Volvo has anauthentic justication for prolingitself as a company that acceptsthe responsibility of protecting itscustomers and that considers itscommitment to safety to be anextremely motivating position. Insubsequent campaigns the companyhas shifted the focus slightly moretowards quality of life and lifetimevalues. This elicits sympathy and herethe brand and the customers share acommon perception and ambition.

With its consistent focus onresponsibility and humanism, Volvoachieves a brand personality thatmany informed people consider morerelevant and valuable than BMW,despite their differences. Anotherexample of a car brand that enjoys aunique position is Volkswagen. For 60years Volkswagen has successfullykept faith with its humble “for thepeople” origins so that today, despite

its move into the luxury car category,you can still call Volkswagen a carbrand with democratic values.

Both Volvo and Volkswagen brandsmanufacture luxury cars not unlikeBMW. However the down-to-earthvalues and respectful behavior thatboth brands maintain tell a verypersonal story that invites a deeperrelationship.

A megatrend in society is thatconsumers generally expectcompanies to become more involvedand accept greater responsibility forthemselves, their products/services,

their customers and their environment. As a result, Corporate SocialResponsibility (CSR) has becomeincreasingly important and activity inthis area will continue to grow goingforward.

In the past, social and environmentalconcerns were largely addressedby sponsorships, but the demandfor authenticity will see companiesbecoming more wholeheartedlycommitted to additional activitiesand playing a more active role. Socialresponsibility makes good sense – inthe same way that it made sensefor Dove to redene beauty and givewomen more self-condence.




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You Cannot Fake Authenticity

We are fantastic, our customers arefantastic, and together we make eachother better. We support each otherand are unfailingly loyal. We listen, weare interested, and we are open tochange. We are equals.

This could be the recipe for an idealrelationship between brand andconsumer. It sounds so easy – andit would be if there were no humans

involved.

However, to ensure the desired marketperception and reaction to your brand,it is absolutely essential that the brandprole and the values are reectedwithin the organization. Of course, youcannot fully guard against a consumerbacklash toward your brand, but youcan react appropriately when you ndyourselves on the wrong side of theconsumer agenda.

This type of issue management

requires that even the producer of high quality products be prepared fora consumer backlash generated froma poor quality product in the samegenre. There is a good probability thateven the producer that excels will nditself involved in the general debatethat follows. It can equally well be acountry manager, a head of section orthe CEO who must answer the criticalquestions posed by the media and the

consumers.

And often they will be expected toanswer here and now, not in a coupleof days after they have discussedthe phenomenon internally. At thatmoment, it is essential that the brand’sattitude and platform be part of thecorporate personality, ingrained in allstaff, so that no one is in any doubtwhat the company’s reaction shall andmust be. Your staff must be the brand.

We are fantastic, ourcustomers are fantastic,and together we makeeach other better.




Let’s Be RealConsumers have a greater inuence on branding and commercial success thanever before. New digital technology and social networks enable consumersall over the world to endlessly exchange information, advice, comments andcriticism of your brand and company. Consumers now dene the brand andhave increasing control. You have no choice but to adjust to the new rules of the digital marketplace and the ever growing sophistication and engagement of

your customers.

This level of consumer control increases the need for a strategic brandpersonality that is strong, well founded and sufciently engaging to inspire yourcustomers to be brand advocates. The company itself must also align with thebrand personality and play an important role in developing a value-enhancingand mutually benecial dialogue with inuential consumers.

In the end, consumers add real value to companies. They are people withfeelings and attitudes and they expect their brands to know what they are andreect them. Direct communication between brands and their consumers hasnever been more active and our behavior has never had greater visibility orconsequences. You must now ask yourself if you are among those who viewthis consumer involvement as a threat because it is difcult to control, or thosewho see it as an extraordinary opportunity waiting to be captured?

Brand Personality The Yellow Paper Series 10

Direct communication betweenbrands and their consumers hasnever been more active and ourbehavior has never had greater visibility or consequences.



DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc (www.ddb.com ) is oneof the world’s largest and most inuential advertising and marketingservices network. With more than 200 ofces in over 90 countries,DDB provides creative business solutions by its proprietary philosophyand process built upon the goal of inuence. DDB and its marketingpartners create and deliver unique, enduring, and powerful brandexperiences for competitive advantage.

DDB is excited by ideas. We invite you to visit our website to share yours andkeep abreast of ours. We believe that creativity is the most powerful force inbusiness and that ideas get sharper with more minds rubbing against them.

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Digital Media Technologies Have