Engage or die.
It was a much-used refrain accompanying the rise of social media.
Nearly two decades later, the precipitous decline in organic reach for brands, and challenges around false measurement and fake followers, make this appear just another example of marketing hype.
Yet ironically, engage or die is even more relevant advice today.
Read MoreBack in my days as a young, thrusting marketer, brand equity was all the rage.
It seemed only a matter of time that the value of the brand would be put on a company’s balance sheet. Once and for all, everyone in the business would recognize just how important branding is.
Thirty years later this still hasn’t happened.
Read MoreTrust. It’s the bedrock on which brands are built.
We assume a brand earns our trust over time by demonstrating it can deliver its promises.
However, a brand has first to pass our snap judgement of whether it’s friend or foe. And this has little to do with the core benefits on offer.
Read MoreA brand needs to own one thing.
It’s advice I’ve heard throughout my career.
But in customer research, I’ve yet to find a brand that’s only associated with one concept…
Read MoreCustomer loyalty is overrated, brands should focus more on acquiring customers. It’s a fashionable refrain in recent years.
So I was struck by Jeff Bezos recent revelation that Amazon Prime now has more than 100 million members globally.
Read MoreStorytelling has become a core skill that brands have to master. And for good reason.
A strong brand story can engage people, be memorable, and help them believe in what the brand stands for.
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