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KEN BANKS’ BLOG DECEMBER 2017

HOLIDAY BRANDING AT ITS BEST!

Merry Christmas!  This time of year used to be a period when it was a time for retailers and products to showcase their creative skills in communicating their brand.  It was the peak selling season and the time when budgets were increased to try to make your message stand out among all of the great advertising of the season.  Once again this year, the airwaves, websites, mail, and newsprint ads simply aren’t that special.  Preprints look remarkably similar to each other.  Catalogues look like the preprints.  Television spots talk more price than spirit and seem to be redundant.  Online messages—ditto.  I have to admit that Target broke through with a creative use of television media this week on The Voice on NBC when they ran short spots with the two voice talents singing a Christmas carol with a Target in the background immediately after the duo sang together on their semifinal appearance show.  Not sure there was much branding, but for those watching the timing couldn’t have been better and the interest was at its peak.

However, there still are some great campaigns running during the holiday.  Unfortunately, many of them aren’t seen here in the US as some great creativity again comes from the UK and Europe.  Here are some examples of brands that reach out and touch their customers with award winning creative and a message that hits the holiday spirit precisely.

John Lewis consistently sets high standards for Christmas creativity that reflects their unique partnership strategy for their stores and online business.  This year they feature Mox the Monster in a fairy-tale-come-true spot that hits home.  The Beatles’ classic tune sets the pace and completes the engaging message.

Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/Jw1Y-zhQURU

ALDI has been a leader in food retailing in Germany for over 40 years and it’s making aggressive inroads in building market share in the US.  The chain has grown to over 1700 stores in 35 states serving over 40 million customers each month in their simple, streamlined stores and product assortments.  Their advertising here reflects that organization but when it comes to branding, the company hasn’t exported its creativity as seen in this spot featuring carrots.  Not your most typical Christmas product (unless you’re Frosty) but the veggie makes sense in these UK spots. Take a look by clicking on this link  https://youtu.be/UJQG2lqm5ek

M&S (Marks & Spencer) was founded in 1884 as a single-stall retailer that has grown internationally as a multi-channel retailer with 914 stores serving 32 million customers in the UK.  It does it successfully by providing a unique British shopping experience and by tying in with a favorite in Britain—Paddington bear. Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/KfaSxIkLslE

McDonalds may not be the first place you think of when it comes to carrots (yes, carrots again for Christmas…maybe a new trend in the UK) but the company has always set the standard for great campaigns here in the states but this year the US has seen nothing but breakfasts and burgers while overseas the company remembers that McDonald’s is the #1 convenient fast food store.

Take a look by clicking on this link  https://youtu.be/XZ2PenyNRjE

Amazon has more presence (presents?) at Christmas than any retail establishment that I can think of.  The smiling boxes are on everyone’s porch daily and the UPS drivers in their golf carts are loaded up in every neighborhood.  Amazon brings those boxes to life this year with singing smiles that drive home the reason why the online company is giving most conventional retailers more competition both with their products and their brand messages.

Take a look at a couple spots by clicking on these links:  https://youtu.be/UUXgMfFfOkY  and https://youtu.be/aYUw95G5lRA

NFL Shops may not be the first place you think of at this time of the year, but their merchandise becomes more relevant as the playoffs near.  Usually, the branding is tied only into the weekly televised games but this year they have a special holiday message that scores a touchdown in my branding offense.

Take a look by clicking on this link https: https://youtu.be/-vZFXI6l52o

Coke is a part of many Christmas celebrations and gatherings and its awareness continues to grow each year.  This year in Europe Coca Cola gives a whole new meaning to sharing the Christmas spirit not only with your neighbors but good old St. Nick as well.

Take a look by clicking on this link https://youtu.be/ZeTAuvu3U08

I hope you took the time to click on and watch these commercials.  Not only is it a great example of holiday branding, but they surely will bring the Christmas spirit to you as well.

la

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A 2-MINUTE DRILL ON BRANDING

I’ve always been a big football fan. In high school, Friday nights were football game nights.  Later, I became an avid Michigan andMichigan State fan (Wayne State was no football power).  I became a Detroit Lions fan early on and can remember listening avidly to their last NFL Championship team in 1957.  Later on, I was a charter season ticket holder for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and went to every game for 13 seasons until I got tired of losing.  Now…not so much.  Like many others around the country I’m not addicted to NFL football or college football anymore.

What has happened to the NFL that makes millions lose interest.  I think it’s a lack of effective branding.  So far this year, television ratings for the NFL broadcasts are down 6.8% from last year, and 2016 was down 8% from the previous year.  Many believe that this year’s sideline protests against our flag and country are the reason, and I agree that it is a contributing factor.  If the media hadn’t been so infatuated with providing more coverage to the kneeling instead of the playing, I suspect it wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but I don’t think it would have helped the ratings or attendance.  The fact is the NFL brand is boring and  (like Major League Baseball and the NBA )the prospects for growth or a return to the glorious days of yesteryear is not likely.

So, what caused the decline in interest?  Let’s start with over-exposure.  As the league added more coverage to collect TV revenue with Thursday night games, Saturday games (near the season’s end), Monday night double headers, Sunday night games and early broadcasts from London, the fans are getting bored.  The increase in free agency and career ending injuries have made the rosters so temporary that the loyalty of the fans to the players has all but disappeared.  Gone are the days of the Steelers who won 4 super bowls with basically the same lineup on the field every year.  Even today’s perennial champs, the New England Patriots, have done so with the only constants at QB and coach.  Fans like to identify the players as people not just numbers or end zone celebrations.  They want winners and they want to know them on a more personal basis.  The dedication to Sunday game watching in the fall has diminished as players move more and touchdowns become less attractive.

And this lack of interest starts early.  If you’ve been to a high school football game recently, you can see that about the only fans are family members and very few students who aren’t on the field.  Away team fans don’t even bother to come unless it’s a state championship (or it’s one of those towns that have nothing but Friday night high school games to catch their interest).  On the other hand, go to one of the soccer complexes on a Friday night and catch one of 6 or 7 games in progress with kids from age 3 to 13 and more than soccer moms in attendance).  On a Saturday, the club soccer teams take over and again loyal fans make treks all over the state or metro area to catch the games.

Football has long benefited from the free coverage in the media and it continues to dominate the sports channel dialogues.  However, the brand is suffering from increased head injuries, protests, contract hold-outs, drug suspensions, and spouse or child abuse by several players.  All of which turn off the once rabid fans who made the NFL a cult brand for many years.  I still watch the home team games on Sunday (or whenever they are on.  However, I (like most former fans) haven’t been to a game at the stadium for several years now.  It’s simply too much hassle for such a time investment (and money too).  The key is for teams to identify more with their communities and to encourage kids to watch more games and play more touch or flag games in the neighborhood.  I’m tired of hearing “It’s just a business”.  It should be more of a sport that identifies with the home team and its loyal fans.  Just like a successful brand, fans (customers) must have a positive relationship with the product or service.  Football needs to recognize this soon.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  It’s a great time to be thankful for many things—including great marketing.  Publix food stores does it again with an award winning spot on the importance of family at this time of year.  Take a look:   https://youtu.be/5ztNg7-fxR4

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BUILDING A GREAT BRAND…BRICK BY BRICK!

I’ve always been a big fan of LEGO’s.  I enjoyed helping my kids put together all kinds of LEGO kits and models.  Then, the grandkids brought even more elaborate and intricate models.  I am fascinated by the LEGO stores that I’ve visited here and abroad, and recently enjoyed visiting LEGOLAND near Orlando.  I particularly was amazed at the creation of major US and Florida cities at the park which were completely made out of millions of LEGO bricks.  So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that when a LEGO sculpture exhibit (The Art of the Brick) came to Tampa, we had to see what sculptor Nathan Sawaya could do to add magic to these simple bricks that have been the same since 1932.

Sawaya’s quotes which were placed throughout the exhibit and on some of the individual sculptures were as interesting as the art themselves.  His description of the exhibit describes his motivation very well: “This exhibition engages the child in all of us while at the same time highlighting sophisticated and complex concepts. Chances are you probably don’t have a slab of marble or a ceramic kiln at home.  But I bet you have some LEGO bricks.  You can say that again, Nathan.  We find one or two quite frequently around our house and enjoy putting them together as much as the kids.  I’ve also been fascinated by the LEGO brand for years and how it manages to endure and thrive from one generation to another.  It has also grown to a $2.1 Billion brand that is now the world’s largest toymaker by revenue.

Founded in Denmark, the word is derived from the Danish words “lego godt” which means play well.  I also can come from the Latin “lego” meaning “I put together” and marketers can certainly recognize that this brand plays well in the competitive retail market place and that they have put together a brand strategy that endures and continues to grow surpassing brands like Mattel as an all year/all ages brand.

The brand has expanded into the retail world with 36 stores in Europe and over 90 in North America.  There also is another in India and Asian expansion will soon follow.  To reach even more potential customers (and creative sculptors) the company has five LEGOLAND amusement parks in its home city of Billund, Denmark, Carlsbad, CA, Winter Haven, FL, Windsor, England, and Gunzburg, Germany, which are operated by Merlin Entertainment.  We found the park to be fascinating and enjoyed staying at the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel which brings the brand alive not only in the rooms but throughout the property.

LEGO has followed the lead of Hallmark of taking its brand to Hollywood and has made the bricks and their interchangeable characters the stars of animated moves that have been very successful and continue to build the brand both among children and adult audiences as well.  Click on these links to view a couple recent LEGO commercials:  LEGO City:  https://youtu.be/G7W1-R8L1to   and Ninjago Movie:  https://youtu.be/A81QT9GlQ54

What has made LEGO such a successful brand is by sticking to its basic founding product and creative premise while constantly updating it to current trends and interests.  Then, reaching out to its customers in new and different ways to add to the experience of the brand and the fun it provides.

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THE BRAND IS…AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION!

I always enjoy attending the National Speakers Association Annual Convention. Not only is it educational and inspiring for those of us who speak professionally, but I’m always impressed at how the principles of talking to an audience is in total sync with branding to customers. The importance of a relevant message, well-prepared, and on-target is critical in an effective, creative presentation. The same holds true with branding a product or service to the right target customer.

One of the critical steps is to make sure that you create an emotional connection with your audience/customer. I always make the point in my branding presentations that unless you have a relationship with your customer, you have no brand. Seems simple and yet it’s so often overlooked as marketers seek to gain or create market share. Walking through some of the few remaining shopping malls verifies this premise as one can pass by store after store without having any emotional feelings (or awareness for that matter) for the store and the products it sells. Many chains believe that all is necessary is to have a prime physical location, a robust website, a mobile app, and product to sell in order to capture market share. That’s why so many of the chain stores in the country are downsizing or disappearing all together. They failed to realize that they have to communicate effectively with their customers in a language that builds a relationship that endures. Bill Bernbach, the advertising agency legend, identified this when he said that “If you stand for something, you’ll find some people for you and some people against you. If you stand for nothing, you’ll have nobody for you or against you.” It’s critical to establish who you are (the truth of the brand) and why your brand will enhance a customer’s life or well-being (the heart of the brand).

As I look at chains like Sears, Circuit City/HH Gregg, Rite Aid, Kmart, Limited, Rue 21 and many others who will soon be forgotten completely, it becomes more apparent that what these brands lack is simply being a brand—they never cultivated a relationship that resonated with their customers. Dr. Leonard Berry of Texas A&M pointed out that you should ask the question “If my brand were to disappear tomorrow, would anyone notice?” If the answer is “probably not”, it’s likely that there never was an emotional connection with the customer in the marketing communications, the experience, the service.

That’s why it’s so critical to constantly reach out to the market and gauge the way customers (potential and existing) feel about you and adjust your messages accordingly to insure they will indeed miss you if you leave. Examples of brands that have always done well in communicating the TRUTH and the HEART of their brands are:
Budweiser—while being challenged by the craft brew craze, Bud keeps communicating in a way that pulls at the heartstrings or the funny bones while still emphasizing its King of Beers positioning. Check out their latest epic spot by clicking on https://youtu.be/huQrvmrJbXk for the best Independence Day message this year.

Hallmark is in the emotional connection business. So, it’s not surprising that the company also has a reputation for marketing that connects as well. Through its Hall of Fame movies, the Hallmark Channel and other specials, the company lives up to it “when you care enough to give the very best”. Check out one of their best spots by clicking on: https://youtu.be/7-eYeiQn5YU.

Subaru has differentiated itself from the other car companies recently with its love campaign. While most other carmakers are shouting about factory rebates, dealer incentives, and “name the brand”-a-thons, Subaru has identified the important events of our lives and how our car is a part of them. Love the family, love the car. Check it out at: https://youtu.be/b_O4CeZ7cmU

Publix is not just a grocery store. To most families in Florida and now the Southeast states, Publix is part of our lives. Where shopping is a pleasure is not just a slogan with a company that goes out of its way to give excellent customer service, clean, organized stores, and messages that hit straight to the heart (while still promoting good prices to compete with Walmart). Here’s one of their best: https://youtu.be/12bw00SoHOE

University of Phoenix has grown to one of the largest educational institutions in the country by not only giving access nationwide to its online programs and courses but also by understanding that many people in the workforce would like to improve their current status in life by gaining more education and a specialty. The marketing doesn’t just state that they have classes and graduates, rather it inspires its prospective students to use their brain and make life more meaningful in the process. The result is stimulating their brain by communicating with their heart.
Click on this link to view one of their messages:https://youtu.be/UabtBNRAc14 

These are just a few of the companies that know that it’s the emotional connection that strengthens their brand position by really “standing for something”.

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As I discovered more than once, breaking away from the corporate world and going independent can be exhilarating and exciting—as well as risky. In branding, it often makes sense to split off a successful (or struggling) brand to breathe new life into the marketing and create that same exhilaration within the organization to sustain growth in market share. Standing at the battlefields of Culloden in the Scottish Highlands recently, it was interesting to learn more about the drive for independence by the Scottish clans in the 18th Century and which is now being revived in the UK.

Sometimes, a brand gets caught up in the internal competitiveness of a major CPG corporation and even though it’s successful, the time comes for a change of venue and management. My first marketing position was in brand management with P&G where I worked on the Folger’s coffee brand. Folger’s had the #1 share in all its markets at that time and I worked on some fo the plans to take the brand national within the next 5 years. The growth continued and Folger’s became the top grocery brand and sustained its growth even as new concepts like Starbucks or aggressive brands like Dunkin’ started to capture more of the coffee drinking market share. Eventually, as they have done many times, P&G spun off its coffee business (this time to Smuckers) and it continues to grow and maintain its position as one of the top promotional, traffic-building brands in the country. With all the change, however, Folger’s marketing has maintained its consistent, quality messages built on flavor and aroma (from those “mountain grown” beans) and is still one of the top brands in any category today. Its marketing has been refreshed many times, but it has stayed true to its loyal customer base by making it “the best part of waking up” again and again.

Red Lobster is another brand that was actually the original brand for Darden Restaurants back in the late ‘60’s. Red Lobster was the original chain of moderate seafood restaurants and continues to grow with marketing featuring product shots that still whet my appetite whenever a TV spot airs. As the company grew with other brands like Olive Garden, Seasons 52, Longhorn Steaks, and Capital Grille. Darden decided that Red Lobster whose growth had stagnated would be spun off and eventually bought out by Golden Gate Capital. Now the brand has been refreshed with new management, a new store prototype modeled after New England fishing towns, updated menus, and a consistent marketing campaign that still features the food, yes the food, presented in mouth-watering spots and messages that have revitalized the chain and the brand.

There are many other similar examples and it isn’t always necessary to break away from the parent company to revitalize a brand. Nor is it a good reason to simply fire your ad agency and hire a new one just for a different point of view. However, it does makes sense to encourage new, independent thinking that will question the past while bringing some perspective to what customer thinks about your brand and your competition.

While, we may not have to roll over the market like Mel Gibson in “Brave Heart”, an independent viewpoint can often bring more market share and excitement to your brand.