Re: Branding

From: John Gaskill <jg_at_info-central-usa.com>
Date: Wed 17 Apr 2002 07:22:16 -0600

Peter Hupalo wrote:

>If advertising can serve brand maintenance, why can't it serve brand
>formation? Was advertising ever measurable? Direct response is, but the
>average radio ad or TV commercial? Or a display Ad?

Branding is an option when introducing a new product or service.
It is an expensive option if image advertising is the only tool to be
employed, and may not accomplish the goal of selling the product
or service. A perfect example is the Infiniti automobile introduced
by Nissan Corp. many years back. Introduced at about the same
time as the Lexus, the Infiniti relied on Zen existentialist images
to define the brand. Lexus relied on feature selling dosed with a
united image (the same announcer on radio and TV ads), and the
same voice in print advertising. Lexus won the brand battle
because its advertising converted luxury car users to Lexus owners.

All advertising can be measured if you are careful about defining
advertising's goals, and meticulous about controlling the tests.
You must be willing to invest the money to learn what is happening
whether you buy print, radio, web or TV advertising... yes, even
classified advertising effects can be measured. Keeping track of
traffic volumes before and after are required, ditto for sales.

>Sure maybe advertising is becoming more artistic. But, it's purpose is
>still to sell. When a company hires a moderate big name director to
>create a commercial, in addition to getting the commercial, there is
>often a PR play on the director's new association with the company. The
>positive association to a popular name is all part of the goal.

Big name directors do not sell more shampoo or automobiles.
What sells is an appeal to people's interests that connects.

If James Cameron directed a 7-Up spot along the current
"Make 7-Up Yours" theme with Orlando Jones and a script
not especially designed for James Cameron, 990 out of 1,000
spot viewers would not notice a difference in how the spot
was directed. Outside the ad biz, you would find that few
people even pay attention to this stuff. While AdAge may
write up a planned spot for 7-Up, my guess is that the New
York Times probably would not.

Branding has value in a total approach, not only for purposes
of "image."

My $ 0.02

John Gaskill
jg_at_Info-Central-USA.com
http://Info-Central-USA.com





Received on Wed Apr 17 2002 - 08:22:16 CDT