Re: Branding - I"m right!!!

From: Tim Lee <TLee_at_webcmo.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 07:45:57 -0500 (CDT)

I am afraid I cannot agree with some points in Michael
Fischler's article.

First off, P&G is not a proper example to illustrate the
online branding issue. The reasons are: 1) P&G is a well
established brand; 2) most P&G consumers are still offline;
3) P&G's products are not best for online slaes. Even so, we
still see P&G is very interested in online branding.

Secondly, Mike has confused online business branding with
product branding. Yes, it is true that people like to buy
name brands online. But why people buy these brands from
your online store instead of from others? In an analogy with
offline store, the question is: why do people drive their
cars to your parking lot? In marketing, this is a store
choice issue. Does a store need to brand itself?

Even if such online stores (that sell name brands) don't
need to brand online (please pay attention to the words:
even if), how about many guys on this great list who could
not connect their services or products with any known
brands? If Michael's statement is true, do we have to go
offline to brand while most of our potential clients are
online?

We should remember: brand awareness is not branding and
banner advertising is only one of many possible channels to
convey branding information online.

Ironically, there is another kind of opinion online. This
opinion claims: the Internet is a media for branding and
direct marketing. And if we don't think so we will soon be
out of this online business game.

I would like to point out: the Internet can help brand a
business and can conduct direct sales. However, we shall not
see it as a branding and direct marketing media. For
example, for both Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com, who
should see the Internet as a branding and direct marketing
media? None of them! The Internet marketing is their whole
lives.

Internet is not a media for direct marketing. Internet
marketing is more than direct marketing. It will replace
direct marketing.

Internet is not a media for branding (although it CAN be use
for branding.) It is the place we are surviving. It is the
place WE BRAND FOR!!!

Best,

Tim Lee
Editor -- Journal of Web Marketing Research
http://www.WebCMO.com
A site dedicated to web marketing research


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Received on Mon Apr 12 1999 - 08:46:38 CDT