Have We Over-branded Branding?

Daniel Wade

Whether we admit it or not, we’re attracted to good branding. Done well, it can set you apart in an increasingly competitive market and set the stage for life-long, loyal customers. But have we over-branded branding?

I spent a month in Texas recently and had to look no further than Shell, Dairy Queen and Whataburger for some great examples down there. Buc-ee’s, in particular, is a new phenomena for me – a monstrosity of a gas station/convenience store whose reputation for clean restrooms on the highway seems to command a following behind their brand promises of “clean, friendly and in stock" and a smiling beaver plastered across everything you could think of.

Heard of Dollar Shave Club? The founders said if Netflix could do movies, why can’t we do subscription-based razors? (I’m sure their business plan was more complex than this.) One well-done video gone viral, an endorsement from renowned marketer Seth Godin and – one website crash later – you’ve got a successful company with a snarky brand that screams anti-corporation and majorly identifies with 18-24 year olds. The best part? It’s making traditional razor-maker Gillette shiver in its boots.

Photo Courtesy to Flickr User jrtce1

Pick the first example of good branding that comes to mind. What resonates with you? More importantly, why do you feel the way you do about this established brand? There’s a balance that exists between these giants of great branding and the loyal customers we all desire. Award-winning logos and sleek collateral packages don’t ensure follow-through on the “brand promise” and don’t always keep the customers coming back for decades. While tempting to only focus on the visual branding elements, here are some quick reminders for businesses to ensure this isn’t the only focus

• Make your walk match your talk. You and your employees serve as ambassadors for your business and industry, whether you like it or not. If a customer’s experience doesn’t match what they were sold in your branding, word travels fast.
• Elevate customer service. According to Peter Shankman,“To be thought of as ‘good,’ we just need to treat our customers one level above the normal expectation of crap. That's it. Anything we do that goes above and beyond ‘one level above crap,’ is so rare, and so unexpected, that if you do that, you can rule the world.”
• Reach target audiences in areas that impact them. Be genuine, be credible and be relevant in all areas. Find where your audience sees the most value and pursue it.

Public relations is like the elevator button. When you want to go upstairs, you go to the elevator and push the button, and when it dings, you turn and walk in it. Very Pavlov. Through a myriad of branding efforts, businesses strive to get the point where their name is top-of-mind. When the phrase, “I need to _____, so I’d better call ________,” arises, public relations works to accomplish this. Try not following through on your brand promise and you’ll see the other side of public relations working against you.