Only the Fools Brand Lightly

Some people believe I am anti-advertising. I'm not. I just am often skeptical about the effectiveness of the executions. I understand that people need to know about products, services, etc. before they can buy them, and that there are plenty of ways advertising can help to build that awareness. However, we should call advertising what it is and not confuse it for "branding." That would a colossal mistake that could actually harm more brands than it helps.

A brand is a promise.

A promise implies both a promise maker and a promise keeper, which is often -- but not always -- the same entity. However, the person to whom the promise is made reasonably assumes that they are the same entity, or else the promise maker would have no standing to make the promise in the first place.

As such, the wise make promises only if the following conditions are met:

• They are capable of keeping the promise.
• They intend to keep the promise.
• Circumstances make keeping the promise highly probable.

In addition, the wise realize that a promise has implications beyond the promise itself.

• Always low prices does not mean it falls apart the moment you get it home.
• America's best warranty does not mean your car is always in the shop getting warranty repairs.
• We try harder does not mean we are always second-best.

A promise sets an expectation.

The unwise make promises hastily. They concern themselves with convincing -- by making the promises -- but they reject all responsibility for fulfilling the promise. That's the domain, they say, of operations or customer service. This lack of ownership and accountability is why most advertising fails.

To compensate, these companies sometimes resort to withholding any explicit promises that stand on their own legs. Instead they make fun of the competitors. (Think cable vs. satellite).

This is a shrewd way of making a promise without actually making one. The problem is that it sets an expectation either way, and failing to meet that expectation causes just as much harm as had the company made an explicit promise.

Expectations can be either met or unmet.

There are actually three relevant outcomes once an expectation has been set.

• The company does not meet the expectation. The brand reputation is damaged by this outcome.
• The company meets the expectation. The brand reputation is helped by this outcome, but unless the promise was so extraordinary that people want to talk about it, it is unlikely to generate a lot of word-of-mouth. There are certain things -- like good customer service -- that never get old, so much of your efforts should be concentrated here.
• The company exceeds the expectation. This is difficult to sustain because as you exceed expectation, people come to expect more, but is not impossible on a brand-by-brand basis, since so few brands actually make the attempt. Disney is a good example of this.

Sometimes, though, companies don't even get to set the expectation. This is especially true if they are an online retailer. Even if they are part of some obscure niche, Amazon sets the expectation for response times and, in many cases, fulfillment.

Nobody said life was fair. But that's the reality.

Advertising is not evil.

Maybe you do have access to one of the greatest tools around for your particular audience, and by right you not only can inform people of this tool, but if the tool makes life better, cheaper, more efficient, etc., you have a responsibility to let people know about it.

But don't confuse what you're doing with "branding." Advertising is one tactic of many you can use that can help build awareness and interest. If your company is not equipped to deliver on the promises that are explicitly or implicitly made by the advertising, fix the processes, change the advertising, or both. - Cam Beck

Comments

[Mike Wagner]

Cam, could you hear me yelling "amen" all the from here in Des Moines?

Here is statement you made worth lingering over - "lack of ownership and accountability is why most advertising fails."

My day to day work is on the fulfillment side of brand promises. And it is hard work.

Making the right brand promise is not easy and requires a great deal of wisdom and strategic insight.

Keeping the brand promises after they've been made calls for leadership, accountability and ownership; just as you say.

Would love to keep this conversation alive and talk more about branding, advertising and the like.

Keep creating...a reality that matches the promise,

Mike

[Jim Stroup]

Outstanding! Right through all the confusion to the kernel of insight inside. ("Insight inside" - how's that?).

I learned a lot from this incisive look at the difference between branding and promotion. The discussion of expectations - whether set deliberately or inadvertently - is excellent. I especially like the description of how disparaging your competitors can cause your audience to infer that promises are being made by you.

Thanks, Cam!

[Cam Beck]

Mike - That was YOU? ;)

I have a lot of respect for people in charge of fulfillment. If something I do affects someone later in the process, I look at them as customers and try to get them involved as early as possible to ensure what I deliver meets their needs.

To your comment, absolutely. Let's keep the dialog going.

Jim - You have an uncanny knack for summarizing in one paragraph what it took me 10 to say. It's a very admirable quality! :)

[Mike Wagner]

Cam, my original interest in branding came as I worked with graphic artist, marketers and web designers.

These professionals would share with me their frustration of not knowing exactly what their client's brand promised. Therefore they felt they were always guessing in their work.

There were of course clients who had clarity about what their brand promised and what expectations they were seeking to communicate and fulfill on.

These were the "fun" clients as my friends and colleagues referred to them.

That's, in part, why I liked this post so much.

Connecting the marketing/sales "dot" with the operational performance and fulfillment "dot" IS the point.

All marketers don't have to be liars!

The last sentence of this post nails it: "If your company is not equipped to deliver on the promises that are explicitly or implicitly made by the advertising, fix the processes, change the advertising, or both."

Keep creating,
Mike