Beyond Branding: Advertising and Promotion

We have in the past touched on the essentials of a brand, how brands are stored in the mind by way of impressions and how to build a remarkable brand. 

 

 

The book Tips and Traps for Marketing Your Business is a great way to advance the marketing process that revolves around the brand, and this is done by building awareness.

There are four ways to do this:

The first and most effective way to achieve this is through advertising and promotion. Advertising can best be seen as mediated persuasion. And since persuasion has always been done by salesmen, then advertising is akin to mass production of salesmen.

A second way is use of traditional media. Yes, television, newspapers, radio and television still have a role to play even in a connected, digital world. They are mass media but the trick to effectively use traditional media is by not advertising to everyone. Instead, it is advisable to identify a target audience and focus on it.

The third tool to build your business is publicity. This is the often misunderstood world of public relations. Worth noting, however, is these four misconceptions:

• public relations is not free
• public relations is not just press releases and news stories
• public relations is not always externally focused
• public relations is not one-way communication.
  

The purpose of public relations is to ensure that a company or business has a positive image with the audiences that are important to its success.

Finally, interactive marketing. This is where the Internet plays a pivotal role in real time, boundless interactions between brands, organizations and both prospective and existing customers. The web has the effect of leveling the playground thanks to its ubiquitous reach and easy access to almost every one.

Key tools in Internet marketing comprise web sites, Email, social media networks, over the top platforms such as online chats and bots. It also includes online forums, content creation and video sharing platforms and more online destinations where Internet users congregate based on specific interests.

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A business that is driven by passion can easily become your life. Overwhelmed by fears, as Mariah Carey sings, the owner can be tempted to hold it under grass... But a business thrives and evolves when that idea which adds value and helps customers solve problems or get to where they aspire to be, is let out to the world. And the real beauty is in watching it rise. Like a butterfly.

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You are Unique. Like Every Person Else

Today's #MarketingMonday shines the light on a key person in advertising - the prospect who is defined as "a person regarded as likely to become a potential customer or client."

 

 

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Over a decade ago, I recall listening to this episode of 'The Age of Persuasion' podcast. This particular episode is on marketing to the masses. Consider this:

"When you speak to thousands, or millions, you surrender the persuasive power of one-on-one intimacy."

Since advertising is mediated persuasion, your marketing message is best served reaching as many a population as possible. But for it to be effective, it should be aimed at one person at a time. Smart advertising doesn't speak to the entire market. It speaks to just one person.

So who is this one person?

This one person is the prospect. And just as you can lead a friend to go the right way in conversation, you fashion your message the same way in advertising.

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The Mass Audience is a myth. And since society emphasizes the individual over the group, we tend to believe that we are very different. But from an advertiser's point of view, these individuals are essentially the same. Quite ironic.

One more thing: Advertisers speak to what an individual believes, and then they expand it to the masses.

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We are quite different and no two persons, even identical twins are exactly the same in the way we behave or respond to things. So yes, you are different. Just like everyone else!

Branding, Impressions and the Elements of an Advert

Today's post is essentially an index of sorts. 

It is however, not without substance since it points us two core ingredients of marketing: branding and advertising.

On Branding, it is worth noting that branding isn't about facts, it is about emotions. You store brands in your mind, not as chunks of information but by way of impressions.

The Age of Persuasion podcast has valuable insights on the 6 remarkable brands and more remarkable brands episodes.

Besides branding, advertising is mediated persuasion and it is one of the most visible and glamorized aspects of marketing.

The are several elements of an ad. These are:

• interactions of words and visuals
• attention-getting devices
• humor
• testimonials
• music (with a focus on the jingle)
• presenters
• characters
• drama
• comparison
  

You can find details of the above elements in 'Advertising and the Mind of the Consumer' book which is available on Amazon.

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The tenets of marketing and marketing have stayed true even with the passage of time and significant changes in ad delivery mediums. The times they are a changin', but it is important to keep customers satisfied.