The Marketing Is Us Blog

A Marketing Relocation

Our Blog has a new home! Please come and visit us at http://www.marketingisus.com.au/blog/

We look forward to seeing you there!

Static Sales versus No Marketing

We've  blogged previously about Tourism Queensland's award winning 'Best Job in the World' promotion:

'Great Job|Great Publicity'  'More on Tourism Queensland Win'

Recent media reports have commented that despite its long list of  awards, the campaign hasn't increased traffic numbers.

This is shortsighted. The environment in which businesses (including tourism) operate is impacted by many factors.  The Global Financial Crisis, cited as the worst economic downturn for a century and from which we are only just emerging, has been of particular influence to potential visitors.

The effect of marketing is cumulative. It is not a tap to  turn on and off. The best marketing results are gained when companies commit to a focussed, long term consistent effort. Switching off marketing activity - particularly in tough times - gives competitors still marketing an edge; and means substantial future investment in catch up to reestablish the brand, awareness and win back customers  lost from ceasing communication with them.

The marketing investment such as TQ's campaign will bring returns in the longer term. The campaign now enters a new phase to capitalise upon the massive publicity  and convert interest to sales. It is the long term, consistent effort which will reap rewards.

Rather than only assessing sales (via traffic numbers), the question should also be - what would have happened if no campaign had run? What would the traffic figures been like then?

 

 

Going Going Green!

Two of my favourite business magazines recently devoted their entire issues to sustainability. Increasingly companies are seizing the issue to to garner a competitive edge with consumers.

Whilst marketing might communicate being green as  a brand attribute (not core benefit); it struck me (probably idealistically) how wonderful  will be the time when green is the organisational norm - and not a unique selling point or source of competitive advantage. There would be no differentiation -  all companies would be  green.

Until that day - customers' support of green companies and brands will continue to encourage business adoption of policies.  However marketing has an important role in communicating how to support our fragile eco system. Indeed, in understanding which companies are green a recent study showed that 50% of people could name an organisation with green credibility (1). Another study showed that although Australian SME's were willing, two thirds were unsure how to action climate change policies. (BRW, October 22, 2009).

For businesses - how to get started?

• Reduce your organisation's energy use .. buying the energy your business uses from renewable sources
• Add a carbon offsetting option to your billing
• Review your suppliers in the value chain and assess their green practices - seek out eco partners
• Use recycled stationery and materials for all communications pieces, and sales promotion items
• Measure and offset the carbon footprint of your organisation's website. (Visit : Greenserve, CO2Stats.com and GREENMYWEBSITE.COM)

 

For larger, publicly listed companies - organisations such as Sydney's Interactive Investor provide online reporting including green reports in lieu of paper reports.

 

Be wary of greenwashing

 In an age of authenticity, businesses need to be particularly wary of 'greenwashing' - making claims that cannot be substantiated. To assist, The Australian Association of National Advertisers has introduced a green claims code, for marketers to check their environmental claims. Greenwashing can result in substantial fines (in Australia - up to $ 1.1 million) - but more importantly, organisations will compromise the relationship with their customers and damage their brand.

The following provides some additional resources which may be of assistance:

For Australian organisations   and here 

For U.S organisations

Five Ways to Green Your Office (Article from Forbes magazine)

 

(1) Fifty things you need to know about being green, Kevin Johns, B&T October 16, 2009  - citing Mobium research of 22,000 people.

 

Disclosure: Interactive Investor is a client of the author.

Branding Lessons Learned From iSnack 2.0

    

 
 
    
  ‘A Brand should strive to own a word in the mind of the consumer’ Ries & Ries

The iSnack 2.0 scandal reminds of several lessons about branding which all businesses can apply.

 

Where did iSnack 2.0 go wrong?  

Simply, the name didn’t engage the customer. Initial  engagement occurred via Kraft’s naming competition, but the final selection was made without reference to the majority of their customers. Feedback showed the name held little meaning and was irrelevant to the product.

 

3 Small Business Brand Name Tips  

 As Ries & Ries say ..’If you to build a brand ..you must focus your branding efforts

on owning a word in the prospect’s mind.    A word that nobody else owns.’

 

 1. To ensure you choose a relevant brand name, firstly think about your product/service,

its core benefit, other attributes and where you want it to sit in the market. 

 

  

 2. Look at the other brands in the market place. How can your name represent your

brand’s values, personality and stand out? 

 

3. Consider your customers.  Does the name resonate with them?  iSnack 2.0 seemed a gratuitous effort to capture Gen Y’s without reference to their other target audiences. This is dangerous as Gen Y’s particularly are wary of marketing messages.  Yet some Gen Y comments overheard included:  

‘The ‘i’ is so nineties!’ and ‘Web 2.0 .. we’re heading towards 3 now!’

 

A Brand is so Much More than a Logo

We have previously written that branding is so much more than your logo. A brand is the customer

experience  at every touch point with a business.  Everything a business does  conveys meaning to its brand and  values. To reinforce a brand, it is vital to ensure it is consistently

executed across all communication.

 

 

The Process of Branding 

The iSnack2.0 example shows how getting the name right requires much thought and consideration, and typically results after a thorough consideration process. For businesses, following this process  will   avoid costly catch up activity and customer confusion which can inhibit sales.