Branding Presentation - Held at The Hub Halifax

Which way did the brand go? February 2012

Who’s this guy?

• Own a marketing and communications consultancy

– Work with a variety of companies located in Atlantic Canada, Central/Western Canada and the US

• Before that, worked at large ad agencies in Halifax and Toronto

– Clients were NSLC, ALC, Toyota, Canon, CIBC, Kraft, Rogers and Dare Foods

• Work for two of Canada’s top brands – Molson and Nikon

• Strong experience in a variety of media and engagement channels

What is a ‘brand’?

Is it this?

This?

Or this guy?

A brand is…

An embodiment

of an idea (In Nike’s case, “Empowerment”)

A brand is…

A brand is…

More than a slogan…

…or an ad campaign

A brand is…

Compelling & relevant point of

difference

A brand is…

The bond

that gives

people a

reason to

believe

The worlds top brands

Who do you think are the top 5?

Top brands in 2011

Interbrand Top 100

Top brands in 2001

Interbrand Top 100

What’s happening to today’s brands?

Brand Ownership

Who really owns the brand – the company

or the people using/buying it?

Brand Fragmentation

Inconsistency is consistency?

Brand Loyalty

Those who like it, like it a lot

Brand Engagement

We don’t just call or visit

Why ‘brand’?

Why Brand?

Reason to choose

Build loyalty

Be different

Grow business

Why Brand?

Build a reputation

Support corp. vision

Ensure consistency

Change perceptions

Branding Steps

1. Look around

2. Talk to your customers

3. Define who you are (i.e.

attributes and values)

4. Outline ‘why you’ (i.e.

benefits)

5. Wrap it up in something clear

and concise

Now it’s your turn

Try to define your brand

• Outline your top three

competitors

• Highlight three interesting

things about your customer

• Define five key attributes

and/or values (high the two

most important to you)

Try to define your brand

• Define ‘customer’ benefits –

functional and emotional

• See if you can link the two

benefits with something bigger

• Write a ‘rallying cry’ that

includes the top two attributes,

both benefits and the ‘big link’

Rallying Cry

Attributes

Company X is a _______ and _______

organization that offers people

______ and ______ so they can

achieve ________.

Benefits

The ‘Ultimate’

Benefit

Thank you sean@williamsmarketing.ca www.williamsmarketing.ca @swmgroup linkedin.com/in/seanwillliams