Brand planners talk a lot about emotional or higher order benefits. That’s a good thing. But certainly not the only thing. In fact, I’m of the mind that those type of bennies are best left to the ad agency and creative people. In my practice the lower order benefits, the product and service endemic benefits as I like to call, them are where brands are built.
“Campaigns come and go but a powerful brand idea is indelible” are words I live by. Culture changes, musical tastes change, hell the climate changes, but brand strategy shouldn’t. If your product formula doesn’t change, why should your inherent, endemic product value?
The delivery mechanism, the creative, should always be refreshed. Freshed. But not what you stand for. That is, unless what you stand for wasn’t well conceive. That is, wasn’t what customers care about. Or what you’re good at. If your brand position is a new set of Emperor’s new clothes, changed with the appointment of each new CMO or marketing director, you haven’t a chance.
Do the brand strategy leg-work up front. Do it right. Then live it.
As Neil Young says ““To give a love, you gotta live a love. To live a love, you gotta be part of.”
Peace.