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    Disaster Brands.

    Steve Poppe -
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    i vs. Smart.

    Steve Poppe -
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    Reimagine Possible.

    Steve Poppe -
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    branding

    i vs. Smart.

    By
    Steve Poppe
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    0

    There are two brands in the mobile phone business iPhones and smartphones. In the U.S. and U.K. the “i” is winning.  In the ROW (rest of world) the smarts have it. Smartphone is a generic term and more often than not includes phones with Google’s Android operating system. That said, most people just call them smartphones not Android phones. 

    As Microsoft starts to improve its standing in the U.S. with its own Windows phone operating system (7 or 8?) it, too, will probably be referred to as a smartphone.  Remind you of Mac vs. PC? 

    What I enjoy about branding – way more than using paid media to display my ideas in market – is to listen to the market, hear how it speaks and thinks, and use the market’s own language to  gain conversation.  iPhone is paid, smartphone is organic. Mac is paid. PC is organic.

    Xerox is paid and organic.  

    Apple is a lovely brand.  It has taught the world how to design and market. The world is catching up. It needs a new I, me thinks.  Peace!

     

     

    Moment of Proof.

    By
    Steve Poppe
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    0

    The two most important elements in marketing are claim and proof.  It’s how you build businesses. Simplified and organized, this claim and proof approach is the foundation of branding.  One claim, three support or proof planks.

    One of my kids just graduated college and is on the interview circuit. Loaded for bear, somewhat unfettered, he believes a willingness to work hard, learn and focus on achievement are the qualities that will land him a job. He’s not wrong. But these things sound like your average cover letter. When shared face-to-face over a desk, they are a bit numbing.  My suggestion was “don’t forget the proof.”  Follow up each claim with examples. 

    This is what marketers often forget.  More often than not marketers and their agents remove proof so they can shoehorn in more claims. It’s claim-apalooza out there. All theater, exposition, and context – no proof.

    When a job seeker organizes what s/he wants the interviewer to know about themselves and sells it with stories about real event it can be indelible.  Same with brand building. When the dude jumped out of the capsule up in space and free-fell to earth while drinking Red Bull (JKJK), he evinced an energy rush second to none. 10 million media impressions be damned. That was a powerful moment of proof. Peace.

    Branding. Where To Start.

    By
    Steve Poppe
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    0

    I am flagged as someone who answers questions about branding on Quora. Most questions are from tyro branders.  “How important is brand marketing? How can I promote a Balsami rice in a local market?  When an interesting question comes up, I jump. I love furthering the science of brand strategy.  It’s a most human science.

    The first thing I tell everyone is: Branding begins with the product. A good product will sell. A bad product will not repeat sell. An average product may sell. Everything about branding starts with the product.  Songs, color, ad budgets, and market share do not build a brand. Good products, promoted in an organized way, do.

    Just as amino acids are the building blocks of protein and muscle, brand strategy provides building blocks for successful brands.  Finding a product’s best features and most desired features is the brand strategist’s way forward. If you can’t find the best, most desired features, you are working on a bad product.  Fix the product. Period. Re-cut the bait. Find new bait. Don’t mess with a bad product.

    Peace.

     

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