A New Brand Building Paradigm

The Go/No Go decision tree is a tool still used to teach business students how to evaluate choices to move projects forward and create direction for business leaders. When faced with a strategic dilemma, the corollary is Either/Or, and we have all experienced those, haven’t we? Do this OR that. Do one thing OR the other. Life is black OR white. But is it, really?

Technology has brought rapid changes to every aspect of our lives making it faster, cheaper and more efficient. We’ve witnessed a ‘virtual’ shrinking of the world that has, simultaneously, turned brand building on its head. The advent of mobile applications spawns an uncharted era for marketers. The crux is learning how to identify a brand’s micro-target audience in a mass-market world. The explosion of real-time data throughout every aspect of our daily lives gives consumers more options to consider: from various routes to avoid traffic congestion, choices on travel and airlines, and renting other people’s homes and apartments instead of booking a hotel. It also gives brand builders multiple routes to engage, know and draw in consumers. All of these options represent a Both/And opportunity.

Consider the Both/And options in our thinking and approach to brand building. It’s second nature to lock ourselves into a “paradigm paralysis”, denoting a mind set that if we did it a certain way before, we should do it that same way again. While it’s true that precedent provides valuable information that assists decision-making, creative thinking can suffer because of it. Stagnation and bias are anathema to today’s consumer network that bases itself on interactive media platforms.

Today’s brand building shows that a Both/And approach is essential to create and retain customer trust. While sales conversion is essential to the commercial viability of a product, the manner in which that sale is made has irrevocably changed. By investing in technology and data, and arguably more importantly, people with fluid and responsive communications acumen, brands can become smarter, faster and better.

I’m in agreement with Seth Godin when he notes that advertising interrupts instead of connecting with the consumer. Sharing stories and experiences through social media is the new consumption. Brand builders must nimbly use multiple social media platforms to create integrated campaigns that encompass Both awareness And engagement strategies. A brand continually seeks their ‘share of voice’ over competitors. David F. Giannetto, in his book, Big Social Mobile, identifies that niche online communities define what your brand means to them.

There is a difference between the ‘followers’ of a brand and actual customers who purchase it– a ‘follower’ might only be interested in a brand’s philanthropic efforts within a community. Insightful brand builders will provide an opportunity to integrate consumers into their strategy. Look to the success of Naked Wines, a brilliant kick-starter/retail venture that developed a fundraising and sales strategy engaging Both established wine lovers And people who want to learn more about wine. For a nominal monthly investment, the consumer has the options of Both purchasing unique wines at favorable prices And building a direct connection to independent winemakers who produce them. Learning about a vineyard’s story while seeing the results of their monthly investments creates a unique and value-add farm-to-table connection. Moreover, Naked Wines’ business model is highly disruptive to the traditional three-tier system found in the United States.

Technology in the hands of the Millennial generation has driven this brave new world of brand building. Never before has the impact of consumer action on brands been more exciting or challenging.

It is critical that we brand builders embrace the multiplicity of options and actions so that diverse consumers have the opportunity to see a brand from their perspective, and not always from just ours. Think about it: adopting a Both/And approach gives you a multi-hued approach to build your brand and to engage your customers as they want to be engaged. Life and choices are no longer Either/Or.