Strong brands are valuable assets that contribute to sustained revenue growth. But the values behind the brand – what it stands for – is what’s most important. The rise, fall and repositioning of fashion brand Abercrombie and Finch is a great example. The latest documentary on A&F shows how an iconic all-American fashion brand was built from a forgotten 19th-century outdoors retailer to the epitome of late-’90s teen fashion based on aspirational values of being cool, attractive and mono-cultural. A&F’s brand strategy combined the sex appeal of Calvin Klein and the elite preppiness of Ralph Lauren at more affordable prices. Advertising showcased an army of “ripped” males and good-looking employees were recruited from college fraternities and sororities to be models and store workers. This “exclusivity” positioning ultimately backfired when it was revealed the company deliberately engaged in “exclusionary” practices in terms of hiring and recruitment – only hiring “cool white kids.” Subsequent lawsuits for discrimination forced the company to settle out of court and make superficial improvements to its increasingly controversial products and practices.  But the damage was done when the company wound up in the US Supreme Court responding to a prominent case of religious discrimination. By this time, those offended by A&F’s brand positioning and marketing practices took to social media. Very quickly, the A&F brand became “uncool” with sales plummeting. A change of CEO led to a compete rethink of what the A&F brand stands for with new campaigns focusing on diversity and inclusion.  What’s the lesson here? Douglas Holt says that an iconic brand enables consumers to think differently about themselves, and goes beyond the product – it’s the identity value that allows them to be at the cutting edge. This was certainly the case with Abercrombie and Finch. The brand deliberately depicted a lifestyle that was culturally relevant to its audience and connected with them on a deeper level, representing a certain selection of cultural values. The problem with iconic brands is that when accepted cultural norms shift, they must redefine their meaning within this new context. Brands like Apple, Coca Cola and Nike have done this well. Let’s see if it works for Abercrombie & Finch. #marketing #branding #iconicbrands

If customers pay more attention to what “others” say about your brand, then maybe you need to shift your mindset from trying to control customers to cocreating brand meaning with them and those “others.” For a long time, marketers believed they could control how customers think and feel about brands – the Mad Men style approach to advertising. While it is still possible to get these effects, studies have confirmed what we suspected for some time… that customers pay more attention to what “others” say about brands than what companies communicate to them. Brand meaning is now being shaped by a range of “others” including influencers, online product reviews and social networks. Digital and social media changes the way we build brands because customers can have branded experiences through multiple channels that seamlessly connect.  This means we have to stop treating brands as static things that can be positioned, and appreciate that brand meaning is generated, changed and dynamically reinvented together with customers and “others.” In other words, a more humble, open and participatory style instead of the traditional dissemination approach. Brand cocreation can be achieved through the way we engage and involve people in activities that build brand knowledge and brand community. It can also be done through technology and platforms that enable people to experience the brand in a more personalized way.  The goal is to shape perceptions, attitudes and emotions towards the brand in an authentic way that keeps the brand relevant – not to control or manipulate!  #marketing #branding #brandcocreation

If you haven’t seen it since it went viral, have a look at the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s attempt to brand its new Women’s Network. It doesn’t take a brand expert to work out what went wrong… as one person commented “what a cock up!” The purpose of branding is to identify and differentiate. Brand elements such as names, symbols, colours, slogans, music etc. are used to communicate this. The rules are pretty straightforward: keep it simple and easy for consumers to recall, recognize and remember who the brand is and what it stands for. The goal is to build strong positive brand associations and minimize negative ones.   This new brand for the Women’s Network certainly will be memorable… but for the wrong reasons. The challenge for the brand experts will be to act quickly before more damage is done.   Post script: This new brand was removed from circulation within a week of this post. Not surprised but what a waste of time and money. #marketing #branding #brandstrategy