Effective Brand Messaging by Jän Ostendorf

This article is derived from the first presentation by Jän Ostendorf

When presenting the concept of branding, it can quickly get complicated––which is exactly what branding tries to avoid. Upon hearing the word “branding,” some people may think of burning a symbol on a cow’s rear, but it has evolved into something much more intricate and involved over the years.

To illustrate the effects of this evolution, let’s do a little experiment. Go ahead and see what comes to mind when you read the names of a few very popular brands: Mercedes, Disney, Nike and Coke.

As you read those brand names, there are images, experiences, and emotions that you may associate with the brand. For example, for Coke, the color red may come to mind; for Disney, maybe an image of Mickey Mouse.

Experiences Tethered to the Brand

Brands are made up of all sorts of intangibles. Take Starbucks as a case in point: is their success all about the beans or is it thanks to the design of the stores, the approachability of the baristas, and the overall status symbol of a gourmet cup of coffee?

The pinnacle of brand communication for a company, organization, or product is to be able to positively associate itself with an emotion. This is because people typically make decisions emotionally and justify their decisions logically. You have hit the sweet spot when the brand experience connects with a favorable emotion. This creates a long-lasting and endurable brand loyalty––the holy grail of branding strategy.

A More Emotional Mission Statement

So how can you make this happen? Let’s start with your mission statement. Avoid a dry, boring and corporate-sounding mission. Instead, try for one that identifies the emotional benefit to the end-consumer. Shoot for an explanation of why you do what you do, not the what; the why communicates the real purpose. People are not really looking for your product, they are looking to make their lives more fun or more enjoyable, or just plain easier––anything that allows them to forget about the bad day they’ve had.

Once your mission is established, the creative process starts by communicating and delivering that message both verbally and visually across all marketing disciplines and all brand touchpoints. Make the brand message concise, easy to remember, easily repeatable by all employees, and visually impacting.

Breaking it Down

All this getting a little confusing? Maybe a bulleted list would help. Let’s just whittle it down to these five qualities that a brand message needs:

* Stays true to identity
* Contains a concise message
* Matches audience needs
* Keeps a consistent voice
* Delivered at every interface

Remember, at the end of the day, you are competing for space in the minds of potential customers. You’re competing to be noticed first, then to be remembered, and hopefully to be acted upon. It’s a long, hard road sometimes to chisel that path.

It takes time, money, and diligence to stay on course with your message. It will not happen overnight. It takes years of deliberate and intentional action to develop an effective brand message.