MARKETING This is the time to put your brand under a microscope

with DOUG MACMILLANMarketing th DOUG MACMILLAN

Doug MacMillana is president of The Letter Doug MacMillana is president of The Letter M Marketing in Guelph, ON. To reach him, M Marketing in Guelph, ON. To reach him, email doug@letterm.ca. email doug@letterm.ca.

This is the time to put your brand under a microscope

It’s a blindingly obvious statement to say that 2022 will be a pivotal year for many companies, but it’s worth reminding us that business won’t be as usual anymore. As we emerge from the

be a ng us from the pandemic pundits from McKinsey to Deloitte to PwC are reminding us that the entire landscape will have changed. Safety and health will be more important than gadget-y features. Genuine, caring service and community support will have more merit than once-and-done service calls and nominal donations. Real videos and stories of real people will be more effective than flashy footage of gleaming products. Through it all, social issues such as climate change and inclusion not-so-quietly became the beacons for the newest generation of consumers and tone-deaf brands will be shunned. In short, the values that brands trumpeted before COVID will need a critical eye. More than ever, it comes down to purpose. eminding g tures. more merit t al videos footage of ate change west ned. will

Crafting a successful brand Crafting a successful brand

Behind every great brand is an even greater purpose, and to craft a successful brand you need to know exactly what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. In 2022, rather than focusing on the “what do we do” or “what do we want?” businesses and organizations are taking a few steps backward toward the fundamentals, asking “what difference can we make?”

It’s a scary question, no doubt. I’m sure at some point in your life you’ve been sitting in some kind of “get to know you” conversation, perhaps a job interview or customer presentation, and the person across the table says the dreaded “so, tell me a little bit about why you’re doing this?” You panic. Do you little bit about why you ’ re doing this?” You panic. Do you tell them about your goals? Your passions? Your dog? What is it they really want to know? Is this a loaded question? Is there a wrong answer? While the circumstances might be different, the basic principle is the same: be genuine in your response.

No one wants fluff anymore: your impressive, trendy, big-britchestype answers actually fall flat in comparison to if you were to just stick to the basics of what makes you who you are. The same goes for your brand, and that’s a great way to start the exploration. Brands are aligning their actions and messages with the core values that define why they come to work each day. Connecting directly with customers, being reliable and accountable, showing gratitude and appreciation, supporting community, and prioritizing safety, health and wellbeing for employees and customers remain primary tenets of effective brands.

Consumers − especially the younger generations noted earlier − are expecting more from these messages than just details about the latest seasonal sale. Rather, they are questioning whether a brand supports fairness, sincerity, and diversity and inclusion both publicly and behind the camera and this focus is becoming increasingly important to brands as well. But it’s not enough to just market inclusiveness or diversity, as recent studies have shown 57 per cent of consumers are more loyal to brands that commit to addressing social inequities in their actions. (Deloitte, 2021).

“How a brand ‘fits’ in with your values, beliefs system and lifestyle will arguably determine whether you buy into that brand,” explains Envato brand designer, Sophie Dunn. “A brand’s mission and purpose play a huge part in who you repeatedly buy from and choose to align with.” And she’s right. Whether it be corporate social responsibility, giving back to the community, or simply making quality products over simply making a quick buck, sincerity matters.

“There’s an increasing expectation among consumers that brands don’t just exist to make a profit,” Dunn continues. “Their values, wallets, and loyalty lie with brands who endorse, advocate and contribute to a greater good. It’s one of the easiest, most powerful ways for consumers to feel they’re playing their part.”

This is why so many brands are going back to their roots, having genuine and openly compassionate messages directly from the leader of the company. Take Galen Weston (Jr.), for example. Loblaw Companies Limited and President’s Choice is a huge company with a substantial monopoly over a variety of consumer goods. Some might argue that his face doesn’t need to be involved in selling their products – they do well without it. But when COVID began, there he was, communicating openly with his already loyal market.

In order to stay up to date with what your consumers want, it’s helpful to look at what other successful brands are doing, and evidently, since the beginning of the pandemic especially, corporate branding experts are diving headfirst into their company’s core values.

Has your brand taken a hard look in the mirror lately? Now is the time, as a business owner, to ask yourself “who are we, really?” You might be surprised by the number of people who align with who that really is, and ultimately support you for it.

Galen Weston presents a special message in March of 2020 about COVID-19 and how it may affect customers’ experiences in Loblaws stores.

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