Growing up, I loved expressing - in the form of stories, spoken word poetry or music. When I tied my passion to its main objective I realized that telling stories is what I really enjoy. Identifying things, relating them, connecting dots and creating experiences. A love for human nature and all of the above brought me to the field of Marketing Communications. I am no expert and not even close to accomplished but as I probe deeper into a subject I am so passionate about, it continues to fascinate me. After taking a few brand classes at school and learning from some very insightful teachers and mentors, I kept noting down what really speaks to me. Here are a few things that I learned and I believe in:
- Stop & Stare: In today's time, wherein you and I have such strong opinions and the media landscape is so intensified, It's so difficult to come across brand communication that actually makes you stop and stare. Be that! Make them wonder and give them a feeling they can't name. Make it a piece of art that means something in their lives.
- Be human: People want to talk, feel, react and actually relate to these messages. They want it to feel like they are having a real conversation which makes it even more important to personify the brand. Be something more than just the product for someone. Be a friend, a lover, a mentor and perhaps even an enemy? Let people visualize it as skin and bones with real thoughts, real opinions and real beliefs. Sparkling eyes and a witty tongue and a personality you'd want to be stuck with at a bar. Don't be just a name!
- Be simple: Don't make them think too hard and don't make it seem like rocket science. Let them think only till the extent that when they figure it out they feel a sense of accomplishment. Articulate clearly and in a way that is easy to register and remember, only then will the brand be memorable. Keep it simple, silly!
- Ongoing Process: Today, brands aren't a one step product. A great logo, some great packaging and a great color scheme - Voila! It's done! NO! Its much more than that: It's an ongoing process, being shaped by every step you take, every move you make, every breath you take, every bond you break, they'll be watching you! (Yes, I feel particularly musical)
- Relentlessly Relevant: That is why it's key for brands to be relentlessly relevant. Everyone who wants to see great brand communication should see "Amul" advertisements. Amul is an Indian dairy brand and in my opinion it is the best example of relentlessly relevant advertising. They started in 1967 and today in 2015 they are still going strong which makes them relentless They create spoofs of current affairs and tie it strongly with their butter brand using wit and sarcasm which makes it so relevant. They speak culture and they speak a language that everyone knows. It's flawless and fabulous!
- Surprise-surprise: People want to be surprised! They want to laugh and cry, be agitated and get excited. They hate predictability because that's how life is anyway. They want an experience that isn't like their daily life. Why do you think movies work? Romance works and so do thrillers, only because you're taking them into a life so different than their own and for those 400 pages or 3 hours they feel like they're a part of that life!
- Innovate: Innovate! Show them something they've never seen before. . We did an assignment in our brand content course which is called : "An orange is an orange except that it isn't!" We had to sell an idea of oranges as not-oranges. Make them think about something in a way that they have never thought about before This drives away predictability and brings in freshness in the way a consumer perceives your idea.
- Adapt: Watch culture, watch trends and observe the building and breaking of opinions. Be politically correct and don't be controversial. If there's something raging in culture, make it a statement of your brand. Pop culture is your best friend, always use it to your advantage. Adapt to technology and adapt to user experience. Make it simpler as the world becomes simpler. Adapt before you're extinct.
- Don't be fluff! Consumers see through it. They know when you're selling the idea of the whole world being a beautiful place, collective love and lots of feathers and teddy bears because they know that IT'S NOT! Tell them something they believe in. Don't manipulate them. Make them feel what you feel, make them think what you think. Be genuine! Manipulation will bring in one purchase and then a lifetime of a negative fixed opinion but ingenuity will build trust for a lifetime
- The past is the future: This one is my favorite! Look back in the past. These are things nobody does anymore. There's a reason why people like classic and vintage and the same goes for branding. Throw in hand written notes, use a colloquial tone, design cards with felt pens, use classic fonts and pastel colors, use classic music and old jingles. Nothing strikes a deeper chord than history!
Be passionate, persuasive and observant of people!
