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As with any discipline, branding can be used to help people and society or it can be used in a way that hurts them.
How can branding be helpful? It can:
Clarify or highlight a product’s or organization’s most distinctive advantage(s).
Rally employees around the organization’s mission or vision.
Improve an organization’s profitability, market share or market value.
Create relationships with customers.
Make promises to or covenants with customers.
Overlay an attractive personality on an organization or its products and services.
Entertain customers.
Make an organization or its products or services more likeable.
Simplify customer choice.
Help create healthy relationships with and the loyalty of customers.
How can a branding be used in a way that harms people or society? It can:
Accentuate people’s fears, phobias or insecurities.
Contribute to increased cravings or addictions.
Sell people more stuff that they really don’t really need.
Be the “lipstick on a pig.” That is, it can be used to dress up an inferior product or service.
Create strong desires for products that are actually harmful to people or society.
As I think you know, branding can be a very powerful tool. I hope you will use your branding skills to benefit people and society and not to harm them.
Brad VanAuken is president and founder of BrandForward, Inc., a full-service brand management consultancy with clients throughout the world. Previously, Brad was the vice president of marketing for Element K, a leading e-learning company and director of brand management and marketing for Hallmark Cards, Inc. During his tenure as Hallmark’s chief brand advocate, Hallmark received the Brand Management of the Year award. Recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on brand management and marketing, Brad is a much sought after speaker and writer. He wrote the books The Brand Management Checklist and Brand Aid. His free online brand management and marketing newsletter is read by thousands of marketers throughout the world. Brad has a BS degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Email:
vanauken@brandforward.com
Company Profile:
BrandForward, Inc.
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