Not long ago, marketers were obsessed with identifying the right message. Communications strategy really meant ‘what do we want to convey about our brand or product’? Many hours were spent studying the consumer and the competition to come up with something relevant and unique to say.
The brief answered the question, ‘what is the most motivating thing we can say about this brand’? The answer was expressed in words, the fewer words the better. A one or two word brief was considered the pinnacle of achievement.
Today, the idea of a singular, focused message is under pressure — from media fragmentation, from shorter attention spans and the pressing need for a constant stream of relevant ‘content’. With social media, the idea of a singular message has given way to culturally relevant brand ‘themes.’
After all, saying the same thing over and over, even if you find new ways to say it, makes for a boring conversation. Marketers are recognizing that they are not in control of the conversation, much less the message.
Now the question for those preparing a brief becomes, “where can the brand make a contribution to the conversations consumers are having or want to have?” Dove’s Eveolutionwas an early pioneer in this themed approach to branding. By identifying that women don’t think of themselves as attractive and wanted to have a conversation about the meaning of beauty, Unilever’s marketers were able to make Dove more culturally relevant. The message is hard to summarize in words, but is more along the lines of “Dove ‘gets’ you”.
Little wonder taglines are falling into disuse! Here is Millennial marketer and “super consumer” panel member, Derek Yegan, on the demise of the “Big Idea”:
“As a millennial, I’d say diversity is key. Perhaps marketers need to present several ideas all related to “The Big Idea”. This may require multiple tag lines for multiple demographics and people (doable but difficult to cover all aspects) or maybe a broader “Big Idea” with broader tag lines to target more people. In the end, i think a lot of what will define the successful companies from those that fail are the ideas and values the advertisers have, the tactics the agency employ, the response(s) to the feedback given, and the relevancy of the product.”
Brand themes may or may not have much to do with the brand; they are more likely to reflect consumer interests and areas the brand has permission to talk about. Rather than narrowing the scope (to one word), the idea now is to make the brand platform as broad as possible. The goal is increasing brand ‘ubiquity’. The bigger a brand’s authority (the more subjects it can speak to) the better. Perhaps the ‘ubiquitous’ Virgin brand is not an anomaly after all, but the way of the future in branding?
Not only are messages broadening, they are also becoming subordinate to things like context, placement, and timing. Here’s Millennial panel members, Brian Sweet and Desiree Asena Dundar on how the message is so much more than the words.
“This question becomes even more interesting when you realize the time/place your message is conveyed is also part of the message itself. Does a brand hang out in the environments with which its target consumers identify? If it does, and if it “fits” that environment without seeming out of place, that unspoken message is very possibly more powerful than the overt message. Authenticity is a vital brand attribute that is communicated most effectively through unspoken means.” – Brian Sweet
“Creating a difference in a world full of names is an essential step to be taken by the brands, especially if you are referring to Gen Y. I believe this is why the emphasis that was on brand message has been shifted towards the right time, right place and the right communication tools. As we can see Viral and Guerrilla Marketing tools are widely adopted by many brands in order to create that difference so they can attract more “audiences” or “viewers”. Yet this does not mean that the message sent through these channels will result in higher number of customers. The aim is still to influence purchase decision and generate a link to the brand. I, therefore, think that the brands and marketers should establish a well-balanced relation between the message and the tool, the time and the place that is used to deliver that message.” – Desiree Asena Dunda
Briefs today must move beyond target definition, current belief, key message, and desired belief to identify broader areas of brand interest.
Marketers, especially those who want to reach Gen Y, now have a better appreciation of the importance of reference groups in creating brand affinity and shaping attitudes. They have to deal with the challenge of moving away from a broadcast to an engagement model of brand communications. And with the advent of mobile phones and geolocation, they know they need to incorporate a ‘temporal’ and ‘locational’ component to their strategies.
What does your brief look like these days? To keep up with the new communications realities, I recommend a communications brief address these four components:
1. Audience = deep understanding of not just who they are and how they relate to the category and brand but what they like – cultural interests, important social causes, key influencers, activities, what they think is funny, what they worry about. You get the idea. More is better. LISTENING IS CRITICAL.
2. Attention = what can we say that is memorable and will get the brand noticed and talked about? What can we make, invent or built that will be of value?
3. Action = How can we get people to participate? To share their experience with their friends? Will this deepen their active involvement with the brand, even if it doesn’t lead to purchase?
4. Affinity = It’s not a ‘target’, it’s a potential friend. What can I say or do that suggests I ‘get’ this audience as individuals and I want to know them better?
