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6 ways AI can supercharge your small business branding

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By Dmytro Spilka

How to use AI alongside human creativity.

Branding goes beyond designing a simple logo and slapping your creation on all of your product packages or employee uniforms. It goes to the root of your business personality and how your business projects it to the public.

Every business values its brand, and building a reputable brand that people trust takes time. Thankfully, the rise of AI and its potential have made it an effective tool to help businesses supercharge their branding, alongside human creatives.

Many leading creatives are using AI already and it’s possible for you to use affordable tools to boost your startup or SME and supercharge your existing branding processes.
Feature Image credit: Getty Images

By Dmytro Spilka

Dmytro is the CEO at the SEO, copywriting and content marketing agency in Solvid and the founder of the web analytics startup Pridicto. His work has been published in Shopify, Zapier, Make Use Of, VentureBeat, Mention, WordStream, BuzzSumo, and Campaign Monitor.

Sourced from CREATIVE BLOQ 

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Strategic Partnerships And Branding: Leveraging Brand Partnerships For Mutual Growth And Expansion

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By Tony Ambroza

Partnering with other brands is one of the best strategies for young businesses to gain exposure, reach new consumers and strengthen their base of brand enthusiasts.

Major companies, from Spotify and Uber to Nike and Apple, constantly use partnerships to grow via new consumer audiences, scale revenue, and propel their brands forward.

In my role as Chief Growth Officer, my teams have utilized several forms of partnerships—from partnering with media companies to collaborating with famous athletes and personalities to completely rebrand and scale our company.

In my experience, brand partnerships are a win-win strategy that, when well executed and integrated, can play a key role in growing a company even faster than traditional brand-building strategies.

Examples Of Brand Partnerships In Action

Branding partnerships can take on many roles, and identifying your needs as a company can point you toward your most profitable partnerships. Examples include:

• Industry/Affiliate Partnerships: Businesses serving different niches in the same industry often partner to acquire new customers and fulfil roles that others cannot. Examples may include event planners who partner with bakers or florists to help people plan for their events.

• Cross-Promotion Partnerships And Collaborations: Businesses with established customer bases often collaborate on a marketing push to gain short-term exposure. One example includes Burger King’s infamous Cheetos Chicken Fries.

• Creator Partnerships: Brands often partner with content creators, such as influencers, to promote their business to new audiences. At our company, we partnered with a core group of enthusiasts to fulfil content creation roles and also build authentic, real-world exposure for our products.

• Mergers And Acquisitions (M&As): While some may not consider this a partnership, we have used M&As to incorporate more businesses into our portfolio and reach a wider customer base.

Benefits Of Brand Partnerships

There are very few downsides to a successful brand partnership. In fact, some of the short and long-term benefits include:

• Increased Exposure: Partnering with other brands on collaborations extends your reach and access to established consumer audiences to accelerate growth.

• Resource Sharing: Partnerships enable you to fulfil different functions previously unavailable for your business and share internal resources, such as marketing materials and products.

• Improved Customer Experiences: Partnerships benefit your consumers most, whether via better fulfilment, access to more products or cost-saving promotion.

• Product Innovation: We’ve used partnerships to improve our product offerings and give truck owners access to the best aftermarket products on the market.

• Risk Management: Partnerships allow you to share the burden of losses, thereby cutting your risk in half.

Strategies To Team Up With Other Brands

When searching for brand partnerships, my team and I follow a few key strategies for evaluating the potential benefits of a partnership and determining who to approach. Here are some steps to help you get started.

• Audit Your Brand: First, you want to assess your brand’s strengths and weaknesses to search out growth opportunities. In our case, when rebranding our company, we focused heavily on partnerships in the creator/marketing space. This allowed us to spread our message to more people and fulfil more roles that were previously unavailable.

• Search For Brands With Shared Audiences: One of the clearest opportunities to partner with another brand is to find one that caters to the same audience as you but does not compete with you directly. For example, we chose The Drive as one of our partners in the publication space because their content focused so heavily on the car enthusiast—somebody who would be highly motivated to purchase our aftermarket products.

• Ensure Partner Brands Align With Core Values: This is truly an essential consideration. Only partner with brands that uphold the same ethical standards as you, or you may end up receiving more negative press than you bargained for.

• Work On Your Pitch: Why would another brand partner with you? Your pitch can sell them on your partnership and motivate both teams to move forward with an agreement.

• Set Terms For Your Arrangement: Before your partnership is finalized, you’ll need to work out the details of your arrangement. How often is your brand partner expected to promote your collaboration? How often are you?

• Track Metrics From Your Engagement: Evaluate the success of each brand partnership by tracking key metrics, such as revenue, conversions and total lead count. It might be time to cut the cord if a brand partnership or collaboration does not bring new revenue.

If You Can’t Beat Them, Buy Them

Another consideration for your company is whether it makes sense to merge or outright buy another brand rather than partner with them. Unlike partnerships, mergers and acquisitions are long-term investments that require significant due diligence, a deep understanding of the best ways to integrate both teams and, of course, capital investment.

For larger companies looking to compete in a competitive market, mergers and acquisitions are a great strategy for scaling their portfolio and acquiring new market share in a way that brand partnerships simply cannot.

Understanding when to execute one partnership strategy or the other requires due diligence, proper timing and often a little bit of good fortune.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Tony Ambroza

Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Tony Ambroza is the Chief Growth Officer at RealTruck, an omni-channel industry leader in truck and off-road vehicle equipment. Read Tony Ambroza’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

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Stop Storytelling and Start Having Brand Conversations That Convert — Here’s How

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By Kate DiLeo, Edited by Chelsea Brown

Discover how to move beyond traditional storytelling and embrace impactful brand conversations with the Brand Trifecta framework, designed to unify sales and marketing efforts, create trust with your audience and drive significant revenue growth.

Key Takeaways

Stories don’t compel people to buy. Conversations do. As an accidental brand strategist, I have learned that concise and compelling brand messaging is crucial to cutting through the noise, creating common ground with your target audiences and ultimately driving revenue. However, many of us get caught up in the trend that storytelling will enable us to deliver such a message and compel our prospects to take the next step and buy.

My journey into branding wasn’t planned — it was a twist of fate. I originally intended to pursue a PhD in linguistic anthropology. However, when the market crashed, a professor advised me to get a day job, pay off my undergrad debt and gain some world experience. So, I left academia and took my first sales job, where I was tasked with selling IT training services.

Starting my career in this challenging sales role, I quickly realized the importance of clear and impactful communication through trial and error. Cold-calling IT professionals to sell high-ticket $2,500 training classes taught me that within the first 15 to 30 seconds, you must convey what you do, how you solve someone’s problem and how you are different from the competition. This tough environment forced me to refine my communication skills and develop an effective brand pitch that enabled me to exceed my sales quotas and ultimately launch my career in brand strategy and development.

The Brand Trifecta

Your brand is your path of least resistance to revenue. In the first 15 to 30 seconds, you need to tell someone what you do, how you solve their problem and how you are different from the competition. Narratives alone won’t drive sales; engaging brand conversations will. When someone asks what you do, you shouldn’t lead with a story. Instead, you need a clear, compelling brand pitch that provokes curiosity and makes people want to know more.

The Brand Trifecta is the powerful and proven messaging framework I developed during my early sales career, and it has since helped thousands of organizations craft brands that bring more prospects to the table and generate more customers who buy. The Brand Trifecta is rooted in buyer psychology and enables businesses to create “you get me” moments that their target audiences need in order to build trust and ultimately purchase.

The Brand Trifecta methodology consists of three key pieces: a tagline, a value proposition statement and a set of differentiator statements. The formulaic combination of these three messaging components creates a brand conversation that converts.

Your tagline is the first impression of your brand. It should be short, clear and provoke interest. Think of your tagline as the headline of your brand’s message. It should immediately tell people what you do in a way that captures their attention and compels them to want to know more.

Next, you need a value proposition statement. This is where you expand on your tagline by explaining how you solve your customer’s problem. A value proposition statement is not just a list of features and benefits; it succinctly speaks to the value you provide to your prospects and customers by addressing their specific pain points. Your value proposition should resonate with your audience and make them see you as the solution they’ve been looking for. In other words, your value proposition statement should create the “You get me!” moment for your customers.

Matt McNeany, CTO of OPMG, highlights the importance of data when identifying your customers’ pain points: “Brands that do this most effectively are, of course, starting with data. They are using each customer interaction to learn more, capturing which content the customer is engaging with and adding that to their profile, building an experience that asks the customer their opinion and what they like.” This is where the magic happens — when you use these insights to tailor your messaging, you create a value proposition that truly resonates and compels your target audience to take the next step and buy.

Finally, your differentiator statements should clearly outline how you are different and better than your competition. What unique benefits do you offer? Why should someone choose you over others? Differentiator statements are crucial because they help you stand out in a crowded market and ultimately give your audience a reason to choose you over the rest.

“The best brands build differentiation through what they do as well as what they say. As the old saying goes, ‘Don’t tell me you’re funny; make me laugh.’ Or for brands, don’t say that you care about customers, demonstrate it to me — via imperceptibly personalized experiences that predict what I want and give me what I need, making my choices simpler and my life easier,” says McNeany. Bottom line: Your differentiator statements build trust and create a compelling case for your prospects to act.

Creating brand conversations that convert

At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to create brand conversations that convert. Focus on provoking your audience to want to know more. Remember, you are not in the business of convincing everyone; you are in the business of converting the right people.

Therefore, make sure your brand messaging is consistent across all channels and touchpoints. This will align your sales and marketing teams and ultimately boost your revenue growth. McNeany emphasizes how automation can play a helpful role in consistent branding across channels: “Intelligent brands have realized that they need to deliver consistency while simultaneously managing an explosion of content across channels.”

So, they are rapidly adopting an automated content supply chain, which combines a brand design framework with algorithmic decisions based on customer behaviour to deliver relevant, on-brand communications in every channel. Whatever sales and marketing tactics you deploy, keep your brand message consistent so that customers have a clear understanding of who you are, what you do, how you solve their problems and how you differ from the competition.

Furthermore, don’t lose sight of the power of consistent branding to bridge the gap between sales and marketing teams. Misalignment between sales and marketing can be remedied by cross-functionally leveraging a singular brand pitch that addresses what customers need to know to buy. When sales and marketing consistently use and leverage the same brand language, they become an unstoppable and unified front. The outcome? Increased conversions, shortened sales cycles and improved revenue growth.

Get your brand out of the box and break free from the storytelling status quo by building your Brand Trifecta. Develop a clear tagline, value proposition and differentiator statements, and reap the benefits of a powerful brand pitch that unifies your sales and marketing teams, accelerates sales cycles and boosts growth. Remember, your brand is your path of least resistance to revenue. Create compelling brand conversations and watch your business take off.

By Kate DiLeo 

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Edited by Chelsea Brown

Sourced from Entrepreneur

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The Future Of Marketing Is People

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By Rishad Tobaccowala

  1. It is about understanding people as people and not just as consumers, customers, members, and users.
  2. It is about getting people to advocate for a brand to other people.
  3. It is about upgrading the status of marketing people and upgrading marketing people.

Marketing is about understanding people.

For too long marketers have fixated on consumers, customers, members, and users.

While these are important what is critical is seeking to understand people as people.

When one looks at a person as a consumer one is liable to miss a lot for the following reasons.

1) Narrow lens:  When one looks at a person as a consumer it is looking to understand the person through brand usage which is by very definition one of hundreds of brands filling met and unmet needs of a person. People do not define themselves by brands and rarely want to have relationships with brands. Some marketers define themselves by brands and have the delusion that people want to have a relationship with Tylenol versus just wanting their headache to go away.

2) Failure to see competitive threats: Viewing people as consumers or users means evaluating and benchmarking one’s brands with their use of other brands in one’s category. However, the greatest threat and opportunity tends to come from outside one’s category today due to technological disruption and changing behavior. Newspapers were disrupted by Google. Magazines by Instagram and today Television by Netflix and TikTok for example. Focusing on consumers and users meant that none of the incumbents were monitoring these other players. A focus on one’s category may lead a brand to be less pathetic than others in their category but not great or relevant for the future.

3) Failure to understand needs: One of the reasons categories get disrupted from outside is because by seeking to understand a person through category dynamics one may miss understanding what they are truly seeking. Dollar Shave Club and Harry users were not just looking for the best shave but a decent shave at a great price and convenient purchase. Multiple blades, vibrating blades, heated blades were no longer the key.

Marketing is getting people to advocate for you to other people.

The most powerful form of marketing has always been word of mouth.

Word of mouth has become exponentially more powerful due to social media and new tools and technologies.

TikTok provides editing and other tools to let anyone create and mix videos. Substack enables reaching tens of thousands to millions of people. It is easy to create and distribute podcasts.

Social media channels enable distribution.

Influencers and creators become key to a brand.

Instead of marketing to people we should consider marketing through people by arming them with assets, information, tools, and incentives.

Also, every marketing company should fixate on their employees and suppliers.

Make employees advocates by treating them well and aligning them with the marketing program.

Inform, trust, and pay suppliers well. They can be a source of ideas, marketing, and competitive intelligence.

Emerging AI tools such as ChatGPT will further empower the individual and the underlying trends of Web3 will now give them not just a voice but ownership.

Every company’s marketing and media programs should be grounded in marketing through people with significant investment and emphasis on generating and building advocacy among one’s external and internal audiences and partners.

One should fixate as much if not more on people than fixating on first party data, AI and the Metaverse.

Marketing is about upgrading the status and skills of marketing people.

Forty years ago, in my first marketing class at the University of Chicago we read Philip Kotler (a renowned marketing guru operating a few miles away at Northwestern University) who defined marketing as “understanding and meeting people’s requirements.”

For the next four decades I got to work with some of the best marketing companies in the world and looking back two things stood out which taken together raises concerns:

1) Marketing has become more critical: People became more empowered as technology enabled them to have “God Like” power particularly in the past two decades since the scaling of Search, Social, E-Commerce and Mobile. These new technologies also have merged offline/online, above the line/below the line and fused marketing and experience into one. Therefore, understanding and meeting the requirements of people/gods became more important. So marketing was growing more and more critical.

2) Marketers power has diminished in most companies: The first two decades of my career it was not just Agencies that got to present to the Board room, but marketers did. Today look at the Board of Directors of companies including marketing firms, and few have CMO’s on the Board. There is the voice of money in the CFO, the voice of technology in the CTO/CIO, the voice of talent in the Chief Human Resources/Talent officer but where is the voice of the people/customer/consumer just when they are growing more and more powerful?

Companies will find it very difficult to succeed in a world of empowered people unless they have empowered marketers, marketing fuses into every part of the company and every individual upgrades their skills. Marketers need to be in the room where decisions are made rather than implementing or informing decisions.

But the wheel may be turning…

Recently there are signs that marketing is getting a voice by transforming the CMO role to one of a Chief Growth Officer, Chief Experience Officer, or Chief Transformation Officer or combining a CMO role with a Chief Data Officer role and no longer separating CMO from Chief Digital Officer.

Companies are beginning to look for “full-stack” marketers who can drive performance leveraging data and technology and platforms in the short run while building brand and reputation with storytelling, design, cultural relevance and more.

Marketing people need to have a greater voice and to have a greater voice marketing people need to upgrade our skills and capabilities for a world where marketing is not a side car attached to a motorcycle but the engine that makes the motorcycle and its engine throb.

The future of marketing is people.

Contributed to Branding Strategy Insider by Rishad Tobaccowala, Author of Restoring The Soul Of Business: Staying Human In The Age Of Data

The Blake Project Can Help: Please email us for more about our purpose, mission, vision and values and brand culture workshops.

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers

By Rishad Tobaccowala

Sourced from Branding Strategy Insider

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Typography in Branding: The Art of Typefaces in Corporate Identities

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By Dirk Petzold

Undoubtedly, the right typeface can convey a brand’s personality, evoke emotions, and influence consumer behaviour.

This article explores the art and science behind choosing the perfect typography for your brand, highlighting its importance and providing actionable insights to help you make informed decisions.

The Power of Typography in Branding

Typography is more than just selecting a font; it’s about creating a visual voice for your brand. When done right, typography becomes a powerful tool that enhances brand recognition and strengthens brand identity. Here’s how typography impacts branding:

  1. Conveys Brand Personality: Typography can communicate the essence of your brand. For instance, a luxury brand might use elegant, serif fonts to exude sophistication, while a tech startup might opt for sleek, sans-serif fonts to convey modernity and innovation.
  2. Creates Emotional Connection: The style of your typography can evoke specific emotions in your audience. Rounded, soft fonts might create a sense of warmth and friendliness, while bold, angular fonts might evoke a sense of strength and confidence.
  3. Enhances Readability and User Experience: Good typography is not just about aesthetics; it’s also about function. The right typeface ensures that your content is easily readable across different devices, enhancing the overall user experience.
  4. Differentiates Your Brand: In a crowded market, unique typography can set your brand apart. Custom fonts or carefully chosen typefaces can make your brand instantly recognizable, even without a logo or other visual elements.

Key Elements of Typography in Branding

When selecting typography for branding, several key elements must be considered to ensure that the typeface aligns with your brand’s identity and goals.

  1. Font Family: The font family you choose—whether serif, sans-serif, script, or decorative—should align with your brand’s personality. Serif fonts, with their traditional and formal appearance, might be suitable for legal firms or luxury brands, while sans-serif fonts, known for their clean and modern look, might be ideal for tech companies or startups.
  2. Font Weight and Style: Different weights (light, regular, bold) and styles (italic, condensed) can add versatility to your typography. Using a combination of weights and styles within the same font family can create a visual hierarchy, guiding the reader’s attention to the most important information.
  3. Kerning and Tracking: Kerning (the space between individual letters) and tracking (the overall spacing between characters in a block of text) play a crucial role in typography. Adjusting these elements can improve readability and ensure that your text looks well-balanced and cohesive.
  4. Line Height and Line Length: Line height (the vertical space between lines of text) and line length (the horizontal width of a block of text) are essential for readability. Proper adjustments to these can make your text more accessible and easier to read, especially on digital platforms.
  5. Colour and Contrast: The colour of your typography should complement your brand’s colour scheme while ensuring readability. High contrast between text and background is essential for accessibility, making sure that your message is clear and easy to read for all users.

Examples of Effective Typography in Branding

Let’s take a look at some brands that have mastered the art of typography:

  1. Coca-Cola: The Coca-Cola logo is one of the most recognizable in the world, thanks in part to its custom script font. The flowing, cursive typeface exudes a sense of tradition and nostalgia, perfectly aligning with the brand’s identity.
  2. Apple: Apple uses the San Francisco typeface, a sleek, sans-serif font that reflects the brand’s minimalist and innovative ethos. The clean lines and modern look of the typography complement Apple’s products and overall design philosophy.
  3. New York Times: The New York Times uses a classic serif font that conveys authority and tradition. This choice of typography reinforces the brand’s identity as a reliable and established source of news.
  4. Netflix: Netflix uses a custom sans-serif font called Netflix Sans. The bold, modern typeface reflects the brand’s innovative approach to entertainment and is easily readable across various devices and screen sizes.
Vary font family by Monotype
Choose a versatile typeface like the Vary font family by Monotype.
You can download the typeface on MyFonts

Best Practices for Choosing Typography in Branding

Here are some best practices to consider when selecting typography for your brand:

  1. Understand Your Brand’s Personality: Clearly define your brand’s personality before choosing a typeface. Is your brand playful or serious? Modern or traditional? Your typography should reflect these characteristics.
  2. Prioritize Readability: While it’s tempting to choose a unique or elaborate font, readability should always come first. Your audience needs to easily read and understand your message, regardless of the device they are using.
  3. Be Consistent: Consistency is key in branding. Use the same typefaces across all your brand’s touchpoints—website, social media, packaging, etc.—to create a cohesive and recognizable brand identity.
  4. Consider Scalability: Your typography should look good at all sizes, whether it’s on a business card or a billboard. Choose a typeface that scales well and remains legible across different applications.
  5. Test Before Finalizing: Always test your typography choices in various contexts and on different devices before finalizing them. This ensures that your typeface works well in all scenarios and maintains the desired impact.

Typography is a fundamental part of branding that goes beyond mere aesthetics. It’s a powerful tool that shapes how your brand is perceived, helps convey your brand’s personality, and enhances user experience. By carefully selecting and implementing typography, you can create a strong, memorable brand identity that resonates with your audience. Use the insights and best practices outlined in this article to make better decisions and create a visual identity that truly represents your or your client’s brand.

Don’t hesitate to find fitting typefaces for your next design and branding projects on WE AND THE COLOR. The section includes a wide range of styles.

By Dirk Petzold

Sourced from WATC

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Your Sonic Branding May Be Doomed to Fail

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By Lucas Murray

4 tips for crafting and committing to your new brand identity

Over the past few years, sonic branding has evolved from a niche, nice-to-have marketing asset to a must-have for any complete brand ecosystem.

Forward-thinking companies realise they must use sound and music to stand out both in traditional media and on audio-first platforms like TikTok, Spotify and other social media and streamers.

However, knowing your company needs sonic branding and learning how to create an effective sonic identity are very different things. In my time as a producer, I’ve seen brands achieve varying levels of success—and there are four main reasons a sonic identity might be doomed to fail. These are obstacles that will never go away, but fortunately, by knowing where the dangers are, you can aim to avoid them while becoming one of the select few brands with a truly iconic sound strategy.

Music is subjective

Music is extremely abstract and difficult to talk about. I sometimes witness teams trying to make it more tangible by pushing for specific musical elements: “We need an ascending melody because that feels happy and positive.”

Maybe, but there are just as many successful examples of “happy” descending melodies in music. By only pushing for ascending melodies, your sonic identity may risk sounding like the rest—not providing the differentiation you desire.

Instead of relying on what we think is appealing, seek more objective measures that tell us what is effective. For example, we know through research that the most subconsciously appealing sound is baby laughter.

While not every sonic logo needs to hit the same mark, it’s helpful to get real data around where your sonic assets are landing on KPIs like recall and emotional appeal. Not only will this confirm whether you’re truly appealing to your audience, but it will also help get buy-in from stakeholders involved in the process.

Commitment is hard

Creating a sonic identity is like getting married—ideally, you are signing up to be with your identity for life. The best predictor of sonic success is sustained, frequent use. You must commit to using it across touchpoints as often as you can.

Though, as Chris Rock once put it, “commitment will give you a headache.” It’s difficult to find “the one” sonic identity and stick with it; newer, shinier sounds will always beckon you away from your brand. However, you must resist your wandering ears by understanding that the benefits of commitment far outweigh the difficulties.

For example, the psychological phenomenon known as the mere-exposure effect teaches us that people like things merely because they are familiar with them. This is doubly true for music, like when a once-annoying earworm creeps into your head enough times to become your favourite song. Commit to your sonic identity, and your audience will learn to love it too.

The landscape is changing

Gone are the days in which you could rely on a sonic logo at the end of a commercial to fully reach your audience. Linear television is evolving, and culture is being shaped by social media. In 5-10 years, we’ll be adapting to yet another iteration of the media landscape.

Yet some brands are still falling into the trap of creating sonic identities with only broadcast TV and terrestrial radio in mind. These may currently be important touch points for your brand, but they may not be soon. The important thing is to design your sonic identity with enough flexibility in mind that it can expand around, adapt to and perpetuate on new and evolving platforms.

Brands contain multitudes

It is difficult enough to translate your brand purpose and personality into music that perfectly represents your brand. It is even more difficult to get buy-in from various departments that need to approve or implement your sonic identity. C-suite execs, brand managers and partner agencies will likely all have different needs for it. You might hear: “It needs to be flexible like McDonald’s,” “It needs to be instantly familiar like Intel” and of course, “It needs to have fewer notes to fit into video.”

There’s nothing wrong with any of these notes individually, but there is no way to satisfy all of these disparate desires in one sound without creating something that sounds indistinct and unmemorable.

Instead of trying to hang your hat on a single sound that does everything, you must create a sonic identity system—one that encompasses a creative concept, long- and short-form sound, music curation guidelines and a strategy for rollout and use. You can then address your team’s many needs without having to water down the work.

Creating a sonic identity is hard work, but when done correctly, it’s an incredibly effective tool for attaining brand recognition, brand love and higher KPIs. If you rely on objective measures, commit to your new identity, plan for flexibility and create an entire system, you are well on your way to creating an enduring sonic identity.

Feature Image Credit: Sandipkumar Patel/Getty Images

By Lucas Murray

Lucas Murray is vp, supervising music producer at Made Music Studio.

Sourced from ADWEEK

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Crafting Your Executive Brand: Strategies For Developing A Compelling Leadership Narrative

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By Katie Britton

Here’s the simple truth that far too many executives ignore: You’re always branding.

Whether you’re putting thought behind what you create online or only posting here and there when inspiration strikes, everything you do is putting a brick onto the foundation of your brand. So why not be intentional about it?

Making A Case For An Executive Brand

Many executives feel that they shouldn’t build a brand around themselves and instead focus on what they can do to help boost the company or organization they work for. But this misses how the consumers are viewing business today:

• 82% of people trust companies more when senior executives are active on social media

• 77% are more likely to purchase from businesses with digitally-engaged CEOs

In other words, if you aren’t trying to lead through your executive brand, you’re potentially holding your business back.

And if you’re in the market to move to a new opportunity, you can bet that stakeholders and board members will be looking to see how you’re representing yourself online when choosing their next leader.

3 A’s For Crafting Your Executive Brand

So how can you start getting strategic with your executive brand? The recipe is unique to each leader and often requires you to consider your past experience, future aspirations and current audience.

1. Your Accomplishments: What have you accomplished up to this point that gives you a particular edge in your industry?

2. Your Aspirations: Where do you see yourself in the future? What kind of leader do you want to become?

3. Your Audience: Who are the key stakeholders you need to engage with? Are they potential employers, investors or customers?

These three pillars can help you craft authentic messaging around your executive brand that resonates with those you wish to influence. They can also act as a filter that allows only the opportunities you want to pursue to reach you.

Focus On These 3 Executive Branding Steps

Now that you have the philosophical down, it’s time to get creative. Here are the three areas you should lean into as you craft your executive brand.

1. Crafting A Compelling Résumé

Your résumé is often the first formal introduction to your executive brand. It’s not just a list of jobs; it’s a strategic document that tells your leadership story.

1. Executive Summary: Craft a powerful opening statement that encapsulates your brand. Highlight your unique value proposition (yes, you have one!) and set the tone for the rest of the résumé.

2. Achievement-Focused Content: Instead of listing job duties, showcase specific outcomes from those duties that demonstrate your leadership impact. Use metrics to add credibility to each.

3. Leadership Competencies: You’re the expert, so showcase it! Highlight key executive skills you’ve excelled in, like strategic planning, change management and team development.

4. Industry Expertise: Demonstrate your deep understanding of your sector. Include any relevant thought leadership activities, speaking engagements or publications—and don’t be afraid to mention that you’re available for more.

Remember, your résumé should be a living document, evolving as your career progresses and your brand develops. Think of it as a garden you’re tending to, not a concrete slab (or a tombstone!).

2. Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile

LinkedIn is your digital handshake. It’s where your executive brand comes to life in the professional world—and even if you don’t think it matters, those with the keys to future opportunities do! (Ten million C-suite execs are active on LinkedIn!)

1. Professional Photo And Banner: Use a high-quality, professional headshot and a banner image that reflects your industry or personal brand.

2. Compelling Headline: Go beyond your job title. Use this space to succinctly communicate your value proposition.

3. Engaging ‘About’ Section: Tell your professional story. What drives you? What unique perspective do you bring to your industry?

4. Featured Section: Showcase your thought leadership through articles, presentations or media appearances.

5. Activity And Engagement: Regularly share insights, comment on industry trends and engage with your network. Remember, consistency is key to building your online presence.

6. Recommendations: Cultivate meaningful recommendations that speak to your leadership qualities and impact. Don’t be afraid to reach out and collect these—they’re like buried diamonds.

3. Developing Your Leadership Narrative

Your leadership narrative is the thread that ties all elements of your executive brand together. It’s the story that makes you memorable and relatable—connecting your impact in the industry and the passion and purpose behind your work.

Here’s how you can start building it:

1. Identify Your ‘Why’: What motivates you as a leader? What values drive your decisions? What’s your ultimate purpose for getting up each day?

2. Define Your Leadership Style: Are you a transformational leader? A servant leader? Articulate what makes your approach unique and sprinkle in examples of it in action.

3. Highlight Pivotal Moments: What experiences shaped your leadership journey? These could be challenges overcome, lessons learned or key decisions made.

4. Future Vision: Where do you see yourself and your industry heading? Sharing your vision positions you as a forward-thinking leader.

5. Authenticity Is Key: While crafting your narrative, ensure it remains true to who you are. Authenticity resonates and builds trust.

Are You Actively Writing Your Story?

Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you. Start today by implementing these strategies so doors can open, connections can deepen and your influence can expand.

Your unique voice and vision have the power to inspire change and drive success—and the business world is ready for your story. Are you ready to tell it?

Feature Image Credit: getty

By Katie Britton

Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Katie Britton, CPRW, NCOPE, CEO of Finesse Leadership Services, transforms C-Suite careers globally. Read Katie Britton’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

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6 Worst Marketing Campaigns of All Time

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By Michelle Hawley

Explore six infamous marketing blunders, their impacts and crucial lessons to enhance your brand strategy.

 

The Gist

  • Brand sensitivity. Effective campaigns require a deep understanding of cultural and social sensitivities.
  • Quality integrity. Maintaining product quality should not be compromised for cost-saving measures.
  • Legal awareness. Advertisements must align with industry regulations to avoid legal repercussions and damage to credibility.

Have you ever seen an ad that ridiculously missed the mark, alienating customers or causing a massive drop in sales?

Some of these gaffes are so bad that it’s hard to believe they’re real. But they are. And we can certainly learn a thing or two from them.

1. Fiat’s Anonymous Love Letters

Back in 1994, Italian carmaker Fiat decided to send out 50,000 anonymous love letters to young women in Spain.

The personally addressed letters on pink paper included gems like: “Yesterday we saw each other again. We met on the street, and I noticed how you glanced interestedly in my direction. I only need to be with you for a couple of minutes, and even if it doesn’t work out, I promise you won’t forget our little experience together.”

Fiat’s plan was to send a follow-up letter around six days later, revealing the “admirer” to be the new Fiat Cinquecento. Before that could happen, however, the women began to feel scared, imagining a stalker tracking their every move. Some locked themselves in their apartments, while others would only leave home in the presence of male company. Married women who received the letters also said the campaign caused jealousy issues in their relationships.

Ultimately, Fiat ended up getting sued, had to pay fines and followed up the ad campaign with apology letters.

The Lesson: 

This is one of those campaigns that makes you scratch your head and wonder how it passed multiple levels of approval. “We thought is was a fun campaign aimed at the independent, modern working woman,” a Fiat spokesman said at the time.

But did they consult any independent, modern working women for the campaign? Likely not, because Fiat would have quickly learned that anonymous letters from someone secretly watching you is creepy, not flattering or exciting. It signals a massive miss for Fiat in understanding its target audience.

2. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign

In 2017, Dove released a three-second “Real Beauty” ad, where a black woman turns into a white woman after using the brand’s body lotion.

The ad sparked a ton of controversy online. Many called the spot racist, and it spurred hashtags like #DoneWithDove and #DoveMustFall. Others, however, argued the ad was not racist, and instead was an attempt to be diverse and show off different models.

Dove later pulled the ad from Facebook and released an apology on Twitter. “An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of colour thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offence it caused,” the company wrote.

The Lesson: 

“Dove has had numerous ads over the years that cannot be mistaken for anything other than racist,” said Mara Einstein, professor at Queens College, City University of New York.

“Similar to the ad where the Black woman turns white, there was a print ad that suggested that being Black was the ‘before’ and being white was the ‘after.’ Hard to interpret that any other way.”

To avoid making racist, misogynistic or simply juvenile advertising mistakes, explained Einstein, marketers have to take the time to vet their content. “This doesn’t have to be overly expensive or time consuming and it will save them from agita in the long run.”

As for demonstrating values, she added, it’s time for companies to stop with purpose and deal with impact. “If what you are doing isn’t helping the planet or your people — employees, customers, community — then take a seat.”

3. Lifelock’s CEO Gives Out His Social Security Number

Have you ever heard of LifeLock? You might have seen the commercial where the company’s CEO, Todd Davis, gives out his social security number on TV, claiming the company’s product is so air-tight that he has nothing to worry about.

You might remember that his social was splattered across many billboards.

If you think that seemed like a stupid idea at the time, you would have been right. Because Davis had his identity stolen at least 13 times since 2007.

One criminal in Georgia, for instance, used it to rack up more than $2,300 worth of phone calls. And debt collectors sought out another $3,700+ from people other than Davis using the number.

In 2008, credit bureau Experian sued LifeLock, accusing it of deception and fraud in its advertising campaign. And two years later, the FTC levied $100 million in fines against the identity theft prevention company for deceptive advertising and failure to secure consumers’ personal information.

The Lesson: 

This should be a no brainer — the claims your company makes should line up with what you’re able to deliver. Overpromising can lead to significant credibility damage and legal troubles if the product doesn’t perform as advertised.

LifeLock’s campaign also ran afoul of legal standards, leading to lawsuits and hefty fines. It highlights the importance of having a good grasp of industry regulations and laws. Especially in cases like this, where the brand tried to stand out with a unique form of marketing, it’s important to work with legal teams to understand the boundaries of what can be promised and claimed in advertisements to avoid legal repercussions.

4. Bloomingdale’s Spike Your Best Friend’s Eggnog Ad

Out of touch marketers? Seems to be a trend.

Bloomingdales faced criticism when they released a campaign featuring a man and woman with the caption: “Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.”

Bloomingdales ad with the slogan: Spike your best friend’s eggnog when they’re not looking.

 

Now, this wasn’t the 1960s (though that still wouldn’t be a good excuse). This was 2015, when the conversation around date rape culture was in full swing. These were conversations people were having online, in schools, etc.

But apparently Bloomingdales didn’t get the memo.

The company later issued an apology, with one tweet saying, “We heard your feedback about our catalogue copy, which was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale’s sincerely apologizes.”

The Lesson: 

“It’s crucial to thoroughly understand not just demographic data, but the societal and cultural contexts that might affect the reception of your campaign,” said Tenyse Williams, digital marketing adjunct instructor specialist at Columbia University, George Washington University and the University of Central Florida.

What could Bloomingdales have done better? Some steps Williams pointed to include:

  • A pre-release review process that involved multiple layers of approval
  • Sensitivity and implication training for the marketing team
  • Real-time monitoring and feedback implementation once the campaign went live

“These steps are not just about crisis management but about proactive engagement and ethical reflection in the creation and launch of advertising campaigns,” explained Williams. “By integrating these practices brands like Bloomingdale’s can avoid major missteps and align more closely with both ethical standards and public sentiment.”

5. Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad

A lot of headlines in 2017 featured the Black Lives Matters protests. People were talking about issues surrounding race, equality, police violence and more. For some reason, Pepsi decided it was the ideal time to release their Kendall Jenner ad.

In the commercial, the socialite walks out into the protest and immediately defuses tensions by handing a police officer a can of Pepsi.

Naturally, people were mad. Many accused the brand of trivializing the protests and downplaying the deaths caused by police.

“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding,” the company wrote on Twitter. “Clearly, we missed the mark and apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are pulling the content and halting any further rollout. We also apologize for putting Kendall Jenner in this position.”

The Lesson: 

Marketers should think about the context of their ads and how they will be seen by their intended audience, said Mindy Weinstein, founder and CEO of Market MindShift and author of “The Power of Scarcity.”

In the case of the Kendall Jenner ad, said Weinstein, Pepsi didn’t consider the seriousness of the social issue it used. Testing ads with a diverse group of people can help avoid marketing mistakes and will give insight into how the ads are being interpreted, she added.

“I’ve noticed that marketing campaigns that lack sensitivity to social issues, misjudge audience values, oversimplify complex matters, and fail to predict public reaction are the ones that become the biggest blunders,” Weinstein explained. “They fail to understand and respect the audience’s context, values, and current social climate. That is a recipe for a marketing disaster.”

6. The Schlitz Mistake

Up until 1977, the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company was America’s largest brewer. And its flagship beer, Schlitz, was coined as the “beer that made Milwaukee famous.”

So what happened?

For starters, the brand made a number of poor decisions — like using cheaper ingredients and attempting to shorten the beer’s brewing time with a process called accelerated batch fermentation.

The nail in the coffin, however, was a series of bizarre commercials titled “Drink Schlitz or I’ll Kill You.” The ads featured people like a fictional boxer or a lumberjack with a pet cougar. When an off-screen voice would ask if they’d like to try a beer other than Schlitz, they’d respond with odd comments like, “You want to take away my Schlitz? My gusto? …You’re gonna be down for the count so long, they’re gonna use a calculator.”

The ads were a huge failure, with the company pulling them off the air — and firing their ad men — 10 weeks after they first went live.

Sales dropped, with the company taking more than $1.4 million in losses in 1976 — the equivalent of $6.3 million in 2020. By 1981, Schlitz closed its Milwaukee brewery. The downfall became so infamous that it even earned a name: the “Schlitz mistake.”

The Lesson: 

Schlitz made the fateful decision to change its brewing process and use cheaper ingredients, compromising the quality of the beer and alienating customers who expected a certain standard.

But the true lesson here is in understanding brand and audience alignment. The “Drink Schlitz or I’ll Kill You” campaign is a textbook example of a marketing message that missed the mark in terms of audience expectations and the brand’s heritage.

Schlitz’s attempt to use humour and hyperbole came off as aggressive and bizarre, rather than appealing. It’s a story of marketers forgetting to make campaigns resonate with audience’s values and perceptions, and keeping messaging consistent with the brand’s established image.

It’s also a case that calls for testing prior to the ad’s launch to gauge audience reactions. Had Schlitz tested their ads with focus groups or smaller markets, they might have discovered the negative reactions and adjusted their approach accordingly. Schlitz could still be a beer that we all drink and talk about today.

Beyond Marketing Blunders: Building a Lasting Legacy

The consequences of a poorly conceived ad campaign can extend far beyond at temporary drop in sales or a fleeting PR headache. These marketing missteps above point to a deeper, more systemic issue within the sphere of marketing — a frequent disconnect between how brands perceive themselves and the realities of public perception.

For marketers, the challenge is not just to avoid the next big blunder, but to actively contribute to a legacy of respect, integrity and genuine engagement with audiences. The question should not be: How can the next campaign avoid controversy? It should be: How will it reaffirm the brand’s place in the lives and values of consumers?

By Michelle Hawley

Michelle Hawley is an experienced journalist who specializes in reporting on the impact of technology on society. As a senior editor at Simpler Media Group and a reporter for CMSWire and Reworked, she provides in-depth coverage of a range of important topics including employee experience, leadership, customer experience, marketing and more. With an MFA in creative writing and background in inbound marketing, she offers unique insights on the topics of leadership, customer experience, marketing and employee experience. Michelle previously contributed to publications like The Press Enterprise and The Ladders. She currently resides in Pennsylvania with her two dogs.

Sourced from CMSWIRE

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Lego’s vibrant new brand identity feels both nostalgic and timeless

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By Joe Foley

We all know the Lego logo, but beyond that core brand asset, our favourite purveyor of coloured building bricks has been a little inconsistent in its branding. That’s changing with the launch of a full brand identity built in-house brick-by-brick.

Covering physical products and digital, the playful new branding takes advantage of the recognisable form of Lego bricks to construct both digital and physical assets with an emphasis on learning through play. After the recent Lego AI controversy, it seems like a good idea to make sure everyone’s on message with a cohesive design language.

Feature Image credit: Lego

By Joe Foley

Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.

Sourced from Creative Bloq

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31 Actionable Tips For Promoting Your Business On LinkedIn

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By Kandia Johnson

Whether you’re looking to establish yourself as a thought leader, recruit staff, or connect with key influencers, LinkedIn is a powerful branding tool for businesses.

Whether you’re looking to establish yourself as a thought leader, recruit staff, or connect with key influencers, LinkedIn is a powerful branding tool for businesses. And with more than 800 million members globally, there’s an incredible opportunity to expand your company’s reach.

TO MAXIMIZE ON LINKEDIN, CHECK OUT THE BUSINESS TIPS BELOW:

WeKinFolk, social media, LINKEDIN
via istock
  1. Before a presentation, update your LinkedIn profile; attendees will review it to assess your credibility.
  2. Transform a generic link to your website into a call to action, especially on company profiles.
  3. Create entries for every role you have performed within each job title. It’s OK to have overlapping dates.
  4. Share high-quality information with your network to create connections that become alliances.
  5. The ideal length for LinkedIn long-form posts is 500 to 1,200 words. Tailor the length for your audience.
  6. Skip the “How do you know this person” step. Click “Connect from search results instead of profiles.
  7. Want another user or company to see your LinkedIn status updates? Use @mentions when you post.
  8. Don’t be a wallflower. Your profile is 5x more likely to be viewed if you join and are active in groups.
  9. When introducing yourself, don’t be self-centered. Be generous, genuine, and focus on the other person.
  10. Looking for a new job on LinkedIn? Don’t let your boss know; turn off your activity broadcasts.
  11. LinkedIn users who update their profiles regularly get more job offers than peers who contact recruiters.
follow up, email, contact, birthdays, small stuff, LinkedIn, message, conversation point
(Photo: Katleho Seisa/Getty Images)
  1. Censor yourself. If you wouldn’t say it in a job interview, don’t say it in a LinkedIn group or post.
  2. Schedule time to be active on LinkedIn. Review your profile, monitor updates, and participate in discussions.
  3. Evernote and LinkedIn integrate and can organize business cards, LinkedIn info, and networking notes in one place.
  4. Use your LinkedIn profile as a sales tool. Add a short video about your company to your profile.
  5. Add value to LinkedIn groups: share visual presentations that will interest group members.
  6. Profiles with pictures are 14x more likely to be viewed. Use a professional image with a neutral background.
  7. Avoid profile buzzwords, such as creative and motivated. Minimize adjectives. Emphasize verbs.
  8. Don’t use the automated invitation message: “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”
  9. LinkedIn has found that 20 posts per month can help you reach 60% of your unique audience.
  10. The best times to post on LinkedIn are Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. local time.
  11. Company updates with images have a 98% higher comment rate than updates without images.
social media, employees, office, guidelines, policies,
(Photo: PeopleImages/Getty Images)
  1. You are unique. Prove it. Use a creative headline instead of defaulting to your current job title.
  2. Help recruiters, prospects, and potential partners find you; use keywords throughout your LinkedIn profile.
  3. Successful LinkedIn content often provides ready-to-use takeaways in a list format.
  4. Endorse people you respect. Send a thank-you message when someone endorses you.
  5. List volunteer experience on LinkedIn; 42% of hiring managers value it as much as formal job experience.
  6. LinkedIn groups provide one of the best personal branding opportunities you have with social media.
  7. Are you struggling to fill a role in your company? Instead of hiring a recruiter, consider joining LinkedIn’s Recruiter service.
  8. Share original content; “content is now viewed six times more than jobs-related activity on LinkedIn.”
  9. Use visuals; embed SlideShare presentations and infographics into your profile and long-form posts.

Feature Image Credit: Getty

By Kandia Johnson

Sourced from Black Enterprise

 

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