What Is Marketing & Brand Strategy?

I am currently fascinated by the dynamic creativity in the marketing industry at the moment. Gone are the days where companies are playing it safe, and now look to push the boundaries on a fearless new frontier of advertising.

I recently came across a 3 minute clip on YouTube by Jared Foster called, “What is Marketing & Brand Strategy?” I would like to share this with you in blog format. Although my written version is not nearly as powerful as the video, there are some interesting and inspiring points about the concept of a brand that we should always look to deepen and evolve, whether it is our own or one we work for.

WHAT IS MARKETING & BRAND STRATEGY?

“Brands are everywhere. Brand is not logo, corporate identity, advertising, or marketing. Brand is confidence, passion, belonging action, security and a unique set of values.

Originally, from the 1650’s onwards, branding was for cattle as a stamp of ownership. Later, brands were burned on wooden cases serving as a guarantee of good source and good quality.

Brands are big business. Take the story of Coca-Cola for example:

In 2010 Coca-Cola was valued at $70,452,000,000 which is more than the total GDP of Bolivia, Kenya and Bahrain combined! In the year 1886, only 9 coke bottles were sold. And in 2010, Coca-Cola sold 1,600,000,000 – enough for every person in London to drink 206 cokes, each day!

Many things can be branded – products, services, people, places and religions. Brands can take your company and your customers to new places. Think of Virgin and it’s phenomenon as a brand expanding into multiple mass media industries.

 “When people use your brand as a verb, that is remarkable.” – Meg Whitman

Google it. Skype your family. Photoshop that picture.

Brands guarantee quality, evoke desire and help us belong. But now brands work in a different way. Brands are finding information (Google), sharing films (YouTube), selling goods (EBay), making friends (Facebook) and adding to knowledge (Wikipedia) in ways we could never before. These brands say, “Use Me!”

So… brands are now yours! You make them and unmake them. They mean what you say they mean. Brands have belonged to farmers, manufacturers, advertisers and organisations. And now you!”

To watch this clip on YouTube, click here.

For your creative partner in brand development, look to the team at Simply Graphic!