Price for everything, and the value for nothing

“More Than 40% of Americans Use Facebook Every Day”, “1 Out of 4 People Friend-Request Before the First Date”, and “How Can Twitter Make It Easier to Report Hate Speech?” is only a few out of dozens articles about how social media are changing the way we live our life today. All people are trying to cope up with the changes, entrepreneurs race to invent the new ‘it’ thing, and all companies has gone ape shiz trying to be the leader of the pack.  

If you take a moment to stop and think; those endless efforts, articles, tips and tricks, research insights is trying to tell you one thing: “How can we leverage our strengths, and maintain our relevancy?” isn’t it? Though it is not incorrect, but it will not sustain and it will only worn you out eventually. The way I see it, it should go beyond leveraging strengths and maintain relevancy, and start figuring out how could we build a better engagement instead.

en·gage·ment

noun \in-ˈgāj-mənt, en-\

a : the act of engaging : the state of being engaged

b : emotional involvement or commitment <seesaws between obsessive engagement and ambiguous detachment — Gary Taylor>

Notice the emotional involvement and commitment word there? Yes, engagement should not be only about what the company tells to the people, instead the company should shows it commitments and galvanize public’s emotional involvement.

Before anything else, a company should be able to listen what the people are trying to say, and be able to understand what are the longings and expectations are. Once they understood the ‘who, what, why, when, and where”, then they are understood how to connect and be relevant in creating the conversation with people. By the time a flowing conversation with the public is established, emotional involvement starting to develop, and all magic could happen (metaphorically speaking of course).  This is where you as a company could deepen the emotional involvement through encouraging participation, and together create and co-create stories that you would like to share it with others.

Take example of the brilliant Heineken’s The Candidate campaign that won 2013 Cannes Lions, Gold Lion PR award. Heineken’s understood, as world’s leading beer manufacturing company, its every guys (some girls) dream to be able to join their company. From thousands of applicants, same interview questions, and its prepared answers; how can they choose the best of them all then?  

This campaign identified understood how to be connects and be relevant to people in starting the conversation, simply creating a job interview with a twist. Then Heineken take it further from connecting with people, and deepening people’s emotional involvement through the vote for the best candidate.

You see, simplest way to do things right is by 1) Listening, 2) Understanding, 3) Participating, 4) Create and Co-creating. And always be appreciative and sincere in every step of the way, let people embrace and feel valued.

Feel free to leave comments below, and let me know what you guys think,

Tha! xx FNW 

Meeting the legend.

Having huge admiration for Starbucks as a company is one thing, and meeting the man responsible for all the game-changing strategy is another thing. I have the opportunity to meet the legendary Howard Schultz last month during his trip to Indonesia. And I got to say, he left a huge impression that enough to make me awestruck for a week (even now, I still can’t believe I met ‘the man’).

Back then,as a marketing student, i have to learn and observe many companies and brands strategies; Starbucks is one of the companies that we discussed in class quite often (and often featured in my assignments).  Listening to Howard Schultz’s speech in the Ministry of Trade Republic of Indonesia feels like a ‘refresh’ button for me. In his speech he mentions about what separates greatness and mediocrity, and the answer is simple, Consistency. Being consistent in delivering the best, growing, and innovating; it will make a difference (eventually, consistency does not have the five-seconds-of-fame kind of impact, yet it gives you the hard-work-pays-off kind of  feeling).

Having said that, I reflect what he said on Starbucks, and now I finally understand why they are awarded the fifth most admired companies by Fortune magazine. They consistently delivering what their promises, to “inspire and nurture human spirit”, which it is clearly shows through all facets of the company’s strategy. From the ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship, to community involvement, and do I need to emphasize their culture? Do you notice their culture the moment you step into one of their store? It’s the baristas, the employees that makes Starbucks an outstanding brand. 

I think, it simply a great case study for my previous post that indicates that brand is about consistency in every corner of your corporate representation.  As for Starbucks, their strategy is not a mere business tactics, but instead, it is their commitment to really inspire and nurture people to not just being the bystander, but being involved to a change, a change for a better things ahead.

That’s what I admire the most from Howard Schultz and Starbucks.

Feel free to leave comments below, and let me know what you guys think,

Tha! xxFNW

The generation Y-bother ?

Courtesy to tumblr.com

It has been a while since my last blog post, as i have been caught up with stuffs lately, but i have been aching to ask this though; Have you ever think that the world getting much scarier than before? Thanks to the ‘social’ advancements, we got to experience the dramatic alterations to our lives before we even notice it was changed.

When I was a kid, my parents always encouraged me to play outside, socialize with other kids, and use my imagination even more. But now, how many kids these days holding their own iPad, glued to computer games and could not be bothered to look people in the eyes when they are talking? A lot. Well, maybe the world has changed, these ‘social’ advancements has bring forth a new generations, a generations that even I was scared of; the generation Y-bother.

People may call it the screenagers, the generation z, the iGeneration, but I call it the generation Y-bother. Why? Because the now generation are much more impatience than before, the digital content that available almost immediately all the time translated into the real world, making memory is something that only found in a hard drive; when you need any information, just google it.

The generation Y-bother’s brain is hyper alert to multiple streams of information; the brain might be sharp, but the depths of understanding towards wider context and attention are blunted. Not only the attention and understanding can be shallow, but these wide access to information removing the necessity for direct human interactions, breeding the generation that prefers to deal with machine than human.

You and I may be part of this generation too! Let me ask you this, how many times in a day did you check your friends activities on facebook or check out their tweets instead of talking to them directly? These networks give you the ambient awareness or intimacy in a way that you wouldn’t usually have access to, because time and space make it impossible. Not only that it reshaping the time and proximity, but it also give us the power to be able to personalized and distribute information easily creating more focus on our selves, and heighten the need to assert our individuality; making commitments seems impossible, as this generation believe that better things that suited them will always come up.

As a marketer it is crucial to understand the people, understand what is going on now in the world. Everything has changed. The instant gratification and the ambient intimacy that rapid streams of information had given, making the twenty first century generation is lack of resilience and believes that if everything goes wrong, all they should do is press a button, and they could go back to first attempt.

This is why the generation Y-bother is scary. Even I was scared of what I will become after all these changes. I think, all we have to do is just embrace it. As Andre Gide says “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore“

Ready to embrace? What do you guys think?

Leave comments below,

'Till then,

Tha! xx

Obama's way of telling his story.

Got to say, Obama always have a great campaign team!
What a great storytelling video.


To be honest, i am sold.





tha!xx

Appeal more to the heart (Branding for NGOs)

It is undeniable that branding has such an immense power over the success of one organization. Branding seems a lot simpler when the tangible product to offer, place to display, and price for it all are available. And what about Non-governmental Organizations? Do they still need branding? The answer is: YES.

NGOs are powerful influence shaping the markets and establishments of policies, as well as means to raise awareness for societal issues. Though NGOs does not give the impressions to have all the marketing mix components (4Ps) for them to need branding, but in fact, they need branding as much as any other organizations. NGOs flourish on trust and reliance, which require them to develop a strong emotional and social bond to public and specific groups for them to win over. The well establish emotional bond and trust are the key determining factor in Non-governmental environments as they are aiming more on raising awareness, initiate actions, and fund-raising rather than profit.

A portion of NGOs success is determined by the way specific groups perceive your organization; in this case, the specific groups are potential donors for the organization. The right branding allows NGOs to distinct themselves from others and attains awareness, emotional bond, and capability to raise fund for the organization from these specific groups and public; as I believe that NGOs should never be a ‘crowd pleaser’. It suppose to stay true to the cause it serves and the value its build on.

Branding for NGOs, I believe should be more like storytelling. Not just it is the perfect branding tool, as it is unique and memorable, but it is also shareable. Great stories told often have to be able consistently engage the audience imagination and authentic, this authenticity that helps to generate trust and credibility. Because donors not only have to choose which organization to support, but they would want to know why they should support your organization, and has your organization are available for the right cause. Being transparent in every decision made is another way to gain credibility not only to potential donors, but the public at the same time.

When you gain the connection and trust from the public and donors, as a NGOs, important for you to be able to make promise that are bold and audacious, because it could affect the public’s impression of the whole story that you are telling. It is either exceptional or it is not worth listening to. Take an example of PETA, they are vocal in expressing their support for animal rights. They have successfully making statement in the society through engaging celebrities’ spokesperson for number of their campaigns/PSA and act of throwing paint/flour to the fur wearer.

Apart from making the right impression through the promise, the promise has to appeal not to logic, rather it appeal to senses. As NGOs not only have to appeal and motivate the public and donors, but it have to appeal and motivate the volunteers to work at the same time. Therefore brand alignment is critical, where it is the ability to deliver your promise and story, and doing what you say you is going to do; and integrate it to the whole organization.

The increasing emphasize for people to be more socially aware and responsible, goes without saying with the increasing number of NGOs. When there are more NGOs, there are more voices trying to persuade people to their causes, budding the importance of NGOs to manage their brand perceptions and alignment to distinct themselves against other. While it is true that each NGOs has specific niche market to cater, but strong brand for NGOs will help to complement the available resources, funding-donors, and most suitable individuals for each cause communicated. 

Some say, "Look lovingly & dive deeply into what life brings your way. There's no end to the real value you'll discover."

What do you think? Have NGOs effectively told their stories and appeal more to stakeholder's senses?

Leave a comment below, and Tell me what you think.

'till then, Tha!xxx

Talk less, show'em some love.

Many believe that Branding and Advertising may generate the same impact: awareness. So, if the outcome is identical, then why waste million-dollar into branding? Why not just develop a TV commercial and gain million viewers at the same time? I tell you what; what others may believe might not always be right.

There are more and more companies spending gazillion money, time and efforts to produce one advertisement that creates a boom in the market without really having a lasting impact. Advertising may give you a maximum exposure at a relatively short amount of time. But, could it build trust and loyalty? I don’t think so.

Let me start with the ultimate question: What is a Brand? As I have previously discussed in 'I am more that what you see' post, Brand is holistic unification of a company’s strategies with their operations, and how you communicate it in the eyes of the public; it is the whole story of your company and what your company is all about. Whilst Advertising is in its juxtaposition to branding, where it helps you to communicate and giving exposure of the story and message of your brand through mass media. 

Advertising is one of the ways to communicate your message as a brand; but advertising itself could not create one brand. Branding is not just an overnight sensation; it takes steady growth and consistency in the way you behave over time to earn trust and love of people.

Take an example of the simplest most beloved brand in the world: Starbucks. All their employees knows how to ‘behave’; all their trainings, the benefits of being part of the company, and their sense of solidarity through fair trade coffee served – generate a different approach on how they should ‘behave’ being a Starbucks employee.

It shows how, if you understand your brand – its values, its mission, its reason for being- and integrate it consistently into everything you do, your entire organization will know how to behave in virtually and all situations.

Therefore, through branding, it gives a consistency for the whole company that guides behavior and quality, over time, builds trust. Advertising, if it is any good, should help to confirm what already is, not what should be.  

Think of it like this: “Advertising is shouting. While Branding is whispering; when you whisper, people lean forward.”

So, do you shout or whisper?

Sound off below, and tell me what you think!

'till then,tha!xx

Be Yourself, Everyone else is taken...

The key sucess factor of every company lies on how do they differentiate themselves against others. It is crucial to know exactly how you are unique or different  compared to others, especially in the early stage of a business development, as it is more complicated to change public’s perception about your business when it is developed. However, it is important to bear in mind that not changing public’s perception that matters, but adjusting the perceptions that already existed in the public’s mind and personalize it into your own brand that counts.

One of biggest drivers of a sucess in brand personalization is to own a unique Attribute or Concept. Take an example of Google own ‘search’ or Facebook with ‘like’ and ‘poke’. It has becoming a word on their own, and that’s their brand. The most significant brand that invent and owned their personal concept is Apple with their ‘i’ series. The word ‘i’ symbolizes everything that Apple embodies; form innovation, ideas until personalization of every product like iPad (i am Pad) that has been an undefeatable pioneer in their own product category.

However, having our own concept itself will not sustain the life of the brand if it is not supported by asking ourselves :

“What are we doing as an organization to motivate our customers and to feed their hungers and desires?”

Abraham Maslow define that there are five stages in human hierachy of needs: Physyiological, Safety, Sense of Belonging, Self- Esteem, and Self Actualization. Harley Davidson is an excellent example of a brand that has created their own concept and it is aimed to motivate their customers, as well as feed their hunger and desires.

Established in 1903 by William Harley and Arthur Davidson with a racer motorcycle in mind. And today, Harley Davidson has become a cultural icon and had attracted people who loved its bad-boy mystique, powerfulness, rumbling voice, distinctive roar, and toughness; as well as own the word ‘bad boy’ and ‘manly’ as their brand. They have suceed to build a unique selling point or concept that are able to gain extraordinary loyalty from their customers, through developing a worldwide community that valued the experience of riding a Harley Davidson more than the product itself; which feed human basic needs of belonging and esteem.

At the end of the day, the key importance of building a brand strategy lies not only in the capability of developing a concept of your own that differentiates you against others. But the unique concept have to motivate or inspire the customers and satisfy their basic emotional needs at the same time.

Reference:

Trout,J. (2012, March 19th). Brand Strategy: Lessons Learned. Branding Strategy Insider (http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com). Retrieved at 21st March 2012.