Applause (3rd) (SPA)

Esta vez el aplauso es en español. No solo porque la campaña que se lleva la tercera felicitación de BRAND-IN-G es española, sino porque hay que serlo para que se te erice el cabello con esta bella historia patrocinada por Campofrío.

Y es que este anuncio no es un anuncio. La marca Campofrío es una mera excusa para contarnos un cuento de esperanza. Un cuento de esos que un padre susurra sentado en la cama al hijo que ha tenido un mal día en el colegio.

La maldita crisis es un nuestro mal día en el colegio, y necesitamos la esperanza de saber que no es para tanto, y que tener confianza en que todo va a ir a mejor es el primer paso para que realmente ocurra.

Coca-cola también intentó subirnos el moral hace un tiempo, y lo sigue intentando en concordancia con su línea de comunicación basada en la felicidad. La campaña "Razones para creer en un mundo mejor", de ser actual, bien podría merecer otro aplauso.

Pero además este aplauso a Campofrío no lo estoy dando sólo yo. Habiendo sido estrenado esta misma semana. El anuncio ya está “on fire” en las redes sociales. Es lógico, a todo el mundo le gusta el mensaje que transmite y la historia está genialmente contada.

Como amante del humor reconozco, además, que me toca en el fondo del corazón este conmovedor homenaje al gran padre del humor en España, Don Miguel Gila. Y más si éste consigue reunir a tantos grandes humoristas.

La marca aparece muy poco en los dos minutos y medio que dura la versión completa del spot, y aún así es muy probable que el éxito de esta campaña se vea reflejado en las ventas de Campofrío, que ya no es una más de las marcas de embutido de este país, porque ahora nos cae bien.

Brandin-4G and the "SMART-use-of-the-PHONE" movement

The downloading and usage of Smartphone applications have rocketed in the last 2 years, from being just a far-off novelty, to become our daily bread. And this trend is going to continue for the next years⁽¹⁾. In February a survey said that more than 70% of smartphones users had up to 30 apps⁽²⁾, which means nowadays they might be even more.

All this information is enough reason for companies for trying to use this new platform to offer their content -audiovisual companies-, to reach more clients and reach them better -services companies- and to interact and get publicity -any company in search for branding-. This is why “mobile marketing” is now one of the focuses for advertisers, publicists and media planners. All they try to find the way to get a share of the time consumers spend nowadays in front of this small screen.

But now, I put on the consumer hat, and see how we spend the time that we pass in front of our phones. And, at the same time I see some great advantages of using Smartphone applications, I also realize of some hazards when using them.

For example, WhatsApp is so useful and widespread that saves us from the insane charges for SMS messages⁽³⁾. But on the other hand, more that 1 billion messages are sent each day by this medium⁽⁴⁾, which means a huge amount of time spent texting someone that is not with us, and this is done many times accompanied by someone.

Many times we have the impolite habit of using our Smartphone apps when being with other people, this commercial (that surprisingly comes from a Mobile Operator) shows how all this takes a toll on us.

By far, most used apps are Social Networks and games⁽⁵⁾, which means that the time while going by train or bus, that we used to spend on reading, studying or just reflecting on our lives, now we use is to play Angry birds or look pictures and comment of “friends”.

Research shows that Facebook is the most popular Smartphone app among Android users in the U.S.⁽⁶⁾ (and I think probably in the rest of the world as well). That is, being all the time in front of our computers “connected” with our friends is not enough? How often we don’t meet in person with our friends because we “don’t have time”?

Technology should be a weapon to enjoy more our lives, not to become zombies that live through it. This is the main thought of the new movement “SMART-use-of-the-PHONE”, an initiative to support the responsible use of Smartphones and apps, making the best of all its potential but refusing to waste our lives looking to a phone screen. We all should think about it.

(1)- http://www.vecdis.es/?p=1664 (Spanish)

(2)- http://conversations.nokia.com/2011/02/01/build-up-your-appitype/

(3)- http://gearburn.com/2011/09/whatsapp-rocks-and-will-kill-sms/

(4)- http://www.bgr.com/whatsapp-users-send-over-1-billion-messages-each-day/

(5)- http://www.marketingnews.es/noticia/estudio-usuarios.html (Spanish)

(6)- http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/?p=30327&_4ee1215729884

Applause (2nd)

On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs deceased. Ater the firs days of shock and some news specials on his memory, some voices brought up the thought that, maybe, his death could mean a problem to the good results and image that Apple has had for the last years.

But Steve's death is not the real threat to them. The real (and big indeed) threat to Apple's hegemony in the field of smartphones is called SAMSUNG.

Here is their lastest TV spot:

The company from South Corea is decided to snatch them the first place in the ranking of Smartphones world sellers. And it's doing vey well. They fight the great power of Apple's brand image with good quality and much lower prices, and it seems to be bearing fruit.

This image compares they newest phones:

Despite the image, is hard to know which one is doing better in terms of product. But, in any case, the spot deserves this second Applause! Congratulations to the agency and the brand manager.

La Estrategia de Marca, un reto ineludible. (Historieta)

Me encuentro cara a cara con un león temible al que tengo que hacer frente. El león se llama "branding", estrategia de marca, y mis armas son escasas.

Recurro a los sabios consejos de dos maestros del templo. El primero, a quien conocen como Wally Olins, exclama: "Por cada gran empresa que está desarrollando una marca global y única, hay otra que está haciendo exactamente lo contrario". Matthew Healey es el otro, quien asevera: "Las grandes marcas nunca cambian, y cambian constantemente."

Me hallo perdido y contrariado, con la sensación de que todo cuanto sabía sobre tipos de marcas, segmentaciones del mercado y planificaciones de campañas no sirve para nada. Los GRPs, el ROI, las 4P’ y el CPM me suenan a bla, bla, bla...

Pido clemencia a los dioses e imploro ayuda a las musas para salir del aprieto. Y entonces ¡pum!, me cae una Manzana en la cabeza y al mirar hacia arriba leo la clave en la cita de Healey: Cambio. Y empiezo a verlo todo claro.

Apple nació con una idea que (en parte) ha permanecido, pero TODO lo demás ha cambiado. Y eso no le ha impedido representar en la psique de los consumidores una idea de creatividad rebelde que le aporta una diferenciación duradera (y hasta enamora).

"Todo lo demás ha cambiado": (De la chica rompe-dictaduras de 1984 a los smartphones pijos hay mucho trecho...)

La gestión de marcas era algo nuevo hace unas décadas. Lo nuevo nos asusta y nos lleva a  crear un orden que lo haga más sencillo y comprensible. Pero hace ya tiempo nos dimos cuenta de que el orden establecido en el mundo de la mercadotecnia no sólo estaba obsoleto, sino que además podía llegar a ser un lastre.

En el nuevo paradigma, todavía sin orden, un elemento destaca en importancia: La marca.

Pero además la marca ya no es sólo su nombre y su logo. La marca es el producto y la forma en que los consumidores lo usan. La marca es la tienda donde se vende y el vendedor que te atiende. La marca son los comentarios de un cliente satisfecho (o cabreado). La marca me cae bien por defender esa causa que me parece tan importante, o mal porque no les importa ser dañinos para su entorno (ambiental o de cualquier otro tipo). La marca es la telefonista que responde cuando llamo a Atención al Cliente, o la premura y el cariño con el que me responden si les mando un mail. La marca es una multitud de momentos de relación con el consumidor que no tienen nada que ver con la publicidad.

Entonces vi la clave: La gestión global de la marca como centro de todos los demás elementos del negocio y sin ningún miedo al cambio. Esa es la herramienta que me permitió domar al león y aprovechar toda su fuerza. Ahora ya no me da miedo.

Applause

I want to ask for a big hand to Thomas Ilum and Vogelius Zoe, two german students who had a great idea.

Just adding a really creative vinyl to the FedEx vans they "prove" the idea of the claim using one of theis main competitors: DHL

Besides, FedEx has already made some campaigns using the images of the competitors. In the USA, comparative advertising is more normal and well acepted than in many European countries. This is why FedEx is so explicit when doing this, using clearly the images of their competitors.
Here another example:

Being students, Thomas and Vogelius deserve a really big applause.

Brandin-G Bibles

For sure there are many great books about brands, branding and marketing focused on brand strategy. But since my intention here is not covering all the knowledge, but remark remarkable spots, I set out to present two books which deserve to be read by anyone interested in Branding.
“What is Branding?” by Matthew Healey, and “Wally Olins. On B®and” by, of course, Wally Olins. They are both quite different but truly interesting and educational.

Written as a story rather than a manual, Wally Olins. On Brand (of which I have the Spanish edition “B®and. Las marcas según Wally Olins”) has a critical and accurate perspective of the changing world of branding. It analyzes several parts of branding trying to give a historical vision from its origins to its possible future. Olins always keeps the personal point of view (including a touch of self-selling) that is conspicuous for not being afraid of change or nostalgic of yesteryear's branding that he helped to create.

From Wally Olins. On Brand (Olins, W. Oxfordshire, 2003): "For each company developing a global and unique corporate brand, there's another doing exactly the opposite".


On my other hand, in English this one, there is What is Branding? . It is sharply organized by topics, and completely filled of beautiful pictures and interesting evidences of all the arguments that Healy puts forward.
The book deals with the challenges when “practicing” branding, all the details to take into account when creating a brand, and a handful of examples of what to do and what not to do.

From What is Branding? (Healey, M. New York, 2008): “Great brands never change, and change constantly”.


The main point that both books share is that, for any communication (not just from business -also from nonprofit societies-, not just from organizations -also from countries-, not even just from groups -also from individuals-) brands and, therefore, branding are key elements.

Congratulations to both authors, their work may appear again in BRANDIN-G

Branding VIRAL

Las marcas y sus estrategias evolucionan a la par que evoluciona el mercado y los Públicos Objetivos a los que las marcas pretenden dirigirse. Un ejemplo es la marca Orange que, viendo el ambiente de cambio y revolución que se respira entre el público al que se dirigen, hace unos meses empezó a enfocar su comunicación de marca a ese concepto, el cambio. Ésta fué su campaña en TV, en la que la estrategia para lograr recuerdo -la repetición a todas horas- no cambió:

Bueno, pues aquí teneis una foto del graffiti que "algún gamberro" ha hecho en los paneles publicitarios de Orange que tapan una obra a pie de calle en la Puerta del Sol.

Y mi mente perversa enfocada al Branding me hace sospechar. ¿Alguno de los muchos indignados que han pasado por ahí ha tenido la ingeniosa idea de aprovechar la marca para proclamar el cambio global? ¿O algún ingenioso creativo ha tenido una genial idea para viralizar la marca en el lugar que en España simboliza el cambio político deseado por el público joven al que se dirige la marca Orange?

El hecho de que esas líneas que forman la frase "Change Global" no tachan el logo, sino que dibujan una cabeza con el logo dentro me haría decantarme, pero puede que sólo sea una simple y publicitaria coincidencia. Aún así, enhorabuena por la ingeniosa idea sin importar de quién haya sido.

Brandin-selling

It's is not really related to branding itself, but this outstanding campaign is worth to mention.

An on-line selling campaign from the company Tesco in Korea based on a very creative use of media.

The video itself explains it all. I just have to say congratulations to Cheil Worldwide, the Korean agency responsible of the campaign. (Cannes already did it with the Media Grand Prix and a Gold Lion).

A brand is not just what a company says, but also what a company does. They listened the consumers and proved it in a profitable way. With this action Tesco raised sales and gave the image of being modern and congenial. Great perks to your brand can be achieved without sending any (at least direct) message.

BrandiN-GO's

Here you can see two great campaings that use intelligence and creativity to show us an important reallity which affect us.

The first is an amazing spot that tries to make parents realize how important giving example is for children. Some years ago I heard a quote which I'm totally agree to: “Children don’t obey, but imitate”

Advising kids about the good way is far less effective than walking it.

The second campaign, more recent and less known, deals with the silence regarding women abuse. So, it deals with our fear more than with our values.

Campaigns from NGO’s are more common every day. And they are, step by step overcoming the thought that marketing, and therefore branding, are intrinsically evil.

Marketing is a weapon and, as all weapons, it makes easier the attain of an objective. And the objective of NGO’s is praiseworthy.

The best element an organization can have to make the best of Branding is a good product. NGO’s product is goodness, I cannot think of a better product.

Congratulations to these campaigns and to the NGO’s that fight the bad things of this world with powerful weapons.

BrandIN-G-life

¿How important are brands in our life?

Go a bunch of centuries back in time. Take the catholic baptism. Take the confidence and love for the bread your mum elaborates and this special dish your grandma uses to cook on special celebrations. Take the meaning these celebrations have to you. Take the master artisan that you are learning from as an apprentice. Take the novelty and their titles which you hate (but envy deep down). Take religion and all its power. Take the artists you know and their patrons. Take the guy that speaks out loud in the middle of the town’s square and its convincing skills…

Take all this, come back to today, and you’ll have brands. A huge amount of big or small, cool or boring, kind or evil, lasting or ephemeral brands that surround our lives and give them entertainment, context, and, in many cases, sense.

BRAND (part 1 of 2)

What is a Brand?

Nowadays, there is still many people that would say that a Brand is the name (and the logo) of a particular product. But this definition is as shallow as saying that your lucky shirt is just a piece of Fabric.

The same way this shirt is not only its physical components, a brand is not just a name and a logo. The proof is that, even when it seems that both are really important, logos of many brands have changed during its history, and even the names of some of them. And their essence (the feelings that they trigger inside us) remain the same.

So, can we conclude that the important part of a brand is its “essence”, that is, the ideas that surround it in our mind?

Continues in the 2nd PART >>

BRAND (part 2 of 2)

Regarding a lucky T-Shirt, obviously the important part is its “essence”. The moment when you got it, whom you got it from, the important moment when you was wearing it… in short, the confidence that you feel, and the memories you recall when you wear it.

But it happens that, one day, the shirt starts getting old, the cloth wears out and the print becomes blurred... and even when you have a big engagement with your Shirt after all those years, it’s not enough to keep wearing it in the important moments. And this can result even before the shirt gets old if you find a new shirt that you like better.

The same happens with a brand, consumers’ love can dilute, or can be replaced with something else. The difference is that brand managers are aware of this and, when it comes the time when the brand stops being a good Casanova, they just carry out a great brand makeover, changing this “essence” which seemed the cornerstone of the brand.

So, if neither its “tangible” elements nor its values and ideas are the brand’s soul, since they can be changed. Which is the key piece of the brand jigsaw?

Precisely that, the change, the flexibility to be what they want to be for whom they want to be loved by. The same as the best products are those that understand their market better, the best brands are those that understand their target better.