Is The Magic Gone From Branding?
The word branding is everywhere these days. It has become a buzz word present in most business conversations. And it seems like there's actually a fair amount of understanding behind the term. People have been educated and understand that the logo is absolutely a huge part of a brand, but it's nothing more than a figure head with an entire organization of branding components at work underneath.I've heard concern from others who specialize in branding like TIV does. They're concerned that the mystique is no longer there. And without the sense of magic, how are branding companies meant to charge appropriate fees? What will they use to justify the cost if clients already know what goes into branding a product or company?I have the opposite opinion. To me saying companies will devalue branding because they understand it is comparable to saying people will start building their own cars because they understand the internal combustion engine. If anything, the knowledge of branding and all that goes into creating a memorable brand has increased the need for companies like TIV who not only put that knowledge to work, but do so to great effect.We've entered an era of truthful marketing. I wrote about the key to marketing to millennials in another blog. It's honesty. It's not making up a story, it's telling the story your brand lives and breathes everyday. So the fact that people have decoded branding is only natural. We don't want to be fooled into liking something. We want to be told why a brand is incredible and decide whether or not we agree.OpenTable went through a recent rebrand. And rather than just launch a new logo and try to convince everyone how great it is, they put the entire thinking behind the rebrand on their website for everyone to see. Talk about eliminating the mystique. But talk about truth in marketing, too.When it comes down to it, people who think that just because they understand what goes into the process means they shouldn't have to properly compensate people who are great at branding are not clients any of us are looking for anyhow.
- Brandt Hoekenga