Mission Statement VS Branding Statement: Marketing 101
To some, the single most challenging aspect to creative advertising is drawing the line between a company's Mission and their Brand. To put it simply, your Mission is about YOU, your Brand is about the CONSUMER. Although it may seem like a simple concept to grasp, surprisingly enough, when you're in the thick of it, working with a company who bleeds their mission, making the distinction between who they are and what their consumer wants, is like ripping off an over-sized band-aid from Robin Williams' forearm.
Getting a company to let go of their mission (if only for a moment), to recognize that it relates very little to the needs of the consumer, and then allow a seemingly irrelevant brand to be broadcasted mainstream… doesn't make much sense to an organization whose sole purpose is to serve the customer. It's thinking from an entirely different perspective… like learning to write with your opposite hand. Unless you’re ambidextrous… in which case, I feel you would be very suited for the job.
So, let us bring the conversation back to Nike. As seen in the above picture, their Mission is to “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world”. Now, what does that mean to you? I mean, personally as a consumer..? Absolutely nothing. What do you care? That's what they do, and that's great for them… but what about YOU? Well, they don't tell you about their mission, now do they? This is what they say to you, Mr. Consumer… “Just DO it.” – Thinking about going on a run today..? Just do it. Thinking about going to the gym? Just do it. How about going out for a round of golf? Just do it. Thinking about buying yourself a new pair of shoes? Just do it… Oh, and by the way… why not make it Nike? I mean, after all, they are the ones telling you to get out there, aren't they? SO, why not try their stuff?
There is such a large distinction between a company's goals and what that means to those who will buy it. Nike does a great job talking directly to the consumer, inspiring them to do, and in order to DO, you might just need some Nike shoes, or one of those fancy no sweat, dry fit shirts… That is the innovative thinking that keeps you relevant. And that's what companies need to survive and achieve greatness!
So, the next time you are trying to come up with a branding statement, remember – JUST DO IT.
Prophetic Presumptions As It Pertains To Paradigm Shifts
Imagine, if you will, that all the TV shows (past and present), sitcoms, Super Bowls, etc…were all available to you simply by searching for it and pushing play. Now imagine that what I just said is happening on a 60″ flat screen, high-definition TV. Television is going to be dramatically changed forever and in the near future. Internet capable TV's will go from being gimmicky to becoming the norm and exploiting that connectivity to its fullest potential. A prospective service could even charge a monthly fee to use this service, replacing companies like Comcast, unless they too jump aboard.
Do you think it's out of the realm of possibility to eventually have integrated DVR's in your iPhone that would allow you to pause a TV show that you were watching at home and take it with you on the go? Do you remember when all a phone could do was make a phone call? All digital devices are headed toward multi-functionality.
This is a GOOD THING! Consumption of media on the go and on-demand will not only revolutionize the industry from an entertainment standpoint, but it will change the way that companies sell their goods, market their goods, and advertise. With this type of epic paradigm shift on the horizon, your business needs someone that understands all of the facets of digital media and its potential application. Mad Men Marketing has extensive experience with digital media and a comprehensive understanding of e-commerce. Let us MAKE THE FUTURE WORK FOR YOU and keep your business on the cutting edge of digital creativity.
From BoobTube to YouTube
Many of the big national advertisers are already buying into the trend of the web video appeal, and it's only a matter of time before everyone else jumps on board. It makes sense, if you think about it. Instant gratification has always been a trend in the American lifestyle, and with Cable/Broadcast TV not only do you get less variety – but more importantly, less control over what you can watch at any given time. In contrast, on sites like YouTube and Hulu, at the click of a button you can watch what you want, when you want, wherever you want! So, why wouldn't advertisers take notice and advantage of the range these web video portals provide?
Prediction: With a massive fluctuation in ad spending towards web based video channels, Broadcast Television will begin to suffer. And, as internet connected TV's continue to rise in popularity (when the prices of these fancy TVs drop a bit)… consumers will be less inclined to pay for cable subscriptions when they can access the internet from their Flat Screen/HD/3D/Google connected television – voice command and all…
Over time, even more web video channels will arise – you can already gain access to most of the popular cable networks via the internet – therefore basic cable will fall.
'Tis the dawn of a new age – From rabbit ears, to cable cords, to cable boxes, to DVR's, now to Internet TV. What will they come up with next?! And more importantly, with relevance to our industry… how will advertising follow?
Stay tuned…
Truth in Data
Epistemology, like so many other things in the natural world, is divided into two classifications…hard and soft.This can be easily displayed using a spatial model, like this: S———–H. On the left you have what we call knowledge by revelation, implying divine intervention, which has no tangible evidence that can back up this new knowledge that you've acquired. In the middle of the spatial model is what is called intuition, popularized by early transcendentalists like Thoreau. Think of this as a hunch or thinking with your heart. Scientists call it emotivism. Finally, at the far right of our spatial model, we have REASON. This is where logic, physics, and mathematics reside. This is knowledge that can be proven by sets of data, or numbers.
You may wonder, “Why did you just read a comprehensive, albeit brief, explanation of epistemology?”. At Mad Men Marketing, we believe that data and research are instrumental in isolating your target demographic. Beware of other firms who may use telltale words such as: I feel, I think, and I believe. Your business is important to us, and we won't leave anything to chance. When we present our carefully researched findings to you, we will do so with confidence because at Mad Men Marketing we understand that KNOWING is better than biased opinion.
When do you no longer own YOUR ideas..?
This topic brings me to the recent law suit between New York-based visual merchandising and branding firm, Hudson & Broad, and their former clients JC Penny. The suit is about a “breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets.” In this case, JC Penny allegedly signed a contract for use of H+B's design and idea with a promise to use it in several hundred stores. JC Penny then allegedly broke said contract and took the idea to another vendor. In this instance, there was a contract, which means they might have a case. But what about in situations where only a pitch is made, where ideas are shared, with no guarantee of any contract being signed?
This is a risk agencies take every day. We thrive on ideas, and enjoy sharing them for the future benefit of our prospective clients. But once an idea leaves our lips, is it really still OUR idea?
My response to this conundrum is simple. With little risk comes little reward, and the converse is also true. Without taking this gamble – agencies would never win work. How can you prove your expertise, passion, creativity and worth without sharing your well thought out ideas? So although it's always a risk, I imagine we all hope and expect that mankind will abide by the 'golden rule'. As the President of Hudson & Broad publicly states, all they want is to be treated as the campaign in question boasts “Fair and Square”.