Brands and the organizations, products and services that
they represent must deliver real customer value. That is, they must address
real human needs and desires. And they
must do so for monetary and convenience-related costs that deliver at least a
reasonable, if not an outstanding, value.
So, brands should deliver real functionality. Often, the most visionary
and innovative brands and the ones that make the best use of emerging
technologies are best at doing this. So are brands that are backed by operationally
excellent organizations and whose organizations stress outstanding customer
service.
Having said that, there is a less tangible, but equally, if
not more important element to branding – what the brand stands for
symbolically. Research has shown that most decisions are made emotionally. And
people are emotional animals. A brand that has a clear and admirable mission
and vision, that has strongly articulated values, that is associated with
important ideas, that takes a strong stand for what is right - that brand will
win people’s hearts and loyalty. Further, research has shown that these brand
associations can be created well before the product or service purchase or
usage experience. And they will actually enhance the product purchase and usage
experience even though these associations are completely intangible.
While some brand managers, depending on organization
structure and roles, may have control over the more tangible brand benefits,
every brand manager should have control over the symbolic brand values and
associations. And this is where the magic occurs. I encourage you to think
deeply about how your brand can inspire people, how it can make them feel good
about the state of the world. Take your brand to the next level. Take it beyond
functionality to the world of compelling ideas and emotionally moving values.