The view that a brand should tell a story rather than just have a ‘positioning’ is not new in marketing circles. However, for CEOs who often already see marketing as the ‘soft’ side of their businesses, investment in story-telling may seem too esoteric a notion, and one with questionable commercial benefit. But the outcomes of … Continue reading
This web ad from Japan for the Tosando Music School is the latest viral tearjerker. In testimony to its crafting, you won’t need to understand Japanese to follow it or to be touched by it. At a time when brands are building increasingly complex digital communications programs, and are turning to oblique forms of branded … Continue reading
Recently the fashion world has been abuzz about a new web film from French perfume house Guerlain for its signature Shalimar fragrance. The almost six minute long “The Legend of Shalimar“ has been hailed by many as setting a new standard for mega-production advertising. It has also set a new standard for epic brand story-telling. … Continue reading
Apple is one the strongest brands on the planet. But over the past two years it has been increasingly tested by direct attacks from competitor advertising in its home market of the United States. This post outlines what’s been happening and Apple’s response to it. A (very) short history of Apple’s brand communications To put … Continue reading
The advent of digital media and changes in consumer expectations mean that brands now have to think in terms of the story they want to tell rather than just positioning themselves. This post examines the shift from positioning to story, provides an overview of brand storytelling, and exemplifies this through looking at how the Scotch … Continue reading
There is a growing consensus that to succeed brands need to be “more human”. Ironically there is a case to be made that this also applies to politicians, business leaders and other celebrities who commonly adopt public personas in line with the stereotypical expectations of their positions. This tendency is what social psychologists term role … Continue reading
Despite its questionable launch strategy the Commonwealth Bank’s new “Can” brand positioning may have the ability to stake out a real point of difference that will leave its competitors behind. Australia’s ‘big four’ banks have traditionally been perceived by consumers as a largely undifferentiated group of institutions. A group that has also be seen as … Continue reading
Over the past decade businesses that compete in the mass middle market of their industries have seen increasing pressure on sales and margins. ‘Death in the middle’ as it has been called has been caused by competitors taking either value positions or premium positions. This has shrunk the space in the middle and made the … Continue reading
