In a world of noise, bland brands get lost. Learn what brand marketing is, and how it is essential to grabbing attention, building loyalty, and driving growth by being bold. Discover strategies and examples.
Imagine a bustling marketplace, filled with vendors hawking their wares. Most stalls blend into the background, their signs generic, their voices lost in the din. But one stall stands out: vibrant colors, a catchy slogan, and a charismatic owner who engages with every passerby. Which stall are you drawn to? The answer is obvious. In the crowded marketplace of today's world, your brand is your stall, and bold brand marketing is what makes you stand out from the crowd.
What is brand marketing?
Brand marketing is a strategic approach to getting known about, getting known for what you do, and getting remembered.
Everything starts with making people aware of your business or charity, because unless they know about you, they can't buy from you or donate to your cause. But awareness is only the beginning of the story, you also need people to get to know you what you do and that, crucially, you do it well and can be trusted. And even when you're known about and known for what you do, you have to be remembered too - because people buy from businesses or donate to charity when they're ready to, not in accordance with your timeframe, and so you need to make sure you're so memorable that when they are in the right frame of mind, you come to mind.
However, you also have to make sure you stand-out with your brand marketing for it to really have an impact.
Why boldness matters when it comes to brand marketing
In a world saturated with information and choices, people you want to get in front of and connect with are bombarded with marketing messages every day. To cut through the noise, you need to be bold, daring, and disruptive. A timid brand whispers; a bold brand roars and will find it easier to:
Grab attention: Boldness commands attention. Think of brands like Apple, Nike, or Tesla. Their bold marketing campaigns, innovative products, and unconventional approaches have made them global icons
Build emotional connections: Bold brands aren't afraid to show their personality. They connect with their audience on a deeper level, building trust and loyalty
Drive differentiation: In a sea of sameness, boldness helps you stand out. It allows you to carve a unique niche and own your space in the market
In most mature markets, two or three brands come to dominate, hoovering-up 80-90% of market share between them, leaving everyone else fighting hard over the remaining 10-20%. Take smartphones as a great example: in the UK, the top three brands are Apple, Samsung, and Google's Pixel, but there are dozens of others you can buy. Why don't we? Because they haven't invested in promoting their brands as well as their products, meaning most of us have either never heard of them or haven't been convinced they're a good enough alternative.
Businesses and charities that spend money promoting their brands as well as what they sell or their latest fundraiser are the ones that, over time, become best known.
What does brand marketing look like when it's bold and impactful?
There are plenty of examples of great brand marketing that has helped businesses and charities to rise to prominence, and they all share some notable characteristics:
They appear where they're least expected
Businesses and charities that do a great job of brand marketing turn up where their audience isn't expecting them. It makes sure they're noticed because they are 'out-of-context'
They adopt daring visuals
Beyond just their logos, bold brands use colour, typography and imagery to create a strong visual impact, often being intentionally provocative
They use unconventional messaging
They are unafraid to break the mould, using humour, surprise, or even controversy to get people talking. Brands that dare-to-differ challenge norms and turn narratives on their heads
They use authentic storytelling
You'll see these brands tell their stories in a way that is genuine and relatable, connecting with their audiences on a human level
They all adopt a customer-centric approach
By putting their customers at the heart of everything they do, these rebel brands create experiences that delight and surprise them
Numbers can't lie: what the data tells us about the benefits of brand marketing
Research shows that bold brand marketing drives results:
77% increase in profitability for businesses with consistent branding (LucidPress, 2023)
23% increase in revenue attributed to strong branding (Forbes, 2022)
50% higher click-through rates for branded search campaigns (Google)
Ready to unleash your brand's boldness?
Don't let your brand fade into the background. Embrace boldness and watch your business or charity thrive. Find out how we can help here and then start a conversation with us.
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