Society, culture, and technology is changing and evolving at an accelerated rate. Staying culturally relevant should be a priority of all brands. No one wants to fade into the background as new and innovative companies begin encroaching on industry. The fact is that very few brands are able to keep up with the latest marketing, print, digital, and style trends – and this often ends in brand obscurity.
There are enough obstacles that businesses have to face these days, with a shaky economy and a slew of brands offering products and cheaper prices, it imperative that marketing is taken seriously. Your marketing needs to be reviewed, regularly altered, and changed for all the new marketing platforms that arise.
All businesses will hit a bump on the road from time to time, and may crumble under pressure, fading into oblivion. But then there are brands that have managed massive come-backs after immense setbacks – and we can learn a thing or two from these legendary success stories.
Apple
Yes, there was once a time when Apple was the underdog. Once upon a time we didn’t have i-Pads, iPhones, or Apple watched – this was during the 90s mostly. In the 90s Microsoft was king of the tech industry while Apple was a blip on the radar, a faltering business that had previously revolutionised society with the invention of the Macintosh. When Microsoft came into being, Apple was almost completely destroyed.
Then came the one and only Steve Jobs in 1997 – and this is when Apple began to get itself back together. It was in 2001 that the Apple iTunes and the iPod went onto the market and people began singing the brands praises.
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer
Not a name South Africans know too well (we have our own beers thank you very much!), Pabst Blue is an old beer brand that made an impressive comeback. The brand dates back to the 19th Century, but for the last 20 years of the 20th Century, the brand was dismissed and largely ignored. Sales plummeted and the brand took a tumble.
It was in the early 2000s that Pabst Blue Ribbon became fashionable again, due to the company’s new found investment in understanding marketing trends and societal trends. The Hipster sub-culture became drawn to the history behind the brand and they liked the “cool” factor offered by a non-mainstream product. The company deserves credit for spotting an emerging trend and capitalising off it. Well played PBR, well played.
Dominos Pizza
In 2009 Dominos Pizza became inundated with terrible PR once a video of two misbehaving employees went viral. The viral video showed the employees sabotaging the food. This may have not killed the brand completely, but it did open the way to a larger conversation about the downfall of the brands customer service.
Dominos decided to face the controversy head on – and it was genius! Instead of sending out a typical press release apology, Dominos created a brutally honest campaign about their brand. This campaign was called “Our Pizza Sucks.”
We all need a good laugh, and Dominos understands that in our social media based society, brands can’t get away with anything – so why not own the drama and turn it around to make your brand more desirable – and most importantly, relatable.
Now Over to… Brand Management
Jetline understands the importance of business branding, and once you have created your brand, it is time to manage it.
Whether large or small, business to business, or retail, branding and brand management is the most important part of your business. To be effective, your brand strategy needs to give you an edge in an over-saturated and increasingly competitive marketplace. But what exactly is branding and how does it play a role in business?
To put it simply, your brand is the promise you make to your customer. It is what tells them what to expect from your product or service, and it sets you apart from other offerings in your industry. Your brand is made up of who you are, who you want to be, and how you are perceived as a business.
Jetline recognised a fundamental gap in the market for an effective brand management solution, and our Brand Management Portal (BMP) was born. BMP is an all-encompassing system that functions as a digital style guide. It maintains your relevant brand information and guidelines, ensuring brand uniformity across all your marketing and corporate materials.
People do business with companies that they are familiar with and if your branding is uniform, you quickly become recognisable and trusted. This makes people feel at ease when purchasing your product or service.
Brand identity and visual brand identity are key to business success.
Speak to the printing, design, and branding experts today and learn more about our Brand Management Portal and how it can help your business identity flourish.
Contact the Jetline print, design and branding professionals today.
