Guest writer Abhishek Jha says the cornerstones of brand building are consistency, long-term planning, and strategy-driven creativity that moves consumers.

A noted American marketing author once said, “The art of marketing is the art of building a brand. If you’re not a brand, you’re a product.” Every organization has the ultimate goal of achieving or maximizing sales. Especially in today’s digital marketing world where you can track everything: cost per thousand impressions (CPM), cost per click (CPC), cost per lead (CPL), cost per acquisition (CPA). It’s great for us marketers because it brings transparency and a scientific approach to achieving ROI, but it also depends on how the brand is perceived and the effort to build the brand for a long-term recall. It is also important to rate

Media spending for fast results

We now live in a world where groceries can be delivered in 10 minutes, and sometimes that’s what campaigns expect. You should focus on building a sales funnel and investing in performance marketing. However, consider a scenario where an insurance policy needs to be purchased and in online searches he starts getting two ads. One is ABD Insurance Ltd with Rs 900 monthly premium and the other is Bajaj Insurance Ltd with Rs 1,000 monthly premium. , which one would you buy? Building brand awareness and not jumping straight into tactical campaigns is extremely important. Media planning should be clearly divided into awareness marketing and performance marketing.

Brand building can last forever and media can keep changing

Consumer attention may have dropped significantly, but basic human emotions never change. Every purchase a consumer makes is based on the connection they have with the brand. Brands need to have a greater purpose with a single-minded proposition. Brands need to build their personality so that consumers understand if the brand is going to be funny or serious. TG is often said to be everyone in their 20s to 60s. Brands need to know exactly who they want to talk to and need a basis for creating the same communication. With the new wave of companies, many brands are built on digital platforms, unlike his decade ago when offline media was a must. However, the principles of a well-thought-out brand strategy remain unchanged.

long term outlook

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally. It comes from what you do consistently” – Mare ForleoLike any success, an iconic brand is not created overnight. There is a consistent marketing effort that results in brands being recognized for their strong connection with consumers. Brands need to invest in their long-term vision and create a plan with consistent effort to build the brand.

strategy-driven creativity

“Creative without strategy is called art. Creative with strategy is called advertising.” Brands need to ponder the positioning they are trying to build in front of consumers. Brands have their own stories to tell, but it’s always important to communicate in a tone and manner that connects consumers emotionally. Strategically, brands need to act as publishers and pinpoint the sweet spot between their communications and the content consumers will be interested in.

Defining Clear Goals

Knowing where you have to end makes the trip go well. It is important to define the purpose of running your campaign. When brands try to educate, they shouldn’t try to sell. All in all, it all comes down to generating business for your brand. Critical parameters should be clearly defined. Today, quantification allows us to set clear goals. When defining your goals, be clear whether you’re trying to reach people by maximizing impressions, driving consumers to your website, or getting them to buy your product through advertising. . Creative strategies work organically, based on well-defined clear goals.

build a brand from the heart

Finally, one thing that remains constant, even in this dynamic digital age, is the passion with which brands are created. One constant in the race to become a unicorn is that consumers will always buy products and services that serve a greater purpose as brands. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. What you do simply proves what you believe” – ​​Simon Sinek .

A long-term strategy for building a brand is to derive the principles that truly represent the brand and communicate with complete honesty. With more and more products and categories rapidly being introduced in the digital age, it’s ironic that brands that take their brand building seriously win the trust of their clients. must build a strong brand.

Abhishek Jha is the founder of AdStreet Communications. A general advertising agency based in Mumbai.