5 Truths about branding: Luncheon Notes

Top Five Truths about Branding: Notes from the RAMA luncheon on January 22nd. As promised.

From Patrick Crane, Director of Brand Development, Eastman Kodak Company

1. You need great enthusiasm for branding, someone to champion the effort
2. It is useful to look back over the history of a brand to find clues to what has been successful.
3. You need a strong foundation in research, talk to the customer at all times.

Susan Kochan, CEO, Brand Cool Marketing

1. Test your assumptions, validate what you know by testing them outside of your organization.
2. You have to do it. You need an emotional connection with your audience.
3. Hook up your brand to the world around you. Look at what is happening and make your brand relevant to what is going on outside.
4. Decision makers are also consumers, make sure you look at all of your audiences.
5. Pay attention to brand equity and brand architecture.
6. Get everyone on board.

Pamela Black Colton, Executive Director for Admissions and Marketing, Warner Graduate School of Education, University of Rochester

1. Branding does work, so be careful in testing it.
2. Think about it clearly, research is critical, even if you don’t have a lot of money to do it, find a way.
3. Critical to get buy in from all of your stakeholders in order to succeed.
4. Get feedback, test, test, test.

One thing these Branders would do differently:

Patrick Crane: Find the right way to summarize the brand, have targets.

Susan Kochan: Make sure the image you project matches your brand. For example, if the logo that is being used is in direct competition with what the brand is, change it!

Pamela Black Colton: Spend money and time upfront on research so you are sure of the brand equity and the effect of change.

Resources for Branding on a Budget:

• American Marketing Association
• Marketing Sherpa
• Marketing Profs