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1. Oregon Telecommunications
Association - Marketing
June 27, 2012
Communicate
more effectively

2. OTA | Why brand?
Why branding?
Why bother?

3. We live in an
overwhelmed,
time-starved
culture packed
with too many
choices

4. Glance
and scan
Sound bites
First
impressions
are the only
impressions
Multiplying social
media platforms

5. What we’ll cover
• Branding is more than a logo—why
should you care?
• Your target audiences—perception is
reality
• Generational perspectives and their
impact on communications
• What do you need to communicate?
Going beyond the “stuff”
• What are the actions you want to
inspire in your audiences?

6. What do they want from you?

7. OTA | Why brand?
What is
a brand?

8. What is a brand?
What is a brand?
• The name of a product or service
• A warranty, trusted concept or essence
• A preference in the mind of your
audience
• An expectation of a certain level of
service
• Confidence in knowing what to expect
• Value in the mind of the audience

9. The Starbucks brand
A brand becomes more than a cup of coffee …
“let’s get a Starbucks”
It’s about the experience, the sum of all elements

10. The Appl e
br a nd
A brand builds an
emotional connection …
people who share the
story … an expectation
of a specific kind of
interaction and
experience

11. NACo | What is a brand?
A brand is more than a logo
A brand requires a visual and verbal
vocabulary
• A distinctive “ look and feel”
• A common voice, tone and style
• A system of colors and typography
• A series of images that build a cohesive
whole

12. NACo | What is a brand?
What builds brands?
• Brands are being built with or without
management
• Publicity build brands
• Blogs, social media, marketing and
websites build brands
• Environments build brands
• Each contact with the organization
builds the brand

13. Why invest in a brand?
Why should you
build a brand?

14. NACo | Too many choices
CLARITY
There are too
many choices
for everyone. A
strong brand
helps you stand
out and connect
with those you
seek to reach

15. NACo | Create visibility and recognition
VISIBILITY
A strong brand
system sets you
apart and creates
recognition

16. NACo | Add value to all communications
“A brand means the
difference between VALUE
selling a white T-shirt
for $10 and selling a A strong brand
white T-shirt with a means a higher
Nike logo on it for perceived value…
$20.” for whatever you
Debbie Kennedy
have
Brand Oregon to offer

17. NACo | Simplify and streamline
SAVINGS
A strong brand
provides structure
and ties
communications
together so you’re
more effective

18. Perception is reality
• Your brand is based on what people
think about your organization
…and it’s
• Communicate clearly from the
audience’s point of view
about people
• Provide value to those you serve
and communication

19. Audiences
Perception is reality
• Your brand is based on what people
think about your organization, products
and services
• You must communicate clearly from
your audience’s point of view
• Create a brand that is visually appealing
and communicates

20. Audiences
Do you know your audiences?
• Do you know everyone you need to
communicate with?
• Do you know what they expect from
you?
• Speak in the their language; be clear
and concise (no acronyms!)

21. Audiences
Think about why instead of what
• Why do they need to connect with you?
• What purpose do you serve?
• Avoid just listing the “stuff” you do
• Consider their perspectives –
businesses or individuals, families or
retirees

22. Building a brand
communicate
your value
not just what you do

23. Audiences
What is needed and wanted by
your audience(s)?
• What’s the primary reason each
audience wants/needs/uses your
products or services?
• What do you provide immediately, and
over the long-term?

24. t ’s y our
Wha
mess age?
(WII FM )

25. Audiences
Who do you need to reach?
• See them as people, lifestyles,
individuals
• How do they take in information?
• What do they respond to, or not?
• What is their age and generation
affiliation?

26. NACo | Building a brand
each
generation
is different

27. Generations
Consider generational
perspectives
For the first time in history there are four
different generations in the workplace,
each with different values, perspectives,
expectations and communication
preferences

28. Generations
The Silent Generation – 1925 to 1945
• 2005 Census – 63 million, now aged 65 to 85
• Have always done “the right thing”
• Reliable and show up for work on time
• Looking for a “great adventure”
• Second middle age …“now or never”
• 45% of age 70 to 74 use the
internet
• 56% of age 65 to 69 use
the internet

29. NACo | Generations
The Boomers – 1946 to 1964
• 2005 Census – 78 million, now aged 46 to 64
• The “Me Generation”
• Boomers are driving the marketplace
• Control 70% of the nations wealth
• Want to stay healthy, keep youthful appearance
• In the midst of intense
transitions
• Address lifestyle
preferences and life stages
• Online and connected

30. Generations
Gen X – 1965 to 1984
• 2005 census – 48 million, now aged 33 to 45
• First generation of latch-key children, learned to
rely on themselves
• More results-oriented, less process-oriented
• Will change jobs more frequently
• Savvy and cynical consumers
• No brand loyalty, earn confidence
every time
• Want direct communication

31. Generations
Gen Y – Born 1985 to 2010
• 2005 Census – 76 million, now aged 10 to 32
• Have honed a “sixth sense” in seeking what’s
authentic, don’t want to be “sold”
• Always looking for the next “cool” thing
• “One of smartest, tech savvy and idealistic
generations of our time”
• Girls grew up participating in
sports, more self-assurance
• Multi-tasking is natural
• 93% of 12 to 17 use the internet,
89% of 18 to 24

32. Reaching your audiences and
generating response is the goal
Building or
rebuilding
your brand

33. Building your brand
Brand building requires focus
• Focus on your audiences and the
benefits
• Branding requires consistency
• You will get tired of it long before your
audiences do

34. Building your brand
A visual vocabulary ties together
• Choose a strong color palette
• Select typefaces that are distinctive and
use them consistently
• Identify the “look and feel” that will
stand out and create recognition

35. Western Oregon Waste| Identity and Fleet Graphics

37. NYSAC | Identity Guidelines

38. NYSAC | Identity Guidelines

39. Contacts
You will see all the messages and
tools, your audience won’t
• Consistency creates a connection
• Visually connect all elements, from
website to mailings to office
environment to stationery to displays,
Emails and brochures…

40. Contacts
What value do you provide?
• Go beyond the “stuff”
• Identify ideas, messages that address
“why should I care?” or
• “What’s in it for me?”

45. Point of choice
where are
your contact
points?

46. Point of choice
Where are the contact points?
• Where do your audiences connect with
you?
• At what level, for what purpose?
• How are those contact points branded?
• Which contacts are critical to the
organization, the points of choice?

47. Contact points
Small contacts influence perceptions
• Reception, how the phone is answered
• Personal presentation
• Voice mail message
• Letter format
• Fax cover sheet
• Quality of literature
• Environment

48. Contact points
Essential contact points
• Printed materials—folders,
brochures, handouts
• Your website … a primary point of
choice
• Newsletters, magazines and Emails
• Internal contacts from the
handbook to employee newsletters

49. NACo | Contact points
Don’t get lost in the clutter
“It is critical for me that we are always
putting our best face forward. Our
message hasn’t changed, but it is more
valuable because it no longer gets lost in
the clutter.” Mark F. LaVigne, Deputy Director of NYSAC

50. Contact points
hat is a “point of choice”?
A point of choice is the situation
where someone will take action,
to move to the next step in
working with you. The point of
choice is focused on immediate
response—taking action.

51. NCCAE | Building a brand
build your
brand
persona

52. NCCAE | Brand persona
The brand persona
• A collection of authentic visual and
verbal assets, actions and beliefs
• Your audience recognizes your persona
through:
• Colors and images
• Language and tone
• Look and feel
• Quality of interactions

53. NCCAE | Brand persona
What brand persona is right for
your audience?
• Is your image what your audience wants,
expects, will respond to?
• What’s the “playing field”? What’s expected?
• How can you go beyond the expected to
generate recognition and loyalty?

54. Brand persona
Defining your brand persona
• Supports the strategy and tactics used to
implement branding
• Will help you define the communication tools
you use
• Reduces the number of options by focusing on
your audiences and brand
• Makes each communication more effective
• You’ll provide what your audience needs to
connect with you

55. Ca nby Te l c om| Identity and Fleet Graphics

57. Ca nby Te l c om| Giveaways

58. Build your brand
Understanding your audience’s
expectations
• Makes each communication more effective
• You’ll provide what your audience needs to
make a decision
• Each point of contact must build on the others
• Each tool and every tactic must build the
experience

59. Build your brand
Defining your brand persona
• Directs the visual vocabulary of your brand
• Supports the strategy and tactics you choose
• Will help you select media and define the best
tools to get results
• Reduces the number of options by focusing on
your audience, the best contact point and most
effective medium/tool to communicate your key
messages

60. Build your brand
Building your brand
• Will create clarity with internal and external
audiences
• Builds perceived value
• Generates increased recognition at a lower cost
• Establishes a stronger presence and clearer
communications with all audiences

61. Questions?
Jennifer Larsen
Morrow
President
Creative Company