Digital ecosystem brands are scoring higher and higher in brand value studies - pretty soon they will be the ones dictating what is expected of a brands - and the rest of traditional brands will have to adapt and follow

1. NEW RULES OF
MARKETING AND
BRANDING
d.brands versus t.brands

2. TRENDS
COMMUNICATION
2015
#2 digital brands
changing traditional
S E M I O S E A R C H . L T
brands

3. before starting, let’s agree on how we are
going to call things

4. Let's use some names. I am going to refer to
digital ecosystem brands as d.brands and to
traditional brands that serve (or originally
served) their products through non-digital
environment as t.brands
So that’s simple – it’s a matter between T.
BRANDS and D. BRANDS
GIVING NAMES
…
…

5. THE SITUATION (1)
BRAND VALUE: in brand value and attachment
research digital ecosystem brands are scoring
the highest.
That is the present situation in the brand world
and we can make a safe assumption that the
digital ecosystem brands are having an
increasing influence on how BRANDS are
generally perceived.
…
…

6. CONSUMER NEEDS: the importance of
organizational attributes (i. e. saving time,
making life easier) is ever increasing - people
expect brands to simplify their everyday lives
and tasks.
This is something that digital brands carry out
very well, but the expectations are growing
with traditional brands as well.
THE SITUATION (2)
…
…

7. THE DIALECTIC
this presentation is about tension points between the two
branding paradigms and the new trends in branding that might
emerge due to the clash between the d.brand and t.brand
approaches
…

8. 1. BRAND VISION VS
MARKET MISSION
How do you (the
brand, product or
company) justify
your existence:

9. 1. BRAND VISION VS
MARKET MISSION
How do you (the
brand, product or
company) justify
your existence:
is about market-wars: exploiting gaps and
fighting the market share battles
T.BRAND THING:

10. 1. BRAND VISION VS
MARKET MISSION
How do you (the
brand, product or
company) justify
your existence:
is about market-wars: exploiting gaps and
fighting the market share battles
T.BRAND THING:
have a definitive purpose or a goal in mind that is
entirely about solving consumer problems
D.BRAND THING:

11. traditional approach
is what happens on
the inside, stays on
the inside and we just
pick the things we
share (best if we do it
annually)
PLANNING
OPENESS
2. ORGANIZATIONAL
TRANSPARENCY
T.BRANDTHING:

12. traditional approach
is what happens on
the inside, stays on
the inside and we just
pick the things we
share (best if we do it
annually)
PLANNING
OPENESS
2. ORGANIZATIONAL
TRANSPARENCY
EMBRACING
OPENESS
we share everything
that is relevant and
interests
stakeholders and we
do it both internally
and externally – in
this we get rid of
further honesty
issues
T.BRANDTHING:
D.BRANDTHING:

13. 3. COMMUNICATION TONE
how do we talk to our consumers

14. 3. COMMUNICATION TONE
how do we talk to our consumers
you're a cohorts, we try to
understand what you like
and influence you with
fireworks and emotional
cues
T.BRAND THING:

15. 3. COMMUNICATION TONE
how do we talk to our consumers
you're a cohorts, we try to
understand what you like
and influence you with
fireworks and emotional
cues
T.BRAND THING: D.BRAND THING:
you're a user with a name in
a specific situation and
context with specific needs.
When we are working on
something new, we keep
you in a loop, because you
never know - you might
have some great insights or
ideas.

16. 3. COMMUNICATION TONE
SANITY CHECK EXAMPLE
When was the last time a t.brand
retailer send you an email saying:
Hi, ....(your name)
we understood that checking in our shops could be better, so we are
experimenting with some features. We are not sure if it is going to work
out, so we need your help. The next
time you check out to please... and tell us if you find it useful
(name surname)

17. 4. RESEARCH VS
CONVERSATION
how we draw information and
insight from our consumers

18. 4. RESEARCH VS
CONVERSATION
Research entails A) long cycles (define, gather data, analyze, understand, take
action) and B) overthinking or overanalyzing certain aspects that get out of touch
with consumer/user reality.
T.BRAND THING:

19. 4. RESEARCH VS
CONVERSATION
T.BRAND THING:
D.BRAND THING:
Conversation means continuity and simplicity. You have a
product/service/experience. Keep in constant contact with consumer groups,
gather feedback and iterate. That's the modern brand mantra.

20. 5. BRANDING
TRANSPARENCY
i. e. transparent design - design that
gets out of your way when you‘re
doing things and performing tasks

21. 5. BRANDING
TRANSPARENCY
a design/branding that draws attention and
wants to be noticed
T.BRAND THING:

22. 5. BRANDING
TRANSPARENCY
a design/branding that draws attention and
wants to be noticed
T.BRAND THING:
D.BRAND THING:
a design/branding that is easier to use and
understand and the one that you forget
once you get used to it

23. 6. DEFINITION OF
BRANDING
AS IN WHAT MAKES
THE BRAND

24. 6. DEFINITION OF
BRANDING
the brand is how it looks like - the branding
makes the brand
T.BRAND THING:

25. 6. DEFINITION OF
BRANDING
the brand is how it looks like - the branding
makes the brand
T.BRAND THING:
D. BRAND THING:
the brand is how I use it - the product makes
the brand

26. 7. PRODUCT
APPROACH
when you only do something once you have the
final version - and it's sink or swim from there
T.BRAND THING:

27. 7. PRODUCT
APPROACH
when you only do something once you have the
final version - and it's sink or swim from there
T.BRAND THING:
it's when you are on a constant development
cycle and you don't pretend that you have the
final product
D.BRAND THING:

28. TRENDS?
to put it all simply, digital brands are already
much more powerful than traditional brands.
And pretty soon they are going to be imposing
new branding and marketing rules and
standards for the rest of the market

29. SEMIOSEARCH.LT
A n d r i u s G r i g o r j e v a s