A strong voice in a noisy space: Communicating your brand messages consistently
The face of retail advertising and promotion has completely changed in two short years. For the first time in advertising history, advertisers are chasing consumers and are desperately trying to keep up when traditionally, consumers have followed the trends set by advertisers. Strong and confident consumers, spoilt for choice, are now demanding much more from their traditional retail encounters.
The GFC, and the resulting 'discount mentality', combined with rapid advances in technology have simultaneously changed the way in which business is conducted and consumers behave. While large advertisers were cutting advertising budgets, consumers started to embrace social media in earnest. Even though advertisers recognized a potentially limitless and low cost platform to engage with consumers and promote products and services using these new technologies, consumers have largely set the pace and made the rules.
A growing number of consumers are demanding to be communicated with online and they are deciding what they will and won't do when they get there. They expect the brands that they follow to communicate with them via the internet but they will only provide a certain amount of information online in order for them to do so.
Understanding this new consumer-advertiser model highlights the need for retail brands to speak with a strong voice to gain the attention of consumers in an increasingly 'noisy' environment.
In order to present and to maintain a strong and clear brand identity with a distinctive voice in a crowded retail environment, we recommend that our clients regularly review all their promotional and communication endeavours across all channels. It is no longer enough just to have a great website and a clever advertising campaign. Retailers must now ensure their brand collateral and their online presence across all platforms are innovative, uniform and 'on brand'.
If your organisation's Facebook wall and Twitter account are updated by a bubbly, 25 year old Marketing Assistant and yet your customers encounter an awkward, shy teenage boy instore, guess what their 'take away' impression of your brand will be?
Now is the time to focus on something that you may never have considered in such literal terms - your tone of voice. In the QSR space, you may also have to consider your tone of voice in a noisy food hall or a crowded shopping centre!
• What your customers experience instore must be consistent with the messages that you leave on their Facebook wall and with what you post on yours.
• The special offers they receive via email for being an invaluable, loyal, VIP fan should be honored instore, seemingly, by the same person that sent it to them.
• Your point of sale collateral must shout out in the same voice used in your Twitter account.
"We have seen a huge increase in demand for social media campaigns and digital campaigns across our client base. Many of our clients know they needed to get invoked but weren't sure how. We have been able to lead then through the process gradually so they build their online profile carefully and strategically - there's nothing worse or more transparent than an instant change in tone or personality online as it just doesn't ring true."
"A lot of the digital projects we do now we weren't doing even 12 months ago...the web has come along way in a short time."
However, Holy Cow! advocates an integrated approach rather than an ad hoc, reactionary response.
"Review everything you do and really try to understand how you are coming across to your customers and what their perceptions may be. On any given day, does your brand's voice sound like the CEO, the Marketing Assistant or the guy in the office who is addicted to Twitter?"
Creating a strong, clear voice in a very noisy space will ensure you are not only heard, but listened to.
If you would like more information about reviewing your brand's visual identity or integrated social media campaigns, please contact Melissa Webber at Holy Cow! Design & Advertising on 02 9212 4676 or visit www.holycow.com.au.
