Your Brand: As Seen On TV!

Let’s talk human psychology for a moment. In a presentation I made recently, I led a group discussion about the fact that humans are genetically wired to respond to stories. Stories are what helps us learn how to behave (see popular bestseller: The Holy Bible). After all, history = his+story. When it comes to branding, the brand story is all that matters, and the quest is about how to tell a story through imagery, font, diction, and colors. If consumers don’t remember your company, they can’t patronize it. If your company doesn’t tell a story, consumers can’t remember you.

With this context in mind, there are two types of television spots: branding and call-to-action. Call-to-action spots are easy to catch as they typically use their time to tell you about price, selection, location, or some other competitive advantage.

Branding spots, on the other hand, are the ones that make us laugh, cry, or react emotionally to the brand. Smart brands know that a storytelling branding spot can do wonders for emotionally connecting to the intended audience, thus increasing the brand equity all around. Interestingly, smaller companies tend to eschew branding spots and instead flee to calls-to-action in an attempt to gain immediate dollars. However, for brands that want meaningful staying power, there’s nothing that can replace a genuine branding spot.

So, what makes a great branding spot? In a word: distillation. By that, I mean, distilling the brand (and the intended message of that particular KPI [Key Performance Indicator]), down to one single thought and expressing that thought through an emotional story. At the heart of every branding campaign, traditional, digital or otherwise, is the art of distillation. In the end, we can never expect consumers to remember more than the specific, targeted thought we intend them to remember.

Once the thought is distilled to its core, accompany that message with stunning imagery, powerful words and sweeping sound. Put on a memorable show. Say something shocking, impactful, or surprising. Most importantly, take a provocative stand – vanilla doesn’t move the needle.

Since it’s so important to distill brands to their essence, we at GEM spend countless hours dissecting messages to their very core, asking ourselves why consumers should care. If you’re ready to make your audience bond emotionally with your brand, we’re happy to help – just get in touch.

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• Marketing