"Branding is merely establishing a relationship," says Charlotte Beers, former head of two of advertising's most prestigious brands, Ogilvy & Mather and J. Walter Thompson.
Much has been written on branding and for good reason. Without it, a product, service, issue, or organization is no different than its competition and will die. But futurist Melinda Davis predicts that the power of the brand is waning. In its place, she says consumers will come to depend on new meta-brands that are identified with a creed, or marketplace manifesto, and not tied into one product category. Davis cites Oprah Winfrey as an example of this emerging trend. Women interested in bettering themselves turn to Oprah for advice on a wide variety of issues from what recipe to cook to the right books to read. The Oprah meta-brand is also an excellent example of high voltage marketingTM because it possesses all four Ps: personhood, purpose, persona, and presence.
Consumers want a say. "[They] are hoping to connect, to be heard, to be found — at least, to be seen — in a world that makes us feel increasingly invisible," writes Davis.
Experts suggest using two-way communications vehicles such as word-of-mouth marketing, the Internet, and stronger consumer relations programs to dialog with consumers and build critical relationships.
Personhood, purpose, persona, and presence are not linear, but interrelated. Each depends on the other.
Personhood, purpose, persona, and presence can be pictured as the four points of a cross that is contained within a circle. Personhood is at the bottom of the cross where it grounds it; purpose is at the top. On the far left, resides persona, and on the opposite axis is presence. Where the four points join in the middle, high voltage communicationsTM take place, and it is here that we are at our most powerful as marketers.
About the Author
The "Career Engineer" Randy Siegel works with organizations to take high-potential employees and give them the leadership and communications skills they need to be successful as they rise through the organization. Electrify your career by subscribing to his complimentary monthly e-newsletter at www.buildyourleaders.com.
