Marketing: Why mobility companies should be investing in their brand
Creating a memorable brand identity
I recently attended Trade Days and was excited to see how the mobility industry continues to thrive, innovate and evolve. It was great to catch up with so many friendly faces and speak with retailers about the ever-increasing importance of brand marketing.
Certainly, things have changed in the last few years. The shift to online for product research, the impact of social media and the rise of in-store personalised services has meant that marketers have needed to re-think how brands can and must communicate with consumers, as well as the necessity to be consistent over time and across platforms.
People often say “you can’t be everything for everyone” and branding follows the same premise – it’s about carving out your own niche position within an increasingly crowded market.
Certainly, the moment when someone chooses your brand – that’s not luck. It’s a finely-tuned combination of consumer insight, market intelligence and marketing strategy.
“People often say “you can’t be everything for everyone” and branding follows the same premise – it’s about carving out your own niche position within an increasingly crowded market.” John Corellis
Therefore, to create a memorable brand identity, you must first define a clear value proposition that encapsulates what you offer, what your company stands for and what differentiates you from your competitors. After all, a lot of people think that “brand” is just another word for logo. But this isn’t true.
Whilst logos play their part, a brand is a large “machine” that incorporates many key elements. From your colour palette to your tone of voice, from your website design to your in-store customer experience, all of these must work in harmony to create a proposition that is trustworthy, convincing and recognisable.
From a marketing perspective, it is key that brands harness the right variety of marketing platforms on which to be heard and seen in order to build awareness, educate consumers and foster long-term customer relationships.
And gone are the days when your only way to communicate with a brand was in-store. Nowadays, through digital channels, consumers have the luxury of talking to their favourite brands from the privacy of their own homes. This constant communication between consumers and companies means that the “conversational tone” is a crucial part of the branding mix.
Whether it’s authoritative, sentimental or just friendly, your tone creates all-important emotional connections.
Inspiring loyalty
Behavioural Architects put this very issue to the test during a recent social experiment, where they asked customers to identify their favourite brands and describe positive memories associated with them. The organisers then told participants that their preferred brands would be temporarily substituted for similar products and asked everyone to report back on how they compared.
The catch? The products were exactly the same – they had simply been stripped of all their brand identifiers and placed in blank containers.
The results were astounding and (at times) hilarious. Customers felt lost without their favourite cup of tea and tin of baked beans, even though the product itself hadn’t changed.
What this experiment concluded was a truth that has long been evident for marketers: people are often more attached to a brand than they are to a product. Whether looking for a portable scooter, a stairlift or a new powerchair, consumers will invest in brands they recognise and trust.
“Whether looking for a portable scooter, a stairlift or a new powerchair, consumers will invest in brands they recognise and trust.” John Corellis
Remember, brands are the same as people. The value assigned to a person is largely based on how that person makes you feel and it’s no different with a brand. Your brand is your reputation, your personality and your promise. It’s what sets you apart from the crowd and it is an investment that marketers cannot afford to neglect.
Accord is an award-winning integrated marketing agency that specialises in the mobility sector. To talk to our brand strategist about standing out in the crowd, get in touch today. To find out more, contact John on 020 7395 9632 or john.corellis@accordmarketing.com