These two questions have pestered me for a while now as I try to establish a brand for my own business. So I’m going to put this blog out into the universe and see what comes back.
When I think of branding, I think of company logos, colours and slogans. I think of them on promotional materials such as business cards, advertising on company vehicles, social media and websites. A brand can be a huge in your face item or a tiny thing so small you can hardly see it. But how does it pull in customers?
So I looked at two big businesses; MacDonald’s Restaurants, and Levi Jeans. What do they do that draws customers?
Everyone recognizes the big yellow M driving along a highway. But what does it represent? It is just a letter after all. When my children were growing up and we were away from home, that Big M represented a family budget restaurant with quick service. It was a comfortable setting for people on a small budget. Plus the take-out option allowed you to get from one event to another as the kids ate en route.
So why 30 years later does that Big Yellow M still work? Well there will always be kids and parents hopping from one event to another, in a hurry to get there. And always someone on a small budget. How does the company compensate for the bad publicity of high calorie fried food? I suspect with the salads and other low calorie/low fat items added to the menu for people who want a healthy choice.
We’ve looked at a large in your face icon, but what about a smaller one you can hardly see but recognize it right away; the little red or orange tab on the Levi Jeans walking ahead of you.
The Levi jean is several generations old but was originally promoted as tough, quality pants worn by farmers and other outdoor labourers. We saw advertisements with men lifting bales of hay onto wagons and trucks, knowing that the sharp edges of the hay or straw wouldn’t pierce the material to scratch their legs. The metal rivets on seams, belt loops and pocket edges prevented stress wear on the clothing and made it last longer. Eventually the jeans became a fashion for teens moving away from the polyester clothing in the 1960’s/70’s. And anyone with children playing outside knew that material would last well beyond any polyester product. They were worth the extra money because they were tough enough to pass from one growing youngster to another in the family or neighbourhood.
So why are Levi jeans still popular? Loyalties to a brand of clothing that people wear for years without having to replace; the durability and quality. In fact their slogan is “quality never goes out of style”. They are sure to have pulled in more loyal customers with adoption of slim, skinny and relaxed fit to accommodate the varying body types.
These two branding examples are for physical products. So how do you brand for a service? What are some services for which you are a loyal customer? What does a company do that makes you keep going back versus going elsewhere? It’s not for their logo and fancy advertising, so what draws you as a return customer? Any and all comments welcome.
