What’s in a Brand? What is IMC?

Brand vs. Products A product is anything we can offer to a market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy a need or a want. Physical goods: food, shoes, clothes, car Services: insurance, banking, education Retail outlet: stores Person: political figure, entertainer, athlete Place: hotel, city, country Idea: views, ideals

Product Person: Athlete

Before you know what a brand is… You have to know what a brand isn’t. A brand is not a logo.

A brand is not what you say it is…

It’s what they say it is.

But you help set the stage for what they believe about you.

“A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service or company. It’s a GUT FEELING because we’re all emotional, intuitive beings, despite our best efforts to be rational. “It’s a PERSON’s gut feeling, because the brand is defined by the individual, not by companies, markets or the so-called general public.”

The Brand Tiger Woods Once Tiger is no longer playing golf, he will still have the Tiger Woods brand; he goes beyond being just a product.

Brand management is the management of differences, not as they exist on data sheets, but as they exist in the minds of people. Being different is good!

4 Questions to Help Define a Brand 1. Who are you? 2. What do you do? 3. Why does it matter? 4. What makes you different?

The Brand Who is he? What does he do? Why does it matter? What makes him different?

What is Georgetown College Student Life? People trying to regulate what happens on campus What does Georgetown College Student Life do? Attempt to make college experience pleasurable Promote involvement on campus Enforce rules Help build relationships Encourage positive activities on campus Why does it matter? If people don’t like going to school here, they won’t come back Direct link between students and admin Control what happens on campus Keep students safe For benefit of the students What makes Georgetown College Student Life different? More readily available and acquainted with students; approachable; laid back Everyone has to live on campus Try to be part of the campus culture

What do brands tell consumers? Identification of the source of the product Assignment of responsibility to product maker Risk reducer Promise, bond or pact with maker of product Symbol of quality

Brand Equity Brand equity is a company or product’s reputation in the marketplace. Trust translates to brand loyalty, increasing a brand’s equity.

Brand Guidelines/Standards: tell others how to appropriately represent a brand through logo usage, tone of writing, colors and other important elements to ensure cohesive brand representation. Brand Guidelines

I understand you’re the best student.

What does the acronym IMC stand for? Pop Quiz

What communication mediums can be used in an IMC campaign? Pop Quiz

What are some of the recommendations your readings this week made for executing a successful IMC campaign? Pop Quiz

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) “…a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” –American Marketing Association (AMA) What does that mean? All mediums being used are sharing the same message.

Components of IMC: Public relations Sales promotion Direct marketing Digital- Internet, social media, Guerrilla marketing Advertising

My favorite example:

Marketing Marketing is the bigger picture plan of how an organization will sell or promote their products/services.

I am the best student!

Trust me… he’s the best student.

I’m the best student!

Sales Promotion Incentivizes or motivates you to make a purchase or take a certain action Often comes in the form of: Coupons Rebates Samples Contests BOGO offers

Direct Marketing Often takes the form of: Direct mail Catalogs Infomercials Telemarketing

Internet Often looks like: Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Paid/Promoted Posts Partnerships with like-minded organizations

Viral Marketing Often looks like: Videos Audio Interactive games Text messages

Guerrilla Marketing Often done on surfaces such as: Sidewalks Walls Vehicles Bathroom stalls

Why is IMC Important? We all approach our consumption of media differently. Differences in messages lead to brand distrust. Smart use of marketing dollars.