As marketers, we know that brands carry a unique responsibility in the culture where they exist, because they are active participants in it; and as such, have the power to set the tone, provide the example, and inspire all to do better.
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Paul Friederichsen, Author at Branding Strategy Insider - Page 2 of 13
Our current situation is one of disruption, fear and uncertainty. However, there is one thing we do know with certainty. This situation will end, and the rebuilding will begin.
A few years ago here on Branding Strategy Insider, I wrote a piece on empathy, observing the importance of this characteristic in connecting brands with their customers. Empathy validates the feelings, concerns, aspirations and fears someone has, and says, “I understand.” This is not only reassuring but adds relevance to the relationship, as in “we (customer and brand) are together in this.”
Brand building is the aim of marketing. A big component of marketing is communications, the purpose of which is to attract customers to our brand and to persuade them to support it.
Here on Branding Strategy Insider, we’ve discussed the value of demographics in brand strategy many times. For instance, in Mark Ritson’s article “The Everlasting Value of Demographics,” he states, “… using demographics as part of a broader approach to behavioral segmentation and targeting remains a valuable activity for many marketers and brands.” And in “Brand Growth and Changing Demographics,” Walker Smith compared Millennials to retirees and observed the surprising value of the “silver economy” as...