In discussions with some friends and entrepreneurs, I was asked if anyone could explain “Branding” and which is more important, personal branding or product branding.
So I said, I am not an expert; I just have a bit of experience and knowledge about branding, and I believe many other experts are more knowledgeable.
I will only give an explanation in a relaxed and casual manner for easy understanding. I won’t provide complex concepts and models.
I will also give examples in analogies to make it easier to understand, insyaAllah. These are personal views, and everyone has their perspectives.
We ask business people or entrepreneurs, what do they want to highlight, themselves or their product?
But now there is a situation called “Brand Conflict,” where entrepreneurs don’t know whether to promote themselves or the product.
Billboards and posters show a much larger picture of the face than the product. Perhaps that’s what their mentors advised them to do. Many seem to want to highlight themselves rather than the product.
In my opinion, we should focus on the product unless the asset or value of ourselves, like singers, actors, or individuals who use themselves as an asset, is what needs to be highlighted.
Unless it is necessary to highlight oneself because that is the “Value Proposition,” such as voice and acting. For me, focus on the product, strengthen the product branding.
Branding is not just about logos and corporate colors. Branding involves a “branding ecosystem,” starting from the first Touch Point like how to answer the phone, how to speak, UX (User Experience) when people step into the store, the store’s smell, arrangement, and so on.
When we work with individuals, entrepreneurs, or companies, we need to diagnose their needs to create a “Brand Vision” for the company.
From this “Brand Vision,” it will be translated into “Brand Persona” and “Brand Visual” so that society or their target market can clearly understand what is being conveyed.
And when the company promotes and people see the posters, advertisements, or pictures or hear the jingles, a perception will form in their minds.
When we promote, people see it on social media and form a perception of our product, but they have never tried it. This is called “Brand Expectation,” or what they think they will get from the service or after using our product.
Brand Expectation raises questions like “Is this product okay?” or “It looks okay” or “It doesn’t look good.”
And when we promote, we put various “promises” and packages or hopes in the posters or on FB or IG. This is called Brand Promise and Brand Hope.
We try to present packages, promotions, words in copywriting, or narratives to create “Brand Promise and Brand Hope” to attract people.
This is what we “promise” to society.
And when customers come to the store or take our service or taste/try our product, this is Brand Experience.
So customers will check whether the Brand Experience is better than the Brand Promise.
If the Brand Promise is better than the Brand Experience, this is called Over Promise and Under Deliver.
If the Brand Experience is better than the Brand Promise, this is called Under Promise and Over Deliver. This is Excellent.
For example, we go to a Chinese shop to repair clothes or dresses, and we ask, “Boss, when will it be ready?”
He says two days, but he knows it will be ready in one day.
When he calls the next day and says, “Your clothes are ready,”
What do we feel?
“Wow, experience” we say is good.
But there are shops that say this; we ask, “When will it be ready?”
“Afternoon ready,” when we go, it’s not ready.
We get disappointed.
So branding starts from Brand Vision leading to Brand Positioning, which means placing your product as Ultra Premium, Premium, Moderate, Cheap, and so on.
So, there needs to be continuity from the basics of branding to Brand Experience, and the company will always try to improve this branding ecosystem for self-improvement.
For example, we go to a mamak stall and order iced tea or iced coffee. Mamak usually charges us RM2.00 to RM2.50 or maybe RM3.00.
If a mamak charges RM15.00, it will go viral the next day. But why is there no viral case of Starbucks charging RM15.00 or Coffee Bean charging RM15.00?
Because Brand Expectation from customers is different. The value of a drink has been translated into Brand Experience, where a RM3.00 payment at a mamak stall is only for the drink, but a RM15.00 payment at Starbucks is not just for the drink but for the image, for the “feel good factor,” for the feeling “I want to be seen at Starbucks.” So the value or “Value Propositions” by Starbucks has “legitimized” RM15.00 not to be viral because Starbucks’ “Brand Positioning” is different from mamak stalls.
There is no right or wrong in this Brand Positioning agenda. What is important is that it must be aligned to create a suitable “mind game” with the target market.
I only shared a bit of this info with friends and entrepreneurs in yesterday’s discussion.
Previously I mentioned having some experience in managing branding while in Rayong, collaborating with Leo Burnett in Bangkok for the Chevrolet collaboration, with Publicis Group and several small-time branding consultants to develop products and services domestically and abroad; with Allah’s permission.
I would like to share a part of the hadith that we can view from the perspective of “Branding.”
“Indeed, the character of the Prophet ﷺ is the Quran.” (HR Muslim)
This means that Rasulullah showed the “Branding” of Islam by clearly displaying all of Allah’s commands, and he was the “Ambassador of Islam” or “Brand Ambassador” chosen by Allah SWT.
If there are friends or acquaintances who need info or guidance or diagnosis about this branding ecosystem, insyaAllah, you can contact me at [email protected].
The good comes from Allah and the bad from me. I welcome any constructive criticism to improve my knowledge.
