Interestingly, we are seeing brands sneaking past the gate keeper in our brains by moving into the role of entertainer. Some brands choose to push digital frontiers using technology to entertain, for example apps or 3D projection mapping, while others are evolving the more traditional methods, producing branded content or hosting events.

It’s those brands pushing boundaries and generally being interesting that become the rock stars of the business world; adored by the masses and envied by the competition.

But what do you do if you don’t have a rock star marketing budget? Fret not. It’s still possible to become a rock brand, complete with cult following even if you’re not Virgin or Coca-Cola. All you need to do is act like a rock star.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled our top tips to kick start your marketing resolutions and help your brand rock on in 2011.

1. Be Unique

To become a rock star, your brand must find its edge.

Articulate exactly what is it that makes your brand different and interesting. Once you discover that quirk or spark of originality that no one else has, run with it. No matter what industry you’re in or who your audience is, even if you’re the most convincing covers band, you’ll never make it to the big time playing someone else’s songs.

Find your point of difference or unique proposition that sets you apart from your competitors. Embrace it. Own it.

2. Be True To Your Sound

A great rock band has a distinctive sound. Sometimes their sound might evolve and mature over time but their sound remains unique to them.

To determine the sound or voice of your brand, look to your brand personality. Who is your brand and what does it stand for? There shouldn’t be any ambiguity amongst staff throughout your business on this point, but particularly amongst those who directly represent your brand to customers and the wider community.

When developing and refining your brand personality, consider your business in terms of human personality traits. This will help you to develop a consistent voice including language style and tone that can be used by staff and translated into all corporate communications, ultimately making it easy for your customers and prospects to understand and relate to your brand.

3. Be Outrageous

While it’s probably best not to trash hotel rooms or smash instruments (unless it’s relevant, of course), the most popular stars are usually the most controversial.

Being truly outrageous might not be a part of your brand personality. That’s okay. You’ll need to decide on the appropriate level of outrageousness for your brand. For many brands being outrageous could just mean being unexpected or spontaneous. In brand speak this could translate to hosting an impromptu event for your twitter followers, or giving a small gift to your customers just to say thanks for being great.

For the more adventurous brands you could try bold public installations, guerrilla stunts or making audacious comments on staff apparel (a la Nandos). Go on, live a little.

4. Be Socially Aware

There comes a time in the career of almost every rock star, when they will choose to advocate for a charitable organisation or cause. Whether you’re a small business or large organisation, committing to socially responsible business practices very clearly shows that you support your community. Demonstrating that your business cares for more than profit helps to build consumer trust and respect for your brand.

As with many things in life, actions speak louder than words. Donating money is great, but committing to action can be a stronger signal. But whether it’s pledging a percentage of sales, giving your employees paid volunteer days, or committing to recycling or sustainable packaging, every little bit counts.

As part of their commitment to sustainable business, CUNA Mutual Group Australia established a sustainability program consisting of 4 specific workgroups focusing on workplace, marketplace, environment and community. A visual identity was required to support the program its associated communications.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso developed a core logo for the program that represented the idea of sustainability and the human contribution of the workgroups towards it. This logo informed the visual direction of a series of 4 illustrations, each of which embodies the spirit of its associated workgroup. Workgroup t-shirts featuring the logos were manufactured from organic cotton and printed using an environmentally friendly digital printing process using vegetable based inks.

San Francisco based law firm Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin required an animated e-card to send out as a holiday greeting to clients and contacts, as well as promote their environmental program “Firmly Green”.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso designed and developed an animated e-card based on the firm’s hard copy card design. The card introduced Howard Rice’s commitment to the environment and their “Firmly Green” program. The e-card worked with Howard Rice’s contact database to personalise the greeting “to” the recipient “from” their specific contacts within the firm. The campaign was executed using the Cannonball email marketing platform. Howard Rice donated the savings from reducing hard copy distribution to Friends of the Urban Forest.

Panbio required a presentation to present a simple illustration of their Homogeneous Assay Technology platform and its implications in the medical diagnostic industry. The animation was required to present the concept in a format that could be easily understood by potential licensees, partners and investors.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso visualised the process using 3D animation tools to result in a 2 minute video that provided a visually stimulating and simplified overview of a complex concept. The video was provided in various formats for distribution online, in powerpoint presentations and at trade show exhibitions.

Australian medical diagnostics researcher and manufacturer, Panbio Limited, engaged Enso to develop an approach for their 2006 Annual Report. Previous annual reports were very clinical and internally focused. Panbio wished to communicate the impact that their products had on everyday peoples lives globally.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso developed a communication concept based on “More People” which integrated the stories of different people from around the world and how they had benefited from diagnostic tools for infectious diseases. The approach featured hand drawn illustration to create a visually rich, organic and engaging experience.

OUTCOMES

The strategic approach combined art direction, design, illustration, stock selection and feature stories to communicate a strong message to stakeholders regarding the tangible, life impacting benefits of the companies activities.

Australian medical diagnostics researcher and manufacturer, Panbio Limited, engaged Enso to develop a short corporate video aimed at potential investors in the biomedical / biotech sector. Budget and time were major challenging factors in developing an effective strategic approach.

STRATEGY/EXECUTION

Enso Consultancy developed a style that would be visually engaging and deliver strong messages and an ambience of confidence that would reflect the cutting nature of Panbio’s activities. An onscreen presenter placed in an animated virtual set was the approach chosen to achieve the communication goals most efficiently and effectively. Following careful identification of the key messages and script consultation, Enso Studios’ production team handled the entire production in-house to ensure communication objectives were met on time and within budget.

OUTCOMES

The corporate video was screened at the Ausbiotech 2007 conference function and received a great reception. Used as an exhibition tool, it has provided a significant increase in the traffic drawn to Panbio’s information centre. A shorter version of the video has become a popular download on the Panbio Website.

The corporate seasons greetings message is an opportunity to spread the spirit of the season and thank everyone for their support over the year. It is also an opportunity to send out something fun, interesting and different from your usual business communications to engage your contacts on another level, and demonstrate another side to the personality of your organisation.

DEPENDING ON YOUR SITUATION OR REQUIREMENTS, A SEASON’S GREETING CAMPAIGN CAN ACHIEVE A NUMBER OF COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES THROUGH A PLATFORM THAT IS OFTEN LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN OTHER CAMPAIGNS. IT CAN BE USED TO ADDRESS PR ISSUES, BUILD STAKEHOLDER CONFIDENCE AND EVEN BECOME A SOPHISTICATED VIRAL MARKETING AND PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN.

Your festive season message is a ideal medium to remind your customers that you are more than just a money making machine. Promoting your organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility program or credentials is a popular and well received message that ties in nicely with the season of giving.

What’s more, taking your campaign electronic and distributing online via email can make it fun, interactive, measurable and environmentally responsible. Electronic greeting cards, or e-cards as they’re often called, can include animation, audio, video and interactivity to deliver true brand engagement, and can be easily personalised to the recipient from their specific contacts within the organisation. They can also include personalised messages or targeted content depending on your contact segmentation. Because they can be developed to dynamically retrieve information from a database, personalisation can be based on any data that you hold. You can also easily measure the readership of your communication through the usual email and web metrics.

However, if you do wish to distribute a traditional hard copy card, environmentally responsible options are available to minimise the environmental impact of your campaign. There are many options available in recycled, unbleached paper stocks from green paper mills. Printing can also be done with organic, vegetable based inks using water efficient processes.

So whatever you choose to do, remember that Christmas creeps up on you quickly, so now is the time to act and start planning to ensure you make the most out of your festive season communications opportunity.

However, it is important to recognise that it is fundamentally a market driven trend that can and is influenced by company advertising and communication. Initially the market wanted greener products and services from more sustainable companies, and companies have been responding to fill the demand. Rapidly growing markets have emerged for green, sustainable and ethical products and services as consumers take environmental action through their purchasing decisions – decisions which are largely based on advertising and corporate communications (in the context of global environmental concerns). As more and more people choose ‘green’ products or companies, more and more businesses are encouraged to innovate in sustainability and clean up their environmental act to position themselves for the emerging green economy.

And as more business promote their green credentials, more consumers are subject to the green message which can influence awareness and potentially lead to consumers taking action through green purchasing decisions. Theoretically a positive feedback loop is established with both the consumer influencing the supplier, and the supplier influencing the consumer towards more sustainable ways.

The problem is that many companies and their marketing departments have started to exploit the green market through the use of unsubstantiated or irrelevant environmental claims, commonly known as greenwashing. Greenwashing can be intentional and explicitly deceiving, or unintentional and vague. Greenwashing is any type of environmental claim, alignment or suggestion which is really more about cashing in on the hot topic rather than expressing the true nature or credentials of a product or company.

Greenwasing can consist of outright lies, the suggestive use of green images or claiming a product is slightly greener than others in a category, even when the whole category is very environmentally damaging. It could be a green product manufactured by a dirty company or some fluffy, non specific communications about eco-friendliness. Greenwash is commonly the term used to describe an organisation that seems to invest more money or effort in advertising their green credentials than they invest in actually establishing and improving environmental practices.

Greenwashing is unsustainable and dangerous as it threatens to undermine the positive consumer-business environmental feedback loop. Consumers, being a savvy lot are wising up to the practice of greenwashing, and are beginning to distrust ‘green’ advertising and communications. In fact, according the the publication, What Assures Consumers on Climate Change ,  only 10% of consumers trust the green message they receive from business and government – that’s a pretty skeptical crowd that’s out there.

As greenwashing becomes more common, and more people become aware of it, more distrust is given to green claims, and consumers become unlikely to form purchase decisions on the back of those claims. With fewer consumers making green purchasing decisions, fewer business have the incentive to go green, and the positive feedback loop is broken. In order to prevent this from happening, marketing, advertising and communication agencies and their clients need to be vigilant about preventing incidences of greenwashing and campaigns which could be ‘perceived’ as greenwashing.

So, with an overwhelming temptation to spread the green word, how can one avoid their communications being perceived as greenwashing? A good place to start is following the guidelines outlined by the ACCC in their 2008 publication Green marketing and the Trade Practices Act. A simple checklist for marketers at the back of this publication allows you to quickly test if your communications could be perceived as greenwash.

Every organisation has a responsibility to minimise their environmental footprint through efficiencies in waste, water and energy, and strive towards providing sustainable, future focused products and services. And in the current climate of economic change, it’s an ideal time to focus on the part you can play in a more sustainable and green economy. For organisations implementing and achieving significant and legitimate progress in this area, promoting green credentials can be a powerful marketing message, one that not only boosts the bottom line, but also contributes to influencing attitudes about caring for our planet. But beware of the dangers of greenwash.

However, it is important to recognise that it is fundamentally a market driven trend that can and is influenced by company advertising and communication. Initially the market wanted greener products and services from more sustainable companies, and companies have been responding to fill the demand. Rapidly growing markets have emerged for green, sustainable and ethical products and services as consumers take environmental action through their purchasing decisions – decisions which are largely based on advertising and corporate communications (in the context of global environmental concerns). As more and more people choose ‘green’ products or companies, more and more businesses are encouraged to innovate in sustainability and clean up their environmental act to position themselves for the emerging green economy.

And as more business promote their green credentials, more consumers are subject to the green message which can influence awareness and potentially lead to consumers taking action through green purchasing decisions. Theoretically a positive feedback loop is established with both the consumer influencing the supplier, and the supplier influencing the consumer towards more sustainable ways.        

The problem is that many companies and their marketing departments have started to exploit the green market through the use of unsubstantiated or irrelevant environmental claims, commonly known as greenwashing. Greenwashing can be intentional and explicitly deceiving, or unintentional and vague. Greenwashing is any type of environmental claim, alignment or suggestion which is really more about cashing in on the hot topic rather than expressing the true nature or credentials of a product or company.

Greenwasing can consist of outright lies, the suggestive use of green images or claiming a product is slightly greener than others in a category, even when the whole category is very environmentally damaging. It could be a green product manufactured by a dirty company or some fluffy, non specific communications about eco-friendliness. Greenwash is commonly the term used to describe an organisation that seems to invest more money or effort in advertising their green credentials than they invest in actually establishing and improving environmental practices.  

Greenwashing is unsustainable and dangerous as it threatens to undermine the positive consumer-business environmental feedback loop. Consumers, being a savvy lot are wising up to the practice of greenwashing, and are beginning to distrust ‘green’ advertising and communications. In fact, according the the publication, What Assures Consumers on Climate Change ,  only 10% of consumers trust the green message they receive from business and government – that’s a pretty skeptical crowd that’s out there.

As greenwashing becomes more common, and more people become aware of it, more distrust is given to green claims, and consumers become unlikely to form purchase decisions on the back of those claims. With fewer consumers making green purchasing decisions, fewer business have the incentive to go green, and the positive feedback loop is broken. In order to prevent this from happening, marketing, advertising and communication agencies and their clients need to be vigilant about preventing incidences of greenwashing and campaigns which could be ‘perceived’ as greenwashing.

So, with an overwhelming temptation to spread the green word, how can one avoid their communications being perceived as greenwashing? A good place to start is following the guidelines outlined by the ACCC in their 2008 publication Green marketing and the Trade Practices Act. A simple checklist for marketers at the back of this publication allows you to quickly test if your communications could be perceived as greenwash.

Every organisation has a responsibility to minimise their environmental footprint through efficiencies in waste, water and energy, and strive towards providing sustainable, future focused products and services. And in the current climate of economic change, it’s an ideal time to focus on the part you can play in a more sustainable and green economy. For organisations implementing and achieving significant and legitimate progress in this area, promoting green credentials can be a powerful marketing message, one that not only boosts the bottom line, but also contributes to influencing attitudes about caring for our planet. But beware of the dangers of greenwash. ]]> http://enso.com.au/green-is-the-new-cmyk/feed/ 0 http://enso.com.au/video-donald-welch-on-creative-thinking/ http://enso.com.au/video-donald-welch-on-creative-thinking/#comments Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:30:14 +0000 Michael Mottarelly http://enso.com.au?p=227 Donald Welch
MVA (Griffith), BA(Hons) (Coventry), DipT (BCAE), FDIA.
Senior Lecturer & Convenor of the Design Department QCA
Convenor of the Master of Design program QCA

Donald has experience as a designer in both the UK and Australia. Specialising in visual communication design, he has worked on major wayfinding projects such as airports and other public/private sites, branding for government and private institutions, as well as publication design. Formerly an Associate of Minale Bryce Design Strategy, he was for many years a consultant with the company.

His research interests include developing a methodology for divergent creative problem solving applied to visual communication. He has taught at Shandong College of the Arts, China, and is an advisor of post-graduate students at the Communication University of China, Beijing. He is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia and a member of the Australian Graphic Design Association.