Your Brand Is Talking – What Is It Saying

Every company has a brand – whether you manage it or not. The real question is, does your brand attract or repel? Consumers are more likely to choose a product or service from a brand they trust, even if it means paying a premium. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impacts of branding. Today, we’ll dive into all of the effects of brand perception on your business (and sales), along with real-world examples of brands that lost their way with branding, and then what you can do to take control of your brand narrative and strategy.

The Impacts Of Branding On Your Business

Earlier, we mentioned how consumers will more likely choose a product or service from a business they trust, even if it costs more than the competition. This isn’t the only impact branding has on sales. If businesses build a strong brand that connects with their audience, they can foster brand loyalty, transforming one-time buyers into repeat customers. A good brand spreads like rain across the business landscape; one customer tells another, who tells another. Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective ways your business can secure new sales. At the end of the day, branding can increase customer trust and loyalty, resulting in a steady rise in consistent sales.

Branding Gone Awry

Branding, if not carefully and intentionally planned and crafted, can dramatically reduce sales, costing you business that you may be unable to make up for years. A bad brand reputation can haunt your business even after the course is corrected. Misaligned branding from new product lines to design can dramatically impact sales and waste a lot of money. Here are a few examples of businesses that learned the negative impacts of branding through poor management.

Colgate & Frozen Food

Did you know that Colgate once tried to branch out into frozen entrees in 1982? The brand greatly underestimated how hard it would be to move from the bathroom to the kitchen. Their customers associated their brand with minty fresh toothpaste – not frozen lasagnas and turkeys. Needless to say, this planned venture into frozen food backfired spectacularly. They underestimated how strong their toothpaste brand was and how misaligned frozen food was from their core brand. The frozen food product line was pulled quickly from the shelves, but the time, energy, and money that they invested in their new line was tough on their brand.

McDonald’s “McPizza”

Continuing on with the spirit of new product launches clashing with brand alignment and image, have you ever thought to yourself when pulling up to a fast food joint that primarily sells burgers that the only thing they’re missing is pizza? It’s safe to say that the McDonald’s pizza, which released in the early 1990s, was as confusing to consumers as it is to us today. The thing is that everything was set up to make McDonald’s pizza a long-lasting hit (including a massive marketing campaign). Ultimately, the product’s preparation, cook time, and equipment changes led to its failure. The product's cook time took much longer than the average McDonald’s customer wanted. The business failed to recognize how much their customers preferred and prioritized their brand because of fast serving times. This new offering didn’t last long. It was removed from the menu and hasn’t made a comeback since.

Tropicana’s Redesign

In January 2009, Tropicana decided it needed a fresh new look. They took the well-known orange with a straw image away from their orange juice cartons, replacing it with just a glass of orange juice. They invested 39 million dollars in an advertising campaign that promoted the fresh look. Two months after the launch of the new design, sales dropped by 20% - a resounding loss of 30 million dollars for Tropicana. This new rebrand was rejected spectacularly by their customers. The company didn’t realize the emotional connection the old package design had with customers and how it had shaped the brand their audience had connected with. Ultimately, they returned to their iconic orange juice design, which the customers know and love.

The ROI Of Intentional Brand Strategy & Consistency

We’ve covered three big examples of misaligned branding that cost companies millions in current and future sales. So, what happens when brand strategy is done right and with consistency? Sales. Companies like Dove, Duolingo, and Chewy are all businesses that invested in their brand strategy to connect with customers to drive more sales and buzz around their products. They know who their customers are, and they have core messages that they consistently share about their brand through ads, social media, and on their website.

After all, a brand is a promise to customers, and your brand strategy is about crafting that promise carefully, defining what you stand for, who you serve, and why you matter. This is a message that needs to be told time and time again – consistency is essential. Consistency in branding establishes trust, loyalty, and brand recognition. Your branding efforts lay the foundation for long-term success with customers that can transform into advocates for your business. Without a branding strategy and management, you may find that you have been unintentionally sabotaging your business through negligent branding.

Take Control Of Your Brand Strategy

Today, you can take control of your brand’s narrative. Help inform strategy and mark a clear brand alignment in a challenging business landscape. With more competition than ever before, you can’t afford not to develop and craft a strong brand. Get the skills you need to make a big impact with your brand in our latest Certified Brand Manager™ course. You’ll learn everything from brand planning to brand marketing to assessing brand performance and growing and maintaining brand equity. Take control of your brand today!