The Rise and Fall of a Brand

We've all heard the news. The Pontiac brand is being discontinued. And the future of a few others, including Saturn, is looking very bleak.

Wow.

The Pontiac brand has such a history in pop culture, from the movies and the muscle cars to the music. It's almost tragic that the state of the economy has led to the demise of such an impactful entity/product. But, even more tragic in my opinion is the rise and fall of the Saturn brand.

Once, Saturn embodied the essence of what some people believe is the American spirit: it was the "little engine that could", the car that set itself apart from other cars and LIKED being different. The Saturn brand was one that promised to respect your individuality and welcomed you like a part of the family. You weren't just a customer, you were part of something better and greater than what had come before. It was awesome to see -- I almost bought one.

But, as with any promise, they key is to live up to the expectations set. And not just live up to them, but maintain a consistency in meeting those expectations. That's where the Saturn story started to fall apart.

After design and service issues, the image of the "little engine that could" started to decline. It was no longer the cool kid everyone wanted to hang out with -- it became a cautionary tale and only the most die-hard Saturn owners continued to lend their support.

Is your brand in danger?

Since your brand is your promise, how are you safeguarding that promise and ensuring that you consistently and effectively live up to the standards set? Once you have lost control over your brand image, you initiate an avalanche effect that is difficult to undo.

Take steps now to protect your brand image by:
1. Being clear - Create a brand pyramid if you haven't already done so. Be clear on what your brand is and what it should be. If you aren't clear, your market will be confused too. Make sure that everyone in your organization is on the same page.

2. Being consistent - Your messaging and brand presentation should be consistent at each and every touchpoint --phone, mail, internet, sales, etc. Do a quick inventory of all those touchpoints and confirm they all support each other. NOTE: Consistency also involves the presentation of your product or service. During crazy economic times like this, it is very tempting to make cutbacks that could affect your product or service quality. But, remember that everything you do either supports or detracts from the strength of your brand.

3. Communicate - This means you speak to customers, but you listen to them as well.

What are you doing to safeguard your business brand?

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Labels: brand, brand development, marketing, small business marketing

posted by MarketEASE @ 9:44 PM