Benefits of a Strong Brand, Part 3 – Create Stronger, More Cost-Effective Marketing

Continuing with our blog series, here is another client story that shows a third valuable benefit of having a clear and relevant brand:

Benefits of a Strong Brand- Franciscan Media - Brand Specialist Blog imageTwo years ago I helped a 120-year-old Catholic media company rebrand itself. This company had a hand in many areas: they published the leading national Catholic magazine in the U.S. as well as two separate book imprints, ran one of the top five Catholic websites in the world, produced a nationally syndicated radio program, had a large audio/video line, ran an educational resources division, maintained a popular e-card business, and was beginning to produce apps and digital products. Each was a separate business unit. Many had been acquired over the decades and carried a unique brand or identity. I used HeLT’s corporate branding approach with this client, including our C.O.R.E.E. Brand Positioning Process and supporting marketing research…. Learn More…

Benefits of a Strong Brand, Part 1 – Increase Your Value to Your Target Clients/Customers

Here’s a quick client anecdote that illustrates an important benefit gained from a well-defined and strong brand:

Benefits of a Strong Brand - ProfessorsChoice.com - Brand Specialist Blog imageA few years back, HeLT worked with a publishing industry client who had started a new business unit that used state-of-the-art technology to produce custom textbooks for university professors.  Professors who could not find the course book they wanted could use the client’s service to design their own custom, hardcover, professional-looking textbook.  The client felt they had a pretty good idea of what their brand values would be before using our C.O.R.E.E. Brand Positioning Process: they knew choice and cost-savings were important values to their target customer.

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Branded Coffee Mugs & More — a HeLT Client Puts Their Branding to Use, with Results

Putting Branding to Use - The Steve Trautman Co. Branded Coffee MugA few weeks ago I was fortunate to attend the all-company 2013 kick off meeting of a client, The Steve Trautman Co. This Seattle-based client runs a consulting company that has been setting the gold standard in knowledge transfer solutions for the past decade and serves a blue chip client list, such as Boeing, Microsoft, Costco, Nike, Goodyear, Cadbury, Electronic Arts, and others. HeLT began working with The Steve Trautman Co. in 2010 and led the company through a rebranding, using our C.O.R.E.E Brand Positioning process.  We repositioned the company’s brand to focus on their leadership in knowledge transfer, changed the company name, streamlined their product offerings, and devised a simple way to present what they do to the marketplace (e.g. introduce their knowledge transfer tools as a simple, 3-step process).  We have continued to work with this client to provide on-brand marketing services…. Learn More…

HeLT Celebrates 5 Years!

HeLT brand consulting's redesigned homepage - Jan 2013HeLT Consulting + Services, Inc., your friendly Chicago branding firm, celebrates its five-year anniversary this January 2013 with a new look, updated website, and the addition of a new member to our team.

Our redesigned website, courtesy of Megan Coleman Designs, was launched not only to put our best face forward, but also to give visitors a greater understanding of the benefits of branding and why HeLT cares about your brand so gosh darn much…. Learn More…

Using Brand to Shift the Conversation: a look at the Beijing vs. London Olympic Summer Games

 

[Repost from older blog. Original posting date: Jan. 12, 2012]  I was recently discussing brand focus and positioning with a client. One of the most interesting recent examples of brand positioning was the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games verus the upcoming 2012 London Summer Games. If you remember, the media made a big deal about the Beijing Games being China’s “coming out party.” With the Chinese Olympic Committee’s display of modern hosting facilities, the lavish opening ceremonies (costing more than the GNP of most small countries), and the Chinese government’s overall nothing-too-small/nothing-unscripted approach, it was if the Games were a show to world that China is on-the-scene and can now play with the big boys.

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Rebooting an Iconic Brand: Oreo Cookies in China

Changing product attributes for perceived brand values - brand reboot - Oreo cookie[Repost from older blog. Original posting date: Sept. 23, 2008] The case of venerable American company Kraft Foods and their foray into the Chinese market with the top brand in their Nabisco cookie line—the iconic Oreo—is a great example of a crucial tenant of branding: your brand is unlitmately not yours—it’s the world’s.

The Oreo has long been the best-selling cookie in America (a Kraft claim that no one seems to be disputing). It’s now also the best-selling cookie in China—but this wasn’t always so for the tasty two-toned treat. When Kraft Foods first unveiled the cookie to the Chinese in 1996, and then up until 2005, sales were less than stellar. … Learn More…

The Fight for China’s Sole — Adidas, Nike and Footwear Branding Battles

 

[Repost from older blog. Original posting date: Sept. 12, 2008] Before we leave behind the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics for the ancient news that it is (see post on brand icons here), I want to point out one more of its branding lessons.  Let’s look at how two global brand-name sporting appeal and footwear companies, Adidas and Nike, approached this enormous marketing opportunity. What did they do prior to the Games? Something very interesting. They spent untold amounts of R&D time and money developing specialty shoes to be featured at the Beijing Games. Nike unveiled 28 pairs, Adidas 27. And, both companies outfitted thousands and thousands of Olympic athletes with their new designs, free of charge. Here’s the kicker: most of these shoes will never make it to the mainline consumer.  Many never seeing the light of day in retail stores—they will only be sold online. So if neither of these global companies expected to sell many equestrian, rowing, or wushu shoes, why all the effort and fuss?… Learn More…