Nov

What's happening to the Starbucks brand?

When times are tough, people hold on to those small vices that make them feel like things are still okay. Yet Starbuck’s Q4 profits plummeted. Though restructuring charges and other costs associated with their turnaround plan are built into the numbers, this result causes one to consider what’s really going on.

Are people trading off for Dunkin? Are they going through the McD’s drive through on their way to work (and enjoying a much better McD’s cup of coffee)? Has WaWa, or even the local deli, become a much more attractive and far less costly stop. Ultimately, the answer is yes. Because Starbuck’s position as a “third-place” has lost some traction.

So what’s happened? Seems that a third-place given these troubling times would be just what people are yearning for. A place of refuge – to get away from the maddening world. And a whole lot less expensive than cozying up to the bar. But now it’s only come down to the coffee. What’s led to the watering down of the Starbuck’s experience?

Some question whether the Starbucks brand has lost its soul, its special place as a local neighborhood-feeling destination. I think the answer is yes. And I think the solution is going back to what made it so different and special in the first place – a warm and inviting experiential brand that just happens to serve coffee.

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Oct

Rebranding pitfalls that health brands can avoid

Your brand isn’t running on all cylinders. There are indicators that you’re leaving reputation, relationships and business behind. So you’ve made the decision to re-brand. Some organizations have the skills, discipline and stamina to execute a strategically and tactically brilliant, organization-changing result. Others, while good intentioned, leave something [if not a lot] behind.

Here are common common pitfalls to aviod:

a. Ready, Fire, Aim. The significant time and expense of re-branding warrants tangible returns. Isolate and agree upfront to the most important business and brand issue(s) that you’ll address through the effort.

b. Not Realizing What’s On The Table. As your brand encompasses all the characteristics, both tangible and intangible, that surround your offerings, realize that everything your organization says and does makes up the brand experience. So everything, as it should be, is up for evaluation and refinement.

c. Going It Alone. Just as you wouldn’t diagnose your own physical ailments, the objectivity and expertise of an external consultant is critical to evaluating, creating and credibly selling internally to your leadership and teams.

d. Not Having Key Influencers and Decision-Makers On Board. Do not undertake this effort until these important allies are on board. Understand their opinions and expectations. And keep them appraised along the way.

e. Lack of Demonstrated Senior Leadership Commitment. All the time and expense of this endeavor will never be taken seriously, and will certainly never stick, unless leadership has explicitly communicated [and is ready to demonstrate] their commitment.

f. Inward Perspective. Your external audiences are the arbiters of your success, so understand how they view the organization. Contrast and reconcile these perspectives against your own to determine the gaps that need to be filled to realize your objectives.

g. Disregarding Your Legacy. While you can’t be led by the past, you don’t cast aside those equities that you’ve worked so hard to create. Don’t disregard what’s working, because these are the building blocks for enhancing your relevancy.

h. Bypassing Insiders. Your employees will make or break the initiative. They need to understand and believe in the program and the desired outcome. And most important, they need to be emotionally engaged.

i. Branding As A One-Time Event. As James Gandolfini would say “fuggedaboudit.” Because branding is akin to a marathon, not a sprint to the finish line. It will take longer, and cost more, than you imagined.

j. Neglecting To Patrol And Control The Airwaves. Monitor and share in the web-based conversations about your organization. Participate in the blogisphere. Help yourself control (at least as much as you can) your own destiny.

Sep

Branding Lessons From The Political Front

Today’s the day. Finally. As of Wednesday, no campaign ads, emails, mobile texts.

So what are some lessons healthcare and healthy lifestyle brands can take away from the battle of the last two political brands standing?

Ride the wave. Obama was handed on a silver platter an obvious case for change. At the same time, many deemed the competitive Republican brand to be lagging behind the times. Obama’s team did a tremendous job of staying on point and seizing the moment.

Own a word (as Al Reis pointed out years ago, it’s a powerful strategy). Obama scripted “Change” into his vocabulary from day one. It was his brand theme. And it was ubiquitous. McCain began as the “Experience” candidate. He then co-opted “Change” and tried to make it his own. Before he became the “Maverick.” Witness the results.

Keep it simple. Like “America is ready for Change.” Doesn’t get much better than this.

It’s rarely about “functional” features and benefits. Evidence the talk about wardrobe spend, multiple (but too numerous to remember) homes, the demeanor of a presidential-looking candidate, and the demeanor of someone who is not. It’s rarely about rational arguments, but rather how we make people feel while they’re in our presence.

Execute Brilliantly. One candidate never waivered. Was consistent in his style and tone. Brilliant in his execution from start to finish. The other was not.

Relevance alone doesn’t win the day. But “different” and relevant will. Both candidates were relevant. But one was also different. Only one provoked a response of “that’s what I’m hungry for.”

Build A Community of Evangelists. Witness the thousands of people attending Obama rally’s. The thousands of first-time volunteers. The tremendous use of social media to generate conversations, collaboration and community. Beyond their war chest of funds, Obama’s team was so much more in tune with their consumers motivations, expectations and practices.

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Sep

Health brands that best stand out and apart – real. simple. branding

In a world filled with too much of everything (and just as much similarity), the ongoing process of building clear, valued and sustained differentiation through branding is a crucial step to forging relationships and growing business.

So how can your health brand stand out and apart? By aligning your organization, services or products around the promise of your brand. Ensuring that all you do from selling your brand’s story inside, to building your product, service, market, channel, pricing, customer service and communications strategies reinforce why you’re the best choice for consumers. And this is about REAL. SIMPLE. BRANDING:

REAL.
I remember calling AOL a few years ago. I was told via IVR that “we’ve doubled our number of customer service representatives to deliver a higher standard of customer service. Please hold and the next representative will be with you shortly. Your waiting time is approximately nine minutes.” That’s not real.

SIMPLE.
Stand for something. One thing. Be the best at safety, performance, whitening, speed, durability, magic, luxury. Put a stake in the ground and declare your one thing to the world. Remember Billy Crystal’s line in City Slickers. He tells his riding mates that life’s about one thing. Well, the same holds true for branding.

BRANDING.
Like any verb, connotes action. Practicing the REAL and SIMPLE of above. Managing the multiple (off line and on line) interactions that people have with your brand each day; and that either enhance or detract from your desired perceptions. Remember that whether you’re driving or not, your indelible mark is being stamped into consumers minds! It’s an imprint that’s hard to erase, so create it on your terms.

Aug

Healthcare system branding – some rules of the road

While brand-building fundamentals tend to be similar across many industries, Health Care Systems, with their many hospitals, facilities and audiences, possess a unique set of challenges and requirements. Based on our extensive work within this industry, here are some “Rules of the Road” starting points:

Leadership must take the lead
Brand-building commitment and demonstration must start from the top. It is imperative that leadership embrace branding as a strategic tool to proactively build and nurture relationships.

Start with your strategic plan direction
Any “system level” brand work needs to be grounded in reality. And this grounding starts with strategic plan direction. Business initiatives such as expanding into new geography, introducing new service lines, merging with other entities and physician groups will impact your brands value proposition.

Consider the importance of your multiple external and internal audiences
Externally, there are your local communities, patients and their families, media and politicians. Internally, there are doctors, nurses, staffs and volunteers, boards and foundations – who will make or break you brand-building effort. Ultimately, they all need to understand, connect with and be aligned around what your system brand stands for and how it relates.

Analyze where system-audience relationships exist, today and into the future
Have you historically focused on building relationships with the system brand or the individual hospitals and facilities that provide care? Consider these answers in the context of your strategic plan and annual business goals, e.g. creating a seamlessly integrated ” continuum of care” or an affiliation of specialists. Analyze the pros and cons of each possible branding system scenario.

Formalize your brand agenda
All system staffers, physicians and associates should have a clear and consistent understanding of what makes your brand unique and special. Commit your intended brand purpose, promises, personality, positioning and unifying brand idea to paper for all to help shape and embrace – and then use this as a guidepost for all brand actions and communications.

Audit, monitor and refine the myriad ways you express your brand
Consider all the ways your brand speaks to its audiences. All impart messages about your brand. To ensure that your brand consistently shines through, you need to audit all of these different touch points to gauge their effectiveness at conveying an ” on-brand” message.

Brand from the inside-out
Branding is all about building relationships to fuel business growth. And these relationships start inside your system. You must be aligned to deliver your brand promise day in and day out through the actions and interactions of your staffers and physicians. Every single touch point through which your local communities and patients experience your health care system brand should reinforce its vision.

Jun

The Power of Brand Story

Was at dinner with a client the other night, and we ventured into a conversation about our agency’s ultimate value. We were considering that it might be our ability to craft and tell their brand stories – in authentic, simple and remarkable ways.

A well-crafted story

• raises awareness
• changes perceptions
• reinforces existing relationships
• creates new ones
• generates sales

…and (should) inspire and connect all employees whose consistent delivery of the story is critical to ultimate business success.

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Feb

How do your health brand strengths align with your customers deisres

Do you ever take time during the day to ask yourself this simple question: is our brand strong enough to be the one that customers will want to do business with next year? Or 2-3 years down the road?

Why do customers seek out your brand? What do they expect to see from you; to gain from you? And where do they think/do you think you really shine? There are many other questions like these, and they’re important to answer. Because as easy or hard as it is for you to answer them, so too is it for your customers.

Here are a few ideas for you to ponder as your brand grows and matures.

• explore your strengths: what do you do best, what do you have the ability to do that you’re currently not doing, what should you be doing to build your strengths for the future

• express your strengths: are they “brandable” as unique processes or services; which others can be used to build your image with current and prospective customers

• extend your strengths: how can you leverage your strengths in specific areas where you have little or no experience – through new products and services, with new partners, through new channels.

So, are you strong enough?