I’ve spent all of my 30+ year career in the ad biz (yes, my license plate proudly reads “ADMAN 1”) and have pretty much seen it all. One significant lesson near and dear to my heart is the importance of building and executing a successful brand. Or, in 2024 terms, the double-helix molecule of brand and content (the marketing mothership).
The best model I have seen my clients develop is when design, marketing, and sales all share an ownership stake in both the building of a brand and the deployment of content. To be crystal clear, brand and content are not the same.
Brand building hovers like a drone above the marketing funnel. It defines a product or service through a clearly expressed voice and identity. It equally represents your mission and business values both to customers (outward) and to your internal team (inward). Close your eyes and think of a clearly evolved brand like, say, Tesla. You truly can see the car in your mind, and fully understand the values and aspiration it represents.
Content, however, digs deep into the funnel—and is measurable and dynamic. Above all, it tells your brand story through multiple marketing channels and platforms. Its overall goal is to perform and provide results that drive financial goals. Content amplifies your brand and tells a story—directly and indirectly. SEO, media placement, social media, and all of your digital and traditional-channel advertising work together to evolve and define the brand.
A successful integration of brand and content persuades and engages customers. Brands are uplifted by content that is unified, relevant, and highly targeted through all channels. Well-crafted content marketing is a clear way of generating leads, acquiring the RIGHT customers, and retaining your existing ones. It maximizes cross-channel marketing and will always provide for your best ROI.
Basic content goal by agency team:
Design:
-Surround-sound sensory envelopment of brand standards (visual, audio, etc).
-Right target, right message! The days of carpet bombing an entire market are long gone.
-Emotional tonality that matches not just the target, but the brand’s cultural mission as well!
Marketing:
-Cross-channel approach that is based on TESTING and KPIs by market segment.
-A sound SEO strategy that’s based on a “long-ball” approach to building a solid web audience.
-A media plan that is flexible and sensitive to the marketplace and competitive offensive maneuvers.
Sales:
-Provide front-line, closed-loop feedback based on direct customer input both in person and online.
-Fully buy into the brand’s cultural mission in all communications. Be an advocate!
Keep these objectives in mind on every project and you’ll be on the path to brand/content nirvana in no time. As David Ogilvy once said, “A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself.” This has never rung truer than in today’s content-demanding environment. Of course, AI will play an integral role—but that discussion is for another day!
If you ever find yourself adrift in a sea of content troubles, reach out and schedule a meeting.
We’ll be happy to steer you to shore.