Branding the Mega-Brand (Part one of two)

As 2006 has moved half way through its second month, AT&T has continued to establish itself as a “new” player in the international communication category.

SBC and AT&T should have taken a lesson from the former Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp, not to say that they have done anything wrong, yet. Official joining in July of 1998 and formally taking the Verizon name on April 3rd 2000. This major merger of two multi-billion dollar international companies created Verizon as it is known today. This was done on many fronts, but two stand out. The first was the choice of a name. Because neither of the former companies had a name on which to build a mega-brand, a new name was chosen, Verizon. A good choice, clear, denotes opportunity, and contains and draws from a well know, positive root word. Breaking the new name down further, it has three syllables and is in a single word form. This makes for the brand name to roll off the tongue of consumers being short and to the point, while there isn’t the chance that some executive down the line will attempt to shorten the name into abbreviations (as one of it predecessors had the ill fate of, in addition to the topic brands SBC and AT&T).

The second success of Verizon’s mega-brand building experience was establishing itself as the “Network.” Targeting this position in the market allowed Verizon to capture the market of frustrated consumers who were having difficulty during the times of old analog wireless networks. Taking this word and essentially replacing it with the mega-brand name Verizon created the key recognition in the industry. Regardless of actual network dependability, consumers began to equate Verizon as the wireless carrier with the best coverage.

To be continued…

Super Bowl Ads - A Reflection

This isn't another review of anyone's favorite Super Bowl ads. You can read that in some high priced advertising magazine. Everyone can argue for their favorite spots, but what is more important is that the ad that was remembered. Because all consumers were targeted repeatedly, it is the advertising spots that were sought after and searched for by consumers that had the greatest effect. These ads Advertain the consumer and in turn create a connection between the advertiser and the consumer. Using Tivo's research on how people watched the Super Bowl, it is clear which advertisers created that connection. Ameriquest and Anheuser-Busch lead the field with spots that were watched by consumers - and then - watched again, by choice. It is clear what the common connection among the top ten spots, humor. The humor in the Super Bowl ads created the connection between the advertiser and consumer so much so that consumers went out of their way to watch the spot again. Perfect examples of how advertisers need to Advertain in the future to create the best recognition of their brand.

Moving further than just watching the Super Bowl ads on the television again, consumers actual sought after the ads over the internet. Consumers were so entertained that they actually ignored, or forgot, that they were being advertised to and watched the spots again.

Learning from this, how do you create this Advertainment for your own company? You must hit the consumer at a location that they enjoy. In this instance it was humor, short comedy clips that intrigued the consumer so much that they wanted to see it again. Find out what your target market enjoys and see how you can get them asking for more.

What is Advertaining?

It has been said that the average American is bombarded with over 3000 advertisements a day, more than 125 each hour. More and more these messages are becoming less effective. Before Tivo, viewers had already learned to tune out commercials, ignore direct mail and block unwanted spam. Being allowed into the sanctuary of person has called for marketers to be more creative. Product placements in TV shows, movies, and even video games has blurred the distinction between entertainment and advertising. But what if that was taken one step further, what if the video game or the TV show was the ad.

This thinking isn’t revolutionary. Interactive games on the internet are produced for the sole purpose of marketing a product. Short movies are popping up online to brand well established fortune 500 companies. Being welcomed, and even sought after by consumers has transformed the marketing arena and has added a whole new aspect to the idea of permission marketing.

With the emergence of podcasting and downloadable movies, the next generation of advertising has transformed into one where consumers are seeking out to the companies who have spent millions to reach them. Creating a form of interaction where the viewer is thoroughly enjoying themselves, consumers will forget that they are being advertised to and focus on the entertainment value. The Consumer will no longer recognize the line between advertising and entertaining and seek out the Advertaining they enjoy.