“Branding: Odd man is always in”

A journey of building a brand drives, through a lifelong responsibility to a mindset and a way of life that takes time, planning and perseverance, which lead to many intangible outputs like reduced price sensitivity, greater customer satisfaction, a bigger share of customer’s wallets, more referrals and higher percentage of repeat business.

Strong brand and USP helps the company in positioning and to have a greater influence on customer purchase processes. Following are the examples of some big business houses, which chose the unique way to differentiate and to stay out of crowd.

                                                                                         

1. FUTURE - A Gallery By Johnnie Walker

 

An innovative and groundbreaking idea has power to create the magic that result in an amazing brand loyalty.Johnnie Walker, which is not known for Art business, sponsored an Art Gallery. The first ever such Art gallery of the world, “Selling art work that has not yet been created”. Ten unknown artists displayed in white canvases with a promise to transform white canvases into amazing masterpieces in the future. The auction sold triple the amount expected. By stepping out of comfort zone with a big idea, Johnnie Walker enlighten its brand by showcasing company’s “belief in people’s potential, transforming the way of selling the art and brilliant way for artists to start their career”.

2. John Hancock -Wear A tracker and get an insurance discount

The deep understanding of the customer’s need, make a strong bonding, improve loyalty and help company to offer highly customised NBOs (next better offers) and obviously is a durable base for competitive advantage.With a tag line “Could 15 minutes of exercise save your 15 percent on your life insurance? -John Hancock Financial”, became the first U.S. insurance company that offers discounts to all those policyholders, who accept to wear Internet-connected fitness trackers. After signing up the new policy, customer is given a Fit-bit, a bracelets that tracks customer’s steps. The more one exercise, the bigger discount, insurer will get on insurance premium, which is around 15 %. This policy motivated healthy behavior with “fun sort of rewards” to get policyholders to the gym, like gift cards, discounted hotel stays and leisure travel. This approach not only incentivized the healthy behavior, but helps company to calculate the premium more accurately on the basis of their life style.

3.  Buy a candle and donate one meal

Hart Main knew that the Brand is a combination of brand personality, brand association, brand attitude and brand image. If a consumer believes that the product can help the environment or society, that determines overall evaluation of brand, improve its credibility, promote the feeling of accomplishment & increases brand equity.With a vision “Why don’t people sell candles in scents that men like?” a business was born, bya 13-years-old Hart Main launched ManCans—a manly candle company with a twist. When you buy a Mancan, You are getting a quality candle and also you are helping provide meal and employment to those, in need. His organisation buys cans of soup at local grocery stores, donates the soup to kitchens, then reclaims the cans for its candles, which retail for around $9.50. Till date, Main's company has donated more than 100,000+ meals and set up a successful business with the insight to combine social cause with earning money through ONE CANDLE, ONE MEAL.

Success of a brand is the natural consequence of consistency in delivering the quality attributes expected by customers and ability to combine consistency with flexibility through a proactive-reactive attitude and continuous rethinking of current strategies and asset deployment.An effective branding strategy is developed and implemented through integrated communication strategies, to demonstrate the brand’s value in the unique way. Branding through USP is away where “Odd man is always in”.