Digital Media Buzz > Do Companies Still Have Control Over Their Brand

Do Companies Still Have Control Over Their Brand

By Channon Cary

Recently, companies have been asking themselves a tough question: How much control do we really have over our brand? Several highly public, viral brand attacks (Dominoes Pizza holding the current title for most damaged) keep the issue of brand control critically important.  According to BuzzLogic’s vice president of sales, Courtney Hughes, companies want more “transparency and control” with online advertising now more than ever.

Additionally, changing media venues and technology enabled consumer feedback is beginning to reach critical mass, moving faster than many companies can keep pace with. Given this, what exactly has changed and what is the potential impact to brand management strategies?

New Hazards and Challenges
Even over the last year, traditional media sources like television, radio and newspaper advertising have changed dramatically. Consumer demographics have changed almost across the board, leaving advertisers questioning their spending budgets across these more traditional channels. And then, of course, there’s the evolution and continuing maturity of technology, social media spaces and consumer-driven feedback and reviews.

New variations of brand threats have cropped up:

• Fraudulent e-mail scams;
• Auction sites and online availability of counterfeited brands and products;
• Misplaced ads, located next to questionable content;
• Global consumers and varied brand protections by country; and
• Massive-reach blogs, tweets, videos and postings from dissatisfied consumers or employees.

Each of these brand-damaging events can have major and lasting impact. Dominoes Pizza’s reputation with consumers moved from positive to negative in the span of two days, and a long recovery time seems likely despite their standard public relations handling of the situation.

The bottom line is that most consumers have a tendency to be distrustful of big corporate advertising campaigns and messaging, believing they are first and foremost protecting their own financial interests above those of the consumer. And, while this perception is nothing new, the sheer volume and immediacy of impact due to social conversation technology make these new brand threats like dropping a match onto a gasoline soaked field — seemingly uncontainable.

So, what could Dominoes have done differently? What would you have done differently in their position?

Different Levers of Control
Consumers want the same thing today as they did 10 years ago. That is, quite simply, trust and confidence in the product and company.  So while new threats exist in the marketplace, new complexities in how brands and reputations are built and managed, this core principle of trust should stay the guiding focus for any company when looking to manage its brand.

Honing some classic strategies and adding in a few new mechanisms can help companies navigate a new consumer landscape:

• Be Proactive. If you are one of the companies out there who has resisted implementing an official social media strategy and marketing plan, it’s time to do so. Regardless of company size, the value proposition is clear in carving out a virtual niche. Getting first-hand experience with new tools, programs and methods of hearing from your customers is invaluable.
• Articulate and Execute On Your Brand Promise. Successful brands, particularly online, are not just those that are hip, edgy and cool. They are companies and brands who deliver and stand by what they proclaim. If you aren’t 100-percent clear, concise and most importantly authentic in communicating your brand promise, your customers won’t listen to or believe the message.
• Monitor and Respond To Social Media Conversations. The faster a company learns of an attack or even of simple, negative feedback, the more quickly it can respond and attempt to mitigate possible damages. Several online reputation management applications exist, with high quality innovations occurring in this area every day. BuzzLogic’s new advertiser dashboard is one such product, offering a tremendous amount of transparency, and therefore control, around social conversations occurring on companies and products.
• Be Honest and Authentic. While this is not new, authenticity is more important today than ever. A standard PR approach in the face of attack may not be enough anymore. Apologies and expressing sincere concern are good foundation blocks to regaining and confirming trust with consumers, but they are only starting points. Frequent progress updates and conversations with consumers about progress – both good and bad – will keep the dialogue going and ultimately keep the relationship with customers strong.

Channon Cary is a consultant for Global Talent Development, leveraging more than 14 years industry experience to help connect people and business in an ever evolving era of technology.

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