Brand Codes: Lessons from a $65 Million Re-Branding Disaster
First, what the hell are brand codes? And how do they strengthen memory structures while increasing profits?
All About Brand’s Visual Identity
The most well-known brands in the world. Coca-Cola. McDonald’s. Nike. They all have strong visual identities that are immediately recognizable.
The Missing Link to Getting Greatness From Your Designer
You finally receive the design, but it just really didn’t hit the mark. That's because of a poor (or nonexistent) Creative Brief.
David Ogilvy’s Secrets of Good Ads
"When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
Art is Not Subjective.
If you have the right artist, they make their decisions consciously and objectively for the purpose of drawing attention. And they do it using an invisible ally.
Ad Templates
According to the published research, 89% of award-winning ads could be classified into 6 basic templates. And the use of these templates boosted subjects' abilities to positively affect audience perception by 55%.
Avoid Scrapbooking Your Brand Visuals.
A “scrapbook company” doesn’t have the emotional connection to your brand that you do; so they give you a templated product that looks like everything else. Unremarkable.
The Most Powerful Words Are Unspoken
When you say it in your ad, the audience is as likely to dismiss it as accept it. When you cause the audience to say it in their heads, it’s automatically, unquestionably accepted.
Judging Ads: You’re (Probably) Doing It Wrong
I saw the following posted as a bit of humor online and thought it contained a powerful advertising lesson.
Creating Story Appeal On Demand (Part 2)
Attitude imbalances are the most useful for advertising — especially for branding — because they speak to and most directly reveal personality, character, and values.
Images, “Truthiness,” and Forced Participation
Recent psychological studies show that statements accompanied by related images are considered more believable than the same statement without an image.
Coffee and Whisky Marketing — Not So Different
Bond with customers over personality, attitude, and values first.
Make the Logo Smaller?
Advertising creatives and graphic designers groan at a client request to “make the logo bigger.” And both the request and the reaction are entirely understandable.
Billboards, Outdoor, and Ambient Advertising
While billboards can be pricey, they’ve actually become a much better value over the last decade, with the price dropping compared to other forms of media.