It is not just about the visuals and slogans. With more time-poor people staying indoors, voice-enabled and audio branding help them recall products and services faster. Mastercard launched a sonic logo without its name and customized audio identities to cut through clutter. Music and podcast streaming services now provide ample opportunities for advertisers to pitch their storytelling to listeners, similar to the unforgettable Scott’s Emulsion Cod Liver Oil and Myojo Mee commercial jingles during the 1990s:
Moving on with the times, businesses are blending themselves into our everyday lives. A recent single-take ad brilliantly captured diverse personal experiences in 120 seconds, in the hope of perceiving NTUC Income as a caring insurance provider. Many prestigious car manufacturers have since refreshed their logos with minimalist, flat designs with transparent backgrounds to communicate versatility and omni presence.
Creative automation is changing the way Netflix digitally advertises and produces branded content. Whilst some may resist machine-assisted artistry, it enables marketers and designers keep up with increasing market demands.
During social upheavals, brands ought to practice agility, authenticity and inclusion. A Singaporean woman’s channel with racism content was shut down by Youtube. When the going gets tough for Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the tough gets going; supported by fellow healthcare institutions. Yet bad press did not necessarily mean the end. Because of circumstances United Airlines survived well in spite of boycott threats, only to have the incident leave a mark on the airline industry.
We are probably the best ambassadors of none other than… ourselves! Appearance, personality, skills and values are part of personal branding — used by X to describe you to Y. If the content generated by the organization resonates much with the target audience over time, opportunities are bountiful since followers are familiar and trust the leadership team working behind the scenes. Therefore it helps to align personal with corporate branding.
Branding confirms credibility and connects stakeholders on an emotional level. Whilst positioning stays focused, the various ways to showcase how a brand can be evergreen include narratives, category extensions etc. Branding affects marketing and is seldom one-dimensional. As the world evolves, let’s all continue to observe and strive to make branding great again (no pun intended)!
