Why Brands Need To Be Always On
Because we live in a world that never switches off. If we’re not binge watching on Netflix, then we’re on our phones tweeting, sharing holiday photos on Facebook, art directing photos of our meals for Instagram, and Snapchatting our experiences.
We are constantly talking to each other, making connections — old and new. On and on, we talk and share what we’re reading, watching and eating.
“I tweet, therefore my entire life has shrunk to 140-character chunks of instant event and predigested gnomic wisdom and swearing.” Neil Gaiman, author
We also like to gripe about the bad weather, queuing, missing our train, not being able to get on the train, not getting a seat when we’re on the train. We love to complain about bad customer service too. Without hesitation, we’d tweet our complaints, loud and proud.
For brands that are not on social media (yes, there is a last bastion of brands whose heads are still stuck in the sand), they are missing an opportunity to communicate with their customers first-hand. It is a chance to get involved in the conversation and discuss about things that matter to the people. These are the same people who buy your products.
But don’t just talk to your customers when you have something to sell them. We are people — human beings — after all. How would you feel if your friend only talks to you when they have a favour to ask you? Well, it’s the same principle.
You've got to have an ongoing conversation. It’s not 1980 any more where we only had the telephone and fax machine. Get on social media and talk to your community. Engage in two-way conversations. Don’t just blast them with inane one-way messages. That would be the equivalent of a friend at the dinner party who only talks about himself.
Now let’s quickly talk about 30-second TVCs. It’s a rare occasion these days where you see one that gets everyone talking and pushes the design world forward. Nowadays, it’s just a targeted message screaming at me to buy the damn product.
Thanks, but no thanks. Why should I buy from you when I don’t know who you are? Why should I care about your brand? Why I should believe in it? Why I should choose your brand over all the others in the same category?
Give me compelling reasons to believe. Tell me the story of your brand. Get a personality; personality is what makes you the way you are.
Use video, words, pictures, infographics, gifs to tell stories and to express the personality of the brand. Don’t be afraid to have a point of view. And while you are doing this, make sure you make it entertaining.
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