BE TRUE. BE BRILLIANT. BE CRAFTY. BE SEEN.

 


 

You know that statistic that gets thrown about – the one about how many ads we are bombarded with each day? Some crazy figure that seems to get bigger each time. Is it 50? nah, 500? hardly, some claim up to 5,000 ads a day we need to filter and pierce through just to get on with the rest of our day. This is of course on top of all the other layers of communications we receive from news, sport, entertainment, gossip pages, newsfeeds, posts.

Whether 500 or 5,000 it’s fair to say our culture is cluttered from dusk till dawn.

How then can a brand seriously stand a chance of standing out?

 

 

Well, after many years practicing the wonderful art of marketing communications across many industries for many various brands, products and services – we’ve nutted out what we believe to be the trusted method for success. It’s worked for us – so why not share it with you?

In order for brands to cut through the cultural clutter – we believe in our Killer Content Methodology. A method that invests in the three tenants of content creation. The work must be ‘Strategically True’, ‘Creatively Brilliant’ and ‘Expertly Crafty’.

Allow me to explain how each is vital and interdependent.

‘Strategically True’ – this is the bit that you simply cannot fabricate or invent. The discipline here is to interrogate and hone in on the clear and honest aspect of the brand that is compelling for your consumer, whilst at the same time being different and distinguished from the competition.

Brand managers that truly invest themselves in the art of marketing understand this. They are instinctively aware of their market and know their competitors towering strengths – all of which enable them to steadfastly single out the truth for their own brand. This may stem from provenance, from a unique process in the manufacturing, or the seasonality, rarity or everyday availability. Once identified – this becomes the lynchpin heartbeat of everything else. In other words, this informs the enduring brand platform from which all communications must satisfy.

For example, consider Qantas, BMW and VB. Enduring brands that have consistently held their brand position as either the ‘Spirit of Australia’, or the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ or ‘For a hard earned thirst’. Yes, their campaigns have evolved over time, but their strategic truth has remained steadfast. This is the vital first step.

‘Creatively Brilliant’ is where divergent, exploratory, boundless conceptualisation occurs. To be honest – this for me is THE most electric part of the process coz it is nay impossible to predict where the thrilling expression might come from. The exquisite joy is when an idea thrills the senses, and then stands up to the strategic truth. Wow. Wow. Wow. When this fissure occurs – stand back and admire – then get down to the business of turning this into reality.

‘Expertly Crafty’– for any idea to thrive, it must be surrounded with producers, creators and makers that know how to work your production dollar hard. An idea worth all this effort demands to be made with the utmost care and skill – after all, it’s the ‘thing’ the consumer actually gets to experience. Craft-fully created content is the final veneer that will pedestal the finest of ideas, making it get noticed by a broad unsuspecting audience.

Through a careful combination of each tenant – your brand will have the greatest opportunity to not only cut through the cultural clutter, but to become a beacon. An undimmed light that will never blend in.

That’s how we make sure brands never not stand out. If you’d like to share your insights into this constant challenge – we’d be delighted to hear from you.

 
David Flanagan, Director of Content & Strategy, P2.
flanners@p2.com.au

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