Touchpointers

Following is something I wrote a while back, but thought it worth revisiting as the concept of “brand communications” gains traction in popular marketing jargon:  

For years I referred to what I did for a living as “Marketing Communications.”  That is, communications activities that specifically supported the marketing efforts of a client’s product or service, differing from “Corporate Communications,” which delved into internal communications, PR, financial reporting, etc. 

More properly, the term I should have been using is “Brand Communications,” embracing a more encompassing recognition of the role of “brand identity,” and the role communications plays in delivering and reinforcing that identity to marketing audiences.      

The brand identity is the strategic platform developed to define what the brand stands for, what its value is to customers and prospects, and the decisive differences and advantages over competitive offerings.  Think of it as a distinctive set of fingerprints – brandprints — that can only be associated with your particular brand.  (Do you have a formalized brand identity for each of your brands?  If not, check out more details here.)  At its core, this should remain constant for the individual products or services that will be marketed under the brand identity.  

Now comes the brand communications part, and there’s two primary areas to consider here: 

CONTENT is what you say. 

It’s the messaging that comes directly out of the brand identity platform.  It conveys why the product or service is better, different, of value, etc.  The content should be consistently delivered and reinforced in the next part of the equation, contact.  

CONTACT is what you do. 

It’s the delivery of the content through your brand touchpoints — those significant and seemingly insignificant ways folks engage with the brand.  It could be sales pitches, advertising, social media, trade shows, the receptionist, invoices, delivery personnel, community goodwill, sponsorships, public relations, packaging, etc.  Each and every point of contact should be carefully considered, ensuring the desired content is delivered as prescribed in the brand identity.

Collectively, it’s ”Brand-Centric Communications.”  But that’s too mind-numbing to say.  Let’s just leave it at “Brand Communications.”  Ultimately, the goal is to sell more of your “stuff,” but from a more strategically-considered brand platform.  Are you there?