Communication starts when a consumer meets the brand. It could be an instance where a consumer is watching a TV advertisement, has come across a social media post or any random newspaper advertisement. This is the beginning of the communication between the product/service and the prospective consumer. Did this interaction affect the consumer’s beliefs? Did it create a stir in the consumer’s mind? Did it touch the consumer’s feelings? If yes, the first brand communication step is a success. The strategy of getting noticed is the start of a business opportunity. Earlier, the ways to communicate your brand were very few and were restricted to limited ways of interacting with the customers. Advertisements in Newspaper, Billboards, radio, sponsorships – all were one-sided. Today, the world is moving faster and getting closer in all aspects.
Social media is a very powerful marketing medium where there is two-way communication. A brand can propose its products on social media and get instant feedback on its quality, appearance etc. Today, the most successful brands are putting their maximum effort in creating and maintaining their web presence. How are they doing it? There are many digital marketing companies taking responsibility for handling Brand communication for companies. A lot of planning, money, resources and strategies are involved in doing it. The foremost thing to do is to decide a ‘Brand Message’ that represents the company’s product which is the front face of the entire business. Ensuring the promotion of the message in an interesting, appealing way using visuals, rewards and benefits to attract the customers is the key.
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By means of surveys, brands get to know the customer’s profile – their weaknesses etc. Along with this, it is also important to study the tactics of rival company’s. Big Brands choose relevant apps on social media based on the likelihood of the prospect customer using them and are consistent with contents on each of them. They also connect their accounts and are in sync with each other and use verified genuine accounts which help customers build trust and communicate. The key to success in social media is being personal with the consumers yet maintaining and respecting their privacy, understanding their concerns and requirements and being responsive to their queries. Another point to be noted is that, for the role of branding management, companies usually hire people who have done some sort of brand management courses.
Big brands try to encash consumer interests and beliefs to promote their brands. For example, LUX is a brand known in the market mainly because it is endorsed by the most popular actresses of Indian cinema. People easily believe its authenticity and quality and actively buy such products. It is necessary to categorise your audience based on their interest and targeting that specific group of buyers to get more benefit. Beauty soaps are mainly consumed by women and capturing their interests, likings such as colour, fragrance, movies and highlighting them in their product is a win-win situation along with endorsements from their favourite TV characters.
Remember, while branding, customer satisfaction is as important as holding the customer’s interest using various innovative ideas and maintaining the quality of services/product offered.
Social media users worldwide crossed the 3.5 billion mark in 2019.
These staggering figures are enough to convince you that social media is the new marketplace for businesses and brands that are looking to promote their products and services.
Social media strategy does not come easy, especially when it comes to delivering a powerful message. This is why here are five real-life brand stories that leveraged the power of social media to deliver a powerful message to their audience.
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PlayStation
With over 18 million followers, Sony’s PlayStation is one of the most followed brands on Twitter. In fact, the brand witnessed a humongous growth in its followers by a whopping 376% in the last five years. One of the primary reasons for this exponential upscale in followers is the continuous engaging content it posts, including new game trailers, gaming footage, and not to mention the streaming events.
Recently, PlayStation initiated a #PlayAtHome campaign due to Covid-19 and offered various PlayStation Exclusive games on heavy discounts to its users. The gaming giant also offered one of its most popular series “Unchartered: The Nathan Drake Collection” for free to the users. The campaign was a massive hit with gamers who could enjoy these gaming titles at home during the time of the pandemic.
Amul
Amul always had a robust social media presence, be it Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. All the creative contents posted by Amul focus on the point of view of the mass to address a discerning social situation. The classic Amul-girl present in each of their content conveys the story from her perspective, making it a human touch. This is why Amul is known for its advertising and social media campaigns.
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If you are a striving digital marketer or a working professional looking to hone their digital media skills, the ideal way is to pursue online brand sales & marketing courses. These online brand sales & marketing courses available on several credible Edtech platforms can expose you to recent themes and trends that rule the social media and how you can engage your brand’s audience effectively.
Zomato
Zomato knows its audience so well that their social media campaigns never cease to amaze the foodies of India. They know what would engage their users. For instance, back in 2019, Zomato posted a funny tweet saying “guys, kabhi kabhi ghar ka khana bhi kha lena chahiye” which means “guys, it’s okay to enjoy a home-cooked meal once in a while”. This digital media campaign was a huge success and was also re-posted by other companies.
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Very recently in September 2020, Zomato again generated massive buzz with its latest campaign. After receiving a lot of backlash and negative feedback on its unskippable YouTube ads, Zomato rolled out a contest allowing people to be the change they want to see in the world. Zomato asked its users to send ideas for video ads and the best one would win INR 25 lacs. Needless to say, the contest went viral and received thousands of entries. This campaign has become the perfect example of turning negative feedback into brand love with user generated content.
Oreo India
When talking about companies that cracked the code to keep their audience engaged, how can Oreo take the back seat? Earlier, when cookie brands like Parle and Britannia dominated the Indian market, Oreo faced great challenges. However, with the #DailyDunks with Bollywood celebrity campaigns, they won over the hearts of the little ones and the young-adult generation. Oreo is a classic example of brands that used social media to deliver a strong message to their audience successfully.
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Flipkart
Flipkart is not only known as India’s biggest marketplace but has also gained fame for their catchy ads with all the cute children dressed up as adults. These videos are funny and extremely engaging. Be it a new offer or a mega sale announcement, Flipkart has managed to engage their audience with creativity, sense of humour, and strong messaging.
Learn More About Social Media & Brand Marketing
With the expert guidance of online brand sales & marketing courses, professionals now have access to relevant and up-to-date content related to social media and digital marketing. By helping professionals gain prowess and an out-of-the-box thinking attitude, these online brand sales & marketing courses are gaining immense popularity in the Edtech industry.
One such course you can pursue is the managing brand & marketing communication online course by MICA. The managing brands & marketing communications online course by MICA is the ideal way to gain in-depth knowledge about effective communication and branding strategies. Not only does this course provide a 360-degree view of marketing and brand management but also gives you a sound understanding of different concepts of branding strategies.
Learning integrated marketing communication and managing brand doesn’t have to be at an arm’s length anymore. Enrol for the managing brand & marketing communication online course by MICA and allow yourself to move towards career progression.
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