Ofcom, the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, has announced in its annual report that mainstream TV advertising is no longer the medium of choice in the UK. Spending on online advertising has overtaken TV. Online grew 40% last year to A$6 billion, accounting for 19 percent of all advertising, in an industry that is worth A$109 billion. The report also states that in a comparison of the period from 2002 to 2007 the time spent on computers by the British public increased 400%, representing 24 minutes a day per person. Mobile phone time increased 200%. By comparison, Australia’s online advertising market grew 61.5 per cent in 2006 with the full year spend just topping the $1 billion milestone. Way to go.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Functional and emotional benefits of brands
Brands can evoke strong rational and emotional responses in those who come into contact with them. This translates as ‘a powerfully held set of brand beliefs’. To be successful brands must create a relationship with key audiences by meeting both functional and emotional expectations at all points of interaction. The brands consumers choose can reinforce their self-image and generate social acceptance... think iPhone, Absolut, Prius. A consumer will pay a premium for a brand that can help them make a social statement. Brands can also put people in touch with likeminded individuals... think Harley Davidson.
Car manufacturers are experts at combining the rational and emotional. BMW and Mercedes for example, are all about build quality and engineering excellence. BMW however focuses on performance while Mercedes focuses on reliability. They have built brand strength by leveraging their functional excellence into an emotional resonance in the minds of consumers. How do they do this? BMW transforms performance into a form of emotional aggression. Mercedes translates reliability into a form of emotional reassurance.
These functional and emotional associations which are assigned to a brand by its customers and prospects are known as brand attributes. Brand attributes can be either negative or positive, and can have different degrees of relevance and importance to different customer segments, markets and cultures.
Identifiable product features are referred to as ‘functional benefits’. Some brands are easily differentiated by their functional benefits. Where functional benefits aren’t easily identifiable or differentiated, marketers often rely on ‘emotional benefits’. Let’s look at an example.
You’re a middle manager and you need a new car. Your first considerations are likely to be based upon functional benefits: reasonable performance, 2.0 litre engine, fuel economy, reliability, four doors, golf clubs must fit in the boot, must have an iPod connector, must fit in your garage etc. You have a choice of around 12 Japanese, French, German, English and Italian cars. All look much the same, have near identical specifications and capabilities and will meet your requirements admirably. Six of these cars are priced below $40,000, five are priced below $50,000 and the BMW is $65,000.
How can the BMW brand command a premium price level when on paper it has almost identical specifications and performance as the other less expensive cars? The difference lies not in superior functional benefits but in the emotional and self-expressive benefit of having a clearly identifiable high performance luxury brand that will sit in your driveway and be the envy of neighbours and friends.
When owners drive their BMW, they are rewarding themselves with an emotionally engaging experience that satisfies their desire to be part of an elite group of drivers and owners that seek something different and better.
Emotional benefits are often closely linked with self-expressive benefits. For example, does it feel better to buy a recognised and proven brand of baked beans or the No Frills generic brand? It feels better to buy the proven brand even if it has been proven that the contents of both are identical. Doesn’t it?
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Car manufacturers are experts at combining the rational and emotional. BMW and Mercedes for example, are all about build quality and engineering excellence. BMW however focuses on performance while Mercedes focuses on reliability. They have built brand strength by leveraging their functional excellence into an emotional resonance in the minds of consumers. How do they do this? BMW transforms performance into a form of emotional aggression. Mercedes translates reliability into a form of emotional reassurance.
These functional and emotional associations which are assigned to a brand by its customers and prospects are known as brand attributes. Brand attributes can be either negative or positive, and can have different degrees of relevance and importance to different customer segments, markets and cultures.
Identifiable product features are referred to as ‘functional benefits’. Some brands are easily differentiated by their functional benefits. Where functional benefits aren’t easily identifiable or differentiated, marketers often rely on ‘emotional benefits’. Let’s look at an example.
You’re a middle manager and you need a new car. Your first considerations are likely to be based upon functional benefits: reasonable performance, 2.0 litre engine, fuel economy, reliability, four doors, golf clubs must fit in the boot, must have an iPod connector, must fit in your garage etc. You have a choice of around 12 Japanese, French, German, English and Italian cars. All look much the same, have near identical specifications and capabilities and will meet your requirements admirably. Six of these cars are priced below $40,000, five are priced below $50,000 and the BMW is $65,000.
How can the BMW brand command a premium price level when on paper it has almost identical specifications and performance as the other less expensive cars? The difference lies not in superior functional benefits but in the emotional and self-expressive benefit of having a clearly identifiable high performance luxury brand that will sit in your driveway and be the envy of neighbours and friends.
When owners drive their BMW, they are rewarding themselves with an emotionally engaging experience that satisfies their desire to be part of an elite group of drivers and owners that seek something different and better.
Emotional benefits are often closely linked with self-expressive benefits. For example, does it feel better to buy a recognised and proven brand of baked beans or the No Frills generic brand? It feels better to buy the proven brand even if it has been proven that the contents of both are identical. Doesn’t it?
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Qantas brand takes a dive
Four recent safety incidents within 10 days have tested the strength of the Qantas brand, an airline that for many years has maintained a peerless safety record. The integrity of its brand has suffered by reports that essential servicing has been transferred overseas as part of a company-wide cost cutting exercise. The airline is now subject to a Civil Aviation Safety Authority investigation. This comes at a trying time for Qantas as it waves farewell to long standing chief Geoff Dixon, who tried to assure shareholders and passengers that there are no ‘systemic problems’ and reinforced that the vast majority of servicing is completed in Australia. Passengers belief systems need more than this from the lips of an outgoing chief, who was once heralded as the vision and voice of Qantas. Statements by engineering boss David Cox reported in the media that ‘some such incidents are just part of running a major airline’ have served to cast further doubt on the strength of the brand and the competency of its guardians. Sadly the damage seems to be done and Qantas must now try very hard to repair the damage and wait for a new chief with a new strategy to rescue the brand. This comes at a time when media articles question the brand’s ‘Australianism’ and diminishing emotional connection with Australians and particularly Australian travellers. For here is a brand that based its values on ‘safe flying’. Sadly its bottom line obsession at a time of high fuel costs has eroded employee commitment, damaged belief in the brand and diminished customer loyalty. The ‘perception of ‘high value service delivery’ has been lost to competitors such as Singapore Airlines who have seized the baton and are way ahead. Qantas now needs a lot more than the recently redrawn kangaroo and italicised lettering in its logo to regain brand altitude, recover its bottom line and respect for its brand. I strongly recommend that now is the time for Qantas to go back to its roots, redefine its Australian values, identify real differentiators, analyse its competitors’ brands and create a strategy that will win back the hearts and minds of its customers.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
‘Country of Origin’ impacts on brand preferences
A brand’s ‘country of origin’ can have a profound effect on the perception of a brand, particularly in the case of consumer products.
It can differentiate a brand and create strong and enduring relationships. ‘Made in Japan’ remains a strong guarantee of quality and innovation, harking back to the huge inroads made by the likes of Sony in the 1960s which helped put post-war Japan firmly on the map as a world leader in electronics, and Honda as it started to cripple the innovation-shy British motorcycle industry. It represented a firm stab in the back for the traditional qualities associated with ‘Made in England’ from the 1960s to the 1990s - the heyday of brands like Robertson, the epitome of British transistor radios, and so many British auto brands - Alvis, Austin, Hillman, Lagonda, Morris, Riley, Sunbeam, Wolseley and so many more.
Sadly like most product offerings ‘Made in Japan’ seems to now be increasingly replaced by ‘Made in China’, with automobile brands like Toyota, Honda and Mazda perhaps the only unbreakable aspect of Japanese automobile design, technology and manufacturing superiority... but for how long?
The ‘Made in Japan’ brand has very definite and very positive associations. ‘Made in England' (or is it 'Made in the United Kingdom'?) has no definite associations any more – perhaps it all got lost somewhere ‘midst the EEC confusion. Some brands however will always be strongly associated with England - Purdey shotguns, Barbour outdoor clothing, and Dunhill. They maintain an unbreakable and exclusive perception of tradition and quality, in the same way that Glenffidich will never be matched by any Japanese or Chinese whisky brand. I was going to include Jaguar but that now resides in Indian hands at Tata after a period of ownership with those gents at Ford in good old US of A, now in deep financial distress. So who knows what that has done for buyers’ perception of the once quintessentially English Jaguar brand!
‘Made in Germany’ symbolises precision and reliability. Products from German auto manufacturers Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Porsche benefit from these positive perceptions. They seem unbreakable and have withstood the onslaught of the Japanese engineers, designers and technologists.
Having been born in England where the majority of the nation still seems to harbour some mistrust, bordering on dislike, for the French (something to do with Napoleon, Trafalgar and France’s inability to play decent football) I recollect no strong perceptions of ‘Made in France’. Brilliant Citroens DS19s and rubbish Renaults were the only products I remember from the 1960s until the introduction of fashionable and filthy smelling cigarettes and the bizarre suggestion that the French are good lovers! Not exactly cut through stuff. Even the wines are not that great (thank you Australian wine industry).
Brand Italy seems to score better. Luxury goods brands like Armani and Prada, sublime supercars like Ferrari and Maserati, ace soccer teams, designers and the beauty of Italian architecture and countryside conjure up very positive impressions of Italy, the Italian people and their enviable lifestyle. So, here’s a question. Does the country brand influence its product brands or vice versa? Was Italy such a great place until Enzo Ferrari and Giorgio Armani came along?
With the advent of global media, it can take only one incident to capture the minds of global audiences and reduce centuries of brand goodwill to nought. China’s recent exploits in Tibet are a PR nightmare. The lead paint on Chinese toys succeeded in crashing their exports and instilled a hard-to-shift perception of ‘cheap, nasty and dangerous’. The US interference in Iraq, aggravated by the global economic downturn, has severely dented perceptions of its standing as an economic power house and global peace keeper. Zimbabwe is no longer perceived as a viable holiday destination.
As ambassadors of their ‘country of origin’, airlines can gain very definite benefits by aligning their brand strategy with that of the nation. Good examples of this are Alitalia which just flew in the Pope to Australia, British Airways, Swiss Airlines etc. Airlines do not have to have the country of origin’s name present, as in Qantas which is undeniably the airline of Australia.
‘Country of origin’ can have a very definite impact on consumer perceptions and buying decisions. It should be considered however as only one component of a brand’s ability to achieve and sustain long term success.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
It can differentiate a brand and create strong and enduring relationships. ‘Made in Japan’ remains a strong guarantee of quality and innovation, harking back to the huge inroads made by the likes of Sony in the 1960s which helped put post-war Japan firmly on the map as a world leader in electronics, and Honda as it started to cripple the innovation-shy British motorcycle industry. It represented a firm stab in the back for the traditional qualities associated with ‘Made in England’ from the 1960s to the 1990s - the heyday of brands like Robertson, the epitome of British transistor radios, and so many British auto brands - Alvis, Austin, Hillman, Lagonda, Morris, Riley, Sunbeam, Wolseley and so many more.
Sadly like most product offerings ‘Made in Japan’ seems to now be increasingly replaced by ‘Made in China’, with automobile brands like Toyota, Honda and Mazda perhaps the only unbreakable aspect of Japanese automobile design, technology and manufacturing superiority... but for how long?
The ‘Made in Japan’ brand has very definite and very positive associations. ‘Made in England' (or is it 'Made in the United Kingdom'?) has no definite associations any more – perhaps it all got lost somewhere ‘midst the EEC confusion. Some brands however will always be strongly associated with England - Purdey shotguns, Barbour outdoor clothing, and Dunhill. They maintain an unbreakable and exclusive perception of tradition and quality, in the same way that Glenffidich will never be matched by any Japanese or Chinese whisky brand. I was going to include Jaguar but that now resides in Indian hands at Tata after a period of ownership with those gents at Ford in good old US of A, now in deep financial distress. So who knows what that has done for buyers’ perception of the once quintessentially English Jaguar brand!
‘Made in Germany’ symbolises precision and reliability. Products from German auto manufacturers Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Porsche benefit from these positive perceptions. They seem unbreakable and have withstood the onslaught of the Japanese engineers, designers and technologists.
Having been born in England where the majority of the nation still seems to harbour some mistrust, bordering on dislike, for the French (something to do with Napoleon, Trafalgar and France’s inability to play decent football) I recollect no strong perceptions of ‘Made in France’. Brilliant Citroens DS19s and rubbish Renaults were the only products I remember from the 1960s until the introduction of fashionable and filthy smelling cigarettes and the bizarre suggestion that the French are good lovers! Not exactly cut through stuff. Even the wines are not that great (thank you Australian wine industry).
Brand Italy seems to score better. Luxury goods brands like Armani and Prada, sublime supercars like Ferrari and Maserati, ace soccer teams, designers and the beauty of Italian architecture and countryside conjure up very positive impressions of Italy, the Italian people and their enviable lifestyle. So, here’s a question. Does the country brand influence its product brands or vice versa? Was Italy such a great place until Enzo Ferrari and Giorgio Armani came along?
With the advent of global media, it can take only one incident to capture the minds of global audiences and reduce centuries of brand goodwill to nought. China’s recent exploits in Tibet are a PR nightmare. The lead paint on Chinese toys succeeded in crashing their exports and instilled a hard-to-shift perception of ‘cheap, nasty and dangerous’. The US interference in Iraq, aggravated by the global economic downturn, has severely dented perceptions of its standing as an economic power house and global peace keeper. Zimbabwe is no longer perceived as a viable holiday destination.
As ambassadors of their ‘country of origin’, airlines can gain very definite benefits by aligning their brand strategy with that of the nation. Good examples of this are Alitalia which just flew in the Pope to Australia, British Airways, Swiss Airlines etc. Airlines do not have to have the country of origin’s name present, as in Qantas which is undeniably the airline of Australia.
‘Country of origin’ can have a very definite impact on consumer perceptions and buying decisions. It should be considered however as only one component of a brand’s ability to achieve and sustain long term success.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
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Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Branding gets sexy and goes to the theatre
Branding is becoming increasingly experiential. At its extreme it is co-ordinated theatre ie dramatic material rehearsed and performed to entertain an audience and provide them with an experience they will never forget – in the hope that they will think well of you and want more.
In the good old days of corporate identity, before branding and web sites came along, a designer's life was much simpler – clients were merely concerned with sourcing a nice looking logo and some colours to display on their stationery and brochures and on the side of a few white vans. Things have now changed in this brand centric world. New car launches for example are full-on theatre. Bright lights on chromed logos, video extravaganzas of ecstatic couples cruising the Great Ocean Road or the New Jersey Turnpike, or Brad Pitt lookalikes speeding around the Nurburgring circuit scoring admiring glances from classy debs in the pit lane. At the launch, lovely pouting Tokohama girls in body-hugging lycra hug the bodies of the latest Tokohama Nicra Turbo Largesse, with multi-coloured smoke swirling gently over the logo infested carpet, while the latest hit single by boy wonder group smelicat echoes around the silver foil wrapped warehouse that looks like a set from the latest Alien movie.
Algonquin Maynard the car designer, resplendent in designer suit and no tie, addresses the crowd and glorifies the curves and creases and titanium gear knob and their role in the branded look he has planned for the entire model range. All to build interest in the new car and its enhanced performance figures and new gizmos (not forgetting its frugality and new-found sympathies with the environment), but also to show the world what the brand is capable of achieving. How it can get inside the minds of new car buyers while they salivate at the prospect of ownership, thrill to the 200kph video and caress the fake wood and lycra. Podcasts extol the virtues, auto blogs spread like a virus with carefully placed articles. A new Turbo Largesse men's fragrance is seen in leading department stores. Ex racing car drivers with racing suits adorned with the maker's logo are shown easing themselves confidently into the driving seat.
The motoring press likewise are entertained at carefully selected eateries where CEOs proclaim how sensational the new model is, its prowess on the road, in the showroom, in company sales figures and its sensational fit with the company's brand values. Marquees appear in city centres and at shopping centres where models strut their stuff alongside cars resplendent in the latest designer shades of 'superstar mink' and 'generation yellow'. A limited addition all-black U2 model is offered at extra cost. Videos of the car performing amazing feats adorn the website. Direct mail saturates the nation. Top Gear features Jeremy Clarkson test driving one while towing a caravan across the Simpson Desert. He has high praise for the gear knob and waxes lyrical on the choice of seat fabric. Car sales momentarily halt while the viewing nation takes stock and brand values are questioned. Meanwhile online marketing jams our in-boxes. Buses sail past with car and models adorning their sides. TV ads slide in between repeat showings of Biggest Loser. Homer Simpson is seen driving a car that looks ever so much like a Tokohama Nicra Turbo Largesse. Double page newspaper ads eclipse articles warning of stock market collapses. Whole fleets are loaned to leading AFL and cricket teams. Tokohama dealerships go into overdrive with hot air balloons, sausage sizzles, Tokohama burgers and local celebrities. Obligation free test drives are everywhere, sadly without the models.
Competitors, galvanised into action, scurry around seeking pitches from brand communication companies (aka advertising agencies) to devise Tokohama-beating campaign extravaganzas, initiatives to further build brand value... and source even prettier models.
The car buying public has never had so many people working so hard to manipulate their perception of the car and the company behind it. Brand creators have a myriad opportunities at their fingertips to inspire and manipulate these perceptions. Exciting isn't it? Me, I'll just stick to the lycra.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
In the good old days of corporate identity, before branding and web sites came along, a designer's life was much simpler – clients were merely concerned with sourcing a nice looking logo and some colours to display on their stationery and brochures and on the side of a few white vans. Things have now changed in this brand centric world. New car launches for example are full-on theatre. Bright lights on chromed logos, video extravaganzas of ecstatic couples cruising the Great Ocean Road or the New Jersey Turnpike, or Brad Pitt lookalikes speeding around the Nurburgring circuit scoring admiring glances from classy debs in the pit lane. At the launch, lovely pouting Tokohama girls in body-hugging lycra hug the bodies of the latest Tokohama Nicra Turbo Largesse, with multi-coloured smoke swirling gently over the logo infested carpet, while the latest hit single by boy wonder group smelicat echoes around the silver foil wrapped warehouse that looks like a set from the latest Alien movie.
Algonquin Maynard the car designer, resplendent in designer suit and no tie, addresses the crowd and glorifies the curves and creases and titanium gear knob and their role in the branded look he has planned for the entire model range. All to build interest in the new car and its enhanced performance figures and new gizmos (not forgetting its frugality and new-found sympathies with the environment), but also to show the world what the brand is capable of achieving. How it can get inside the minds of new car buyers while they salivate at the prospect of ownership, thrill to the 200kph video and caress the fake wood and lycra. Podcasts extol the virtues, auto blogs spread like a virus with carefully placed articles. A new Turbo Largesse men's fragrance is seen in leading department stores. Ex racing car drivers with racing suits adorned with the maker's logo are shown easing themselves confidently into the driving seat.
The motoring press likewise are entertained at carefully selected eateries where CEOs proclaim how sensational the new model is, its prowess on the road, in the showroom, in company sales figures and its sensational fit with the company's brand values. Marquees appear in city centres and at shopping centres where models strut their stuff alongside cars resplendent in the latest designer shades of 'superstar mink' and 'generation yellow'. A limited addition all-black U2 model is offered at extra cost. Videos of the car performing amazing feats adorn the website. Direct mail saturates the nation. Top Gear features Jeremy Clarkson test driving one while towing a caravan across the Simpson Desert. He has high praise for the gear knob and waxes lyrical on the choice of seat fabric. Car sales momentarily halt while the viewing nation takes stock and brand values are questioned. Meanwhile online marketing jams our in-boxes. Buses sail past with car and models adorning their sides. TV ads slide in between repeat showings of Biggest Loser. Homer Simpson is seen driving a car that looks ever so much like a Tokohama Nicra Turbo Largesse. Double page newspaper ads eclipse articles warning of stock market collapses. Whole fleets are loaned to leading AFL and cricket teams. Tokohama dealerships go into overdrive with hot air balloons, sausage sizzles, Tokohama burgers and local celebrities. Obligation free test drives are everywhere, sadly without the models.
Competitors, galvanised into action, scurry around seeking pitches from brand communication companies (aka advertising agencies) to devise Tokohama-beating campaign extravaganzas, initiatives to further build brand value... and source even prettier models.
The car buying public has never had so many people working so hard to manipulate their perception of the car and the company behind it. Brand creators have a myriad opportunities at their fingertips to inspire and manipulate these perceptions. Exciting isn't it? Me, I'll just stick to the lycra.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Friday, May 30, 2008
Boosting Australian Creativity
I believe government has a long way to go to actively and effectively promote design to industry. I remember well the heady days of Thatcherism in the UK and, despite considerable animosity, the influence she wielded in gaining acceptance and support for the concept that design and industry must be united. This resulted in a huge boost to industry and improved the perception of UK-based companies in Europe and indeed the world, and stimulated the UK design renaissance through the 80s and 90s. Australia has yet to witness such a boldly-delivered initiative.
Through a joint venture relationship Heywood Innovation has in Singapore, I have met with IE Singapore, the equivalent to Austrade in Australia, whose role is to build awareness and advise companies of the need for strong and appropriate branding particularly for export. The contrast with Austrade is remarkable. Underpinned by an active workshop series, Singapore-based companies are offered around a 50% offset for any brand development work carried out by qualified branding agencies. This is a huge incentive for emerging companies to think more seriously on the prospects of lifting their game and setting their sights on export achievements. Austrade leaves this task to individual companies with little or no active support or advice, ultimately costing them dearly when trying to penetrate overseas markets with weak and ill conceived brands inappropriate for the markets they have targeted. Many innovative ideas coming out of Australia have failed because of poor brand perception and communication, relying on feeble home-grown promotional efforts lacking professional input.
Government needs to consider educating business on the benefits of creativity particularly in digital media, which inspires many arguments for a more effective rollout of broadband. The recently introduced legislation that allows listed companies to provide their annual reports online is a great step in the right direction and an admirable cost saving and environmental gesture, which sadly did not even register on the green groups’ radar. This initiative however is not enforced for Government agencies who continue to focus on and produce printed documents.
Ultimate creativity does not necessarily guarantee a job or take up by industry. Creative courses in universities and colleges need to better align talent with business. Over a 20 year period the situation has not changed. There are fundamental flaws in the experience students have in these institutions which disadvantages them considerably from understanding the way business works and how their talents can be aligned with business needs. As an employer of talent I regularly witness educational institutions churning out students ill equipped to be employed in the creative industry, an industry where low salaries and low respect are rife as a consequence – the long road to being accepted as a serious profession. The inability for most design graduates to write a simple business letter or understand basic business principles flabbergasts me.
It would be good to see industry-sponsored design awards that are fit for purpose in industry not purely for the sake of creativity.
The value of good design and communication has dropped substantially in the last few years fuelled by continuous cost cutting that inevitably increases our clients’ performance bonuses and their belief that new technologies make creative work faster and easier and therefore less expensive. There is sadly too much emphasis on ‘honing the process’ than on promoting and having confidence in the commercial benefits of good design that can inspire and influence partnerships with industry. Educating companies - particularly SMEs - on the long term value of their brands is a hard one but an essential one.
Australia has a wealth of creative talent, much of which is under-utilised. Making a determined attempt to improve education, offer creative advice to industry, build respect and stimulate large corporates and SMEs to invest in design is achievable. It requires open debate and continuing communication... and an inspired government.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Through a joint venture relationship Heywood Innovation has in Singapore, I have met with IE Singapore, the equivalent to Austrade in Australia, whose role is to build awareness and advise companies of the need for strong and appropriate branding particularly for export. The contrast with Austrade is remarkable. Underpinned by an active workshop series, Singapore-based companies are offered around a 50% offset for any brand development work carried out by qualified branding agencies. This is a huge incentive for emerging companies to think more seriously on the prospects of lifting their game and setting their sights on export achievements. Austrade leaves this task to individual companies with little or no active support or advice, ultimately costing them dearly when trying to penetrate overseas markets with weak and ill conceived brands inappropriate for the markets they have targeted. Many innovative ideas coming out of Australia have failed because of poor brand perception and communication, relying on feeble home-grown promotional efforts lacking professional input.
Government needs to consider educating business on the benefits of creativity particularly in digital media, which inspires many arguments for a more effective rollout of broadband. The recently introduced legislation that allows listed companies to provide their annual reports online is a great step in the right direction and an admirable cost saving and environmental gesture, which sadly did not even register on the green groups’ radar. This initiative however is not enforced for Government agencies who continue to focus on and produce printed documents.
Ultimate creativity does not necessarily guarantee a job or take up by industry. Creative courses in universities and colleges need to better align talent with business. Over a 20 year period the situation has not changed. There are fundamental flaws in the experience students have in these institutions which disadvantages them considerably from understanding the way business works and how their talents can be aligned with business needs. As an employer of talent I regularly witness educational institutions churning out students ill equipped to be employed in the creative industry, an industry where low salaries and low respect are rife as a consequence – the long road to being accepted as a serious profession. The inability for most design graduates to write a simple business letter or understand basic business principles flabbergasts me.
It would be good to see industry-sponsored design awards that are fit for purpose in industry not purely for the sake of creativity.
The value of good design and communication has dropped substantially in the last few years fuelled by continuous cost cutting that inevitably increases our clients’ performance bonuses and their belief that new technologies make creative work faster and easier and therefore less expensive. There is sadly too much emphasis on ‘honing the process’ than on promoting and having confidence in the commercial benefits of good design that can inspire and influence partnerships with industry. Educating companies - particularly SMEs - on the long term value of their brands is a hard one but an essential one.
Australia has a wealth of creative talent, much of which is under-utilised. Making a determined attempt to improve education, offer creative advice to industry, build respect and stimulate large corporates and SMEs to invest in design is achievable. It requires open debate and continuing communication... and an inspired government.
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
Share on Facebook
Friday, May 16, 2008
Are you a brand fanatic?
What causes people to become so attached to brands? The answer lies in their ability to promote a lifestyle, a way of thinking, and the opportunity to be part of a like-minded community. Strong brands meet emotional needs as well as physical ones. Some people believe that a relationship with a brand can be as fulfilling as one with another person. But I'm not too sure about that. What do you think? Is your partner your No.1 brand?
What would the devotees of iPods, Harley Davidsons and mySpace think? iPod owners would not swap their beloved device for another MP3 player even if there was a significant price difference. iPods claimed this market with an incredibly strong brand which had very specific attributes. Other MP3 players may do the same, perhaps even more, but owning an iPod means something very special. An iPod is an iPod, where others are mere MP3 players. It owns the category. There is only one iPod, in the same way Hoover and Biro once owned their own categories.
You make a statement when you ride a Harley. You only have to sit on the saddle to immediately gain a sense of freedom and rebel-rouser status - you become taller, bigger and more capable as a person. You become one with the machine, a member of an elite group of like minded individuals - a brotherhood of followers. Followers who are so fanatical they tattoo the brand in their own flesh – the brand literally becomes a brand! There is no other motorcycle like a Harley. No riding experience is like that of a Harley. There may be several Japanese look-a-likes out there but they sure as hell don't ride like a Harley. So ownership delivers a unique riding experience while the 'mind trip' satisfies the emotional need to express your individualism and make a statement, while satisfying the need to connect with others who share the same beliefs and lifestyle desires. One of the major strengths of the Harley Davidson brand is its determination to involve all its stakeholders, from customers to employees, suppliers, and the community at large. Employee loyalty has added amazing strength to the Harley Davidson brand. Strength from the inside out, where each employee lives and breathes the brand and is a brand ambassador, in many cases for life.
MySpace satisfies that sense of community. The capacity in us to communicate and interact with other people and prove to ourselves that we are not alone in the world. The MySpace brand has immense value basically because of the traffic it has generated and its 'sticky' nature where members are unlikely to drift away to competitor sites. It has satisfied a desire.
What brand are you fanatical about, and why? What lengths would you go to to defend that brand and what it stands for?
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
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What would the devotees of iPods, Harley Davidsons and mySpace think? iPod owners would not swap their beloved device for another MP3 player even if there was a significant price difference. iPods claimed this market with an incredibly strong brand which had very specific attributes. Other MP3 players may do the same, perhaps even more, but owning an iPod means something very special. An iPod is an iPod, where others are mere MP3 players. It owns the category. There is only one iPod, in the same way Hoover and Biro once owned their own categories.
You make a statement when you ride a Harley. You only have to sit on the saddle to immediately gain a sense of freedom and rebel-rouser status - you become taller, bigger and more capable as a person. You become one with the machine, a member of an elite group of like minded individuals - a brotherhood of followers. Followers who are so fanatical they tattoo the brand in their own flesh – the brand literally becomes a brand! There is no other motorcycle like a Harley. No riding experience is like that of a Harley. There may be several Japanese look-a-likes out there but they sure as hell don't ride like a Harley. So ownership delivers a unique riding experience while the 'mind trip' satisfies the emotional need to express your individualism and make a statement, while satisfying the need to connect with others who share the same beliefs and lifestyle desires. One of the major strengths of the Harley Davidson brand is its determination to involve all its stakeholders, from customers to employees, suppliers, and the community at large. Employee loyalty has added amazing strength to the Harley Davidson brand. Strength from the inside out, where each employee lives and breathes the brand and is a brand ambassador, in many cases for life.
MySpace satisfies that sense of community. The capacity in us to communicate and interact with other people and prove to ourselves that we are not alone in the world. The MySpace brand has immense value basically because of the traffic it has generated and its 'sticky' nature where members are unlikely to drift away to competitor sites. It has satisfied a desire.
What brand are you fanatical about, and why? What lengths would you go to to defend that brand and what it stands for?
Tony Heywood is a Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia, founder of Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia and joint founder of BrandSynergy in Singapore.
View some of Heywood’s work on www.heywood.com.au
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