Doing some research for a new biz pitch I came across a proposal from another agency - a fairly large one, different client. Anyway, I am looking at their timing for brand dev stuff and Phase 1 is Immersion. Now, maybe it's just me but before this proposal is out of the gate, it already blows it with Phase 1. Immersion... review existing research, market trends, competitive landscape, bla, bla, bla. This is immersion? That's like asking someone to tell you a little bit about themselves and then immediately cut them off and start making assumptions about them by their appearance and what you already know about them. But is that really them? No, you need to immerse yourself before you know someone. So what the hell does the "competitive landscape" have to do with immersing yourself in a client's brand during Phase 1!
You can't know anything about a brand until you immerse yourself in the organization. Brand dev starts from the inside out and as this proposal is sitting on my desk - this very, very expensive proposal - there is zero mention of actually walking in the shoes of the business. Never mind consumer insight... where's the insight of the employee, the manager, the CEO?
Every brand has personality. It has a life force. A magnetism. So, find it by immersing yourself in the brand and then telling it's story from the inside out. Don't be like the big agency here who is going to rely on the outside world to tell this brand who they are. They already know. Shut up and let them tell you a little bit about themselves.
4 comments:
Wondering if the customer is clear on their brand. Lately I have been getting calls from other local businesses about our marketing efforts and how they are working. (Thanks to you they are working great by the way.) Most of these folks understand ZERO about selling their business. And this usually amounts to them not understanding what sets them apart from competitors.
Hopefully you get a chance to talk with these folks and get them on the right path, we know you can do it.
Hope all is well down south- keep up the good work!
As always, a good perspective and insight Sterling. Like the social media "experts" that are proliferating on every channel these days, working through brand development takes a depth of understanding and results that most who claim to have the "key" to, do not really fathom.
Keep these posts going...we need them.
Please describe your definition of the immersion process. All you did was describe what it isn't.
-M
@mike I'll send you a proposal.
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