Brand values and brand personality are two components, among many, that are defined within a brand strategy. Oftentimes there is confusion about the differences between them and why a strong brand strategy needs both defined. While on the surface they seem to be very similar, they are actually quite different. The components individually and collectively bring depth to the brand.

Brand values are the core of the belief system that guide the behavior of everyone and everything that is associated with the brand. Brand personality, on the other hand, is the expression of the brand that allows the audience to engage with the brand in a personal way. The personality grows out of the values — from internal attitude to external expression.

We know savvy consumers want to have relationships with brands as they would with a person. The bottom line is that the more the brand is rooted in core beliefs (values) and the more interesting and “uniquely you” it is (personality), the more engagement you can create around your brand.

Here is a comparison between the two that I hope brings clarity:

So what’s next for retailers? The key will be understanding their target audiences and the multimedia channels they utilize most frequently, along with the channels they use throughout their paths to purchase. And this will take some work. After all, customers are categorized by segments. Each segment has a set of basic needs, motivators and behaviors that make them unique. Understanding a segment’s needs and changing behaviors (path to purchase) is essential in capturing their mindshare and dollars.

How can retailers adapt to this new, connected world? Old Navy, for example, teamed up with Shazam to create a unique shopping experience for its spring advertising campaign, Old Navy Records. Through the power of Shazam’s music discovery and sharing app, Shazamers have the ability to tag Old Navy-branded pop music featured in the campaign and immediately unlock and shop the looks featured in those songs. They can also access exclusive Old Navy deals, styling tips, videos and other music content from their mobile devices.

Old Navy integrates Shazam’s content discovery application throughout its new, music-based marketing and store experience —  from TV, to online, to in store, to mobile.

In addition to providing unique experiences like Old Navy’s, successful retailers will need to develop cross-channel strategies that leverage email, mobile and social, creating a seamless customer experience.

Watch for upcoming Go East blog posts about Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Walgreens and others. We’ll explain what they are doing to retain customers, improve their experience and prevent them from buying elsewhere.

References:
Fiorletta, Alicia. “New Study Spotlights Need To Promote Online Channels In Store.” retailtouchpoints.com (accessed April 11, 2012).
Lora, Fatima D. “Retail TouchPoints: Study Shows Value in Educating Consumers Online.” March 20, 2012. retailwire.com (accessed April 6, 2012).
“Mobile Commerce — Reinventing the Way Consumers Shop.” Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), March 2012.

There’s no surprise that the fad “old is new again” is huge in part because of the economy’s slow bounce back, but also due to a revival of our favorites from the past and all of the memories that go along with it. Consumers are looking for a connection to what they buy, and a link to the past is familiar and comforting. Companies are rereleasing and reimagining old favorites like the newly designed KitchenAid mixer released for the company’s 90th anniversary, or the vintage-inspired Krups coffee maker that is reminiscent of your grandmother’s shiny teapot. This bodes well for shoppers, because if they’re not repurposing old for new they can buy new products with a vintage vibe.

Homeowners are turning to their past for decorating ideas. They’re unearthing old treasures from their grandparents, unpacking family vacation trinkets and dusting off garage sale items. If they aren’t shopping at thrift shops, they’re going to Anthropologie, Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn for vintage finds. Today it’s all about telling a story. Home decor has become a visual scrapbook expressing a homeowner’s personality. You’re making a statement with the picture hanging on your wall, the lamp illuminating your room and the candle holder displayed on your coffee table.

If you’re in Minnesota and are looking to get started with this trend, I suggest shopping estate sales or local antique shops, like Hunt & Gather of Minneapolis, or heading out to Buffalo where you’ll find a slew of shops to explore, like the Buffalo Nickel. One of my favorite places to go for inspiration is the Bachman’s Ideas House on Lyndale. Bachman’s has reinvented itself as not just a garden center, but as an inspiring shopping destination as its trend-forward designers transform the historic Bachman’s home with a fusion of new and vintage decorating and entertaining ideas. Seasonally, they provide creative looks to fill your home with character and personality built on a foundation of time-tested keepsakes and tasteful reimagining.

The old saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure” rings true. What can this mean for your personal style? Group your vintage finds with modern decor and colors to avoid looking stuffy and old. Don’t be afraid to paint. Old brass fixtures painted in a fun color or with an antiqued finish will instantly update the look.

What can this mean for your brand? Know your audience. Listen to them through social media to become familiar with their trends and interests. You’ll know you’re on the right track when your consumer no longer asks, “How does this look?” but rather, “What does it say?”

In 2009, review site Yelp introduced a feature to its iPhone app mirroring the functionality described above. Point your camera at a street, and watch on-screen as restaurant reviews and star ratings appear above nearby eateries. Tap the icon to call and make your reservation. Shortly after that, Google rolled out the foundation for Project Glass called Google Goggles, which will show reviews from sites like Yelp, and will also translate text, identify wine or artwork and add contact information to your address book just by you looking at it.

It’s clear that augmented reality is developing very quickly, but what does it mean for marketers and advertisers? Ubiquity is, of course, a few years out and no one knows exactly how things will look, but it’s worth considering some of the possibilities. For instance, right now Google AdWords tracks your searches for ad targeting, but what if you could track what a user looks at and show them, say, ads for new restaurants if it was clear they were looking at places to eat? Or maybe you have a billboard, and when the user looks at it their glasses show an animated overlay — creating a more engaging experience. There are also some implications for street marketing. A person might look uninteresting walking down the street, but through augmented reality maybe they have a big arrow over their head saying, “Ask me for a free product sample.” It’s sort of a human scavenger hunt that will happen as you walk through the city.

In my opinion, the possibilities for this technology are pretty much endless, but I have one use that I’m really hoping will pop up. Picture this: You arrive at a concert, a packed restaurant or, God forbid, a shopping mall on Black Friday. You scan the crowd, looking for a friend you’re supposed to meet. Fortunately, they have their Facebook tracking on, so you take out your phone, and scan across the crowd. Bubbles with names and profile information appear above people’s heads. You see your friend’s name, stroll over and say hello. Pretty neat.

But it certainly raises a lot of concerns from a privacy perspective. The option to turn it off would have to be there, yet how many people forget about the privacy settings that Facebook already has? Of course, if you value your anonymity, you’re probably steering clear of social media in the first place. I fall somewhere in the middle: This new technology sounds exciting, but maybe a little paranoia isn’t such a bad thing.

Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine – Davanni's, Woodbury, MN

I experienced the drink kiosk at a local Davanni’s. The signage in the store entryway created excitement about the drink experience to come. An LED monitor behind the counter featured happy mixologists posing with their favorite combinations. There was definitely a buzz in the restaurant near the machine, and as people approached and experienced it for themselves, I could see the instantaneous positive connection that they made with the brand.

Not only do the machines generate positive buzz via word of mouth and social media about Coke, they also upload data about consumption — including most popular locations and peak times – invaluable information for the company when it considers product development and future communications. Coke Freestyle’s Facebook App is also very well thought through: It lets you virtually mix your favorite combination, name it and share this information with friends, again creating general buzz and excitement about the brand.

As an avid water drinker, I was excited about the noncarbonated option: flavored waters to mix and match. My favorite combination is Dasani with Strawberry plus Dasani with Peach. When you experience the machine for yourself, let us know your favorite Coke drink combination.

Websites, mobile apps and social media all place specific design and user-experience demands on brand identity. Because users scan rather than read, surf rather than study and search in multiple ways online, a logo needs to work extra hard in the digital space. Below are some online best practices for logo and identity.

Readability: Readability online is critical. Simplicity and proportion create a logo that can be read on a mobile device as well as on a computer display. In the case of BWBR, we created a logo designed for maximum legibility with letterforms, spacing and simple design elements that help the audience remember the name. Acronyms often demand and sophisticated melding of simplicity and styling to create something memorable. We recommend that logos be evaluated for legibility at multiple sizes and in multiple contexts to understand and evaluate the impact of all elements.

Contemporary aesthetics: Brands participate in a visually sophisticated marketplace. The Internet has been called “the great leveler” because it has enabled small, local brands to effectively compete with larger, more established brands. Your logo is seen in relationship to every brand’s logo out there, even those in adjacent markets, so your brand identity must be designed with the modern eye in mind. When creating the identity for Nic Renee, a new photography studio, we wanted something that would appeal to an audience that appreciated contemporary aesthetics. Understanding what is trending forward, where style is going and what is considered good design help ensure the successful launch of a new identity because the design style of your logo needs to hold its own when compared to that of other identities in today’s marketplace.

Memorability: Your logo must have enough personality to be ownable. The elements, typography, proportions and color need to be distinctive enough that your new and existing customers remember your logo, and that the logo gains equity on your website. It is critical that users remember your identity as they search, research and buy online. Product identities require specific considerations, because of the demands of e-commerce and social media. When designing the brand for Lifemix Digital Greetings we wanted something that quickly conveyed what the product was with a visual mark. We paired it with an approachable, lighthearted typographic treatment that would work well within the giftables marketplace.

If you need an identity for an online business or are trying to launch a brand online, keep these new rules for brand identity in mind. Your users will thank you.

Today we are barraged by news and information at all times throughout the day, every day.

In just one week’s time, I received over 13 emails from LinkedIn alone, including 158 discussions with several comments posted to each discussion, as well as 62 jobs that I was informed I “may be interested in” (even though I’m not currently in the job market).

I also receive daily emails with hundreds of articles and discussions, job postings, friend requests and deals such as “Up to 83% Off Fully Customized and Unique Bobbleheads” (I don’t know of any bobblehead that isn’t unique) and “Up to 71% Off Handcuff Jewelry.” Really?

How can I possibly take this all in and be productive at the same time?

I can’t.

Last week it occurred to me that I don’t need information – even valuable information – continually pushed to me throughout the day. Instead, when I get a spare moment or when I feel a thirst for new knowledge, or Wednesday evenings from 5:00 to 6:00, for example, I can head over to LinkedIn and the other social media sites and find the information myself by a simple search. This way I get the information I want when I want it and have time to drink it in.

Here are five tips to help manage your electronic communications, so you can enjoy the helpful content while remaining productive throughout the day:

1. Check your LinkedIn groups periodically to make sure the groups you’ve joined and the social media accounts you have are still truly relevant to your current work or life situation.
2. Change your settings so you receive email notifications, even the most relevant, weekly. If you find that you need updates more often, you can go to the site and retrieve the information on your own.
3. Decide what you have time for and then unsubscribe from groups, accounts and notifications that are not useful or interesting to you.
4. Make a folder in your email account to prioritize and file important articles for reading later.
5. Set aside time each week, or each day if you really have a thirst for knowledge, and take in the information at that time, instead of interrupting your work productivity randomly. It’ll be easier to absorb the information, and your other work won’t suffer from interruptions.

Go East’s most recent Eye Opener explored the need for creating content for brands, and one key insight stood out in my mind: “Brands live in the culture, not in the marketplace.” A brand can no longer win consumers solely on features, benefits and price. Consumers expect brands to create authentic and relevant experiences for them. The Millennial generation, especially, demands that brands build relationships with them. This engagement of brands through culture has developed new ways of creating tribes. Your tribe can now be defined by your brand loyalty. These brands most adept at this cultural interaction have created a cult-like following.

Apple has such a loyal tribe that when it releases the latest gadget, most recently the new iPad, people will stand in line for days to be among the first to have the product in hand. They have changed the entire meaning of in-store experience. Whether you are in Texas or Thailand, the Apple store experience is always the same: cutting-edge, savvy, hands-on and design-centric. They’ve created markets for products consumers didn’t know they needed. They’ve changed consumer behaviors — did you swipe at a screen with your finger before Apple told you to? Consumer interaction with music, videos, phones, computers and the Internet has been redefined by Apple products. They have changed “consumer want” into “consumer need it now.” With that ferocious feeling of need comes tribal membership.

The growing social media site Pinterest is experiencing an explosion. Use has increased over 2,700 percent since May 2011. What makes this so interesting is how simple the concept is: pinning pictures of things we like. Impossibly easy, yet dangerously addicting. It’s almost like a game with no end. Joining has implied exclusivity — you must have an invite or be put on a waiting list. Once you have signed up, you’re now in the tribe. Whether your pins represent who you are or who you aspire to be, these pinboards further establish your tribal associations: crafter, novice chef, mom or fashionista in the making.

In the grocery category, Chobani Greek yogurt was a small yogurt manufacturer in New York, and now they are the number one brand in the growing Greek yogurt category, beating out well-established brands like Dannon and Yoplait. How did such a small company overtake the giants, especially with premium pricing? By listening to their tribe and making them a part of the story. With virtually no previous advertising, Chobani let fans do the selling for them with Chobani “love stories.” As the tribe leader, Chobani decided that storytelling with a “consumer-up” campaign would be the most effective way to relate to and engage with their tribe. And it is working. That tribe keeps sharing, growing and, more importantly, buying.

When it comes to joining a new tribe, I take a conservative approach. I prefer to see how a brand is communicating and behaving before I pledge my allegiance. Like many people, I believe in being transparent and honest about who I am, and I expect brands to do the same for me. Smart, authentic and creative brands will learn not only to build tribes, but to listen to and engage with their tribes. It will be fascinating to watch how they grow and evolve, and to see how other tribes respond.

Credits: Apple, Mashable, The New York Times

Januska and Manion hypothesize that brands live in the culture, not in the marketplace. This is evidenced by people’s deep desire to associate with brands they love. People openly broadcast their lives online, and they expect brands to do the same. Januska and Manion believe brands can best respond to this desire for openness with rich content.

Rich content is relevant across multiple channels and is the result of approaching challenges creatively and viewing problems from a different perspective. This can lead to content that is so responsive and engaging that people feel it speaks directly to them, adding value to their lives.

Below is a diagram that illustrates how Go East views rich content:

Ultimately, rich content can add value to brands by:

• More efficiently generating word-of-mouth buzz
• Yielding a better ROI than traditional media
• Cultivating customers who are motivated to interact
• Driving sales through customer reviews
• Reducing costs, like customer-service costs

You can view the entire seminar here.

Go East’s next Eye Opener seminar will be Thursday, May 10. Jill Nicholson, our digital strategist, will discuss how to use social media to build your brand. For more information, contact Kate Wisser at kwisser@goeastdesign.com.

My suspicion is that it’s not going to change much. While I welcome the transparency that will be required of Internet companies, I predict that many people will elect to browse openly simply because they want to be shown advertising that is tailored to their personal interests. If I put an artist I happen to like in my Facebook profile, I get ads about their tours. I’m happy to share my tastes with advertisers to get ads like that.

The difficulty comes with balancing ads that are targeted with ads that can be potentially too targeted. A 2010 study showed that users clicked less on banners that were too specific, considering them to be “creepy.” For instance, maybe I posted on Facebook about my uncomfortable office chair. I would then be unlikely to click on an ad that I saw saying “Uncomfortable office chair? Come browse our chair selections.” Note that this is an example ad only — my chair is lovely — but this sort of ad makes a user feel like Facebook is watching them. Or say I was Googling something personal — maybe mental health, financial problems, or marriage counseling — I definitely wouldn’t want to see ads about it appearing next time I search. These are the sort of ads that will only encourage people to start browsing privately.

If targeted ads are subtle, however, based on interests and browsing history, I think that people will be happy to browse openly and share their personal data more freely. If you are inevitably going to be advertised to, why not see something relevant? But for advertisers out there, it’s important to make sure it’s not too relevant. Not only will you reduce your click-through rate because users think you’re creepy, but you might encourage them not to share data at all.

I love patterns because they provide visual texture and bring personality to any wardrobe, sofa or office. But working with patterns can be tricky. So what’s the best way to approach the explosion of patterns this spring? Here are a few tricks I use to make patterns sing in my space.

• Mix patterns — just make sure each pattern has similar colors and offset them with solid-colored accessories.
• For a less formal vibe, pair a simple stripe with a floral damask.
• Animal prints never go out of style and are a great neutral. They go with everything. Be careful not to go all safari, though. Use one print, like a cheetah, and keep the look fresh with a pop of color like a bright green or an orangish red.
• To create my own pattern or graphic design, I like to color block by mixing solid colors together to make my own “stripe.” Try combining contrasting colors like blue and orange with neutrals like black and white.
• My last word of advice? Spend wisely. Don’t drop a fortune on patterned accessories. They tend to go out of style within a season or two.

Use the above images to kick-start your creative juices for spring/summer 2012, and have fun with patterns!

Credits: 1-3. J.Crew  4-5. Kate Spade  6. Serena & Lily  7. Jonathan Adler  8. Prada  9. Diane Von Furstenberg  10. West Elm

The senior digital designer must be fluent in current user experience trends and must be willing to share those trends with the team. They will work on projects from ideation through production and will contribute to the growth of interactive services at Go East.

The senior digital designer must have excellent Photoshop and Illustrator skills and a strong foundation in XHTML/CSS. Some background with application UI, social media, motion graphics or mobile is desired, but not mandatory.

A BFA/BA degree in the creative field and 5+ years of experience creating for the digital space are required. Experience working in design/digital agencies is preferred. Excellent time management skills, the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and a strong client focus are necessary for success.

Send cover letter, resume, portfolio (URLs, PDFs, etc.) and salary requirements. No calls, please.

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Go East is a creative agency that turns brand challenges into ingenious marketplace strategies online, offline and in-store. We are passionate about impacting brands and we dig deep into business, markets and audiences so we can contribute as a strategic partner. We draw on our deep strategic and creative expertise to ensure that marketing communications efforts are integrated and that we always meet challenges with the right solutions.

Ric Pace
Go East
403 Hayward Avenue North
Saint Paul, MN 55128
www.goeastdesign.com
rpace@goeastdesign.com