A victory for simplicity

I'm a big believer in the idea that simplicity is facilitated by technology. And across the globe, ease of communications is considered technology's greatest contribution to a more simplified life.

So when a company that specializes in bringing people together through smartphones and other state-of-the-art products and services does something that boggles the mind, I can’t help but take notice.

Verizon's year-end announcement that it would be charging a $2 fee for one-time bill payments sparked a customer revolt. The so-called "convenience charge" would have applied to those consumers who make one-time bill payments using debit or credit cards, either online or by telephone.

Within barely 24 hours, Verizon reversed course, with lots of egg on its face.

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How tech got simple

We’ve definitely entered the digital age. While technology used to be seen as overly complicated and hard to understand, customers rated technology companies as some of the simplest brands in Siegel+Gale’s 2011 Global Brand Simplicity Index, a report based on a survey of more than 6,000 consumers in seven countries. Electronics and appliance brands take up six spots in the top 20. Internet brands do even better—with Google and Amazon heading up the entire global list.

This result reflects the real progress that technology companies have made in recent years to create better experiences for their customers. Some of this is due to technical advances that make products easier to use (touch screens, lightweight materials, broadband Internet, etc.), and some is due to a conscious effort by certain companies to focus on what’s important to customers.

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How to merge two brands in six not-so-simple steps

When companies approach branding firms like Siegel+Gale for guidance on merging two corporate or product brands, the request is typically for us to develop a name, logo, endorsement strategy and story for the new merged entity. In many cases, however, it’s not the right move to simply create and launch a new brand identity overnight. The job is not done with the introduction of some new branding elements.

The problem is that, in most cases, companies lack a clear business and marketing migration plan and resources to support an effective brand migration.The truth is that proper brand migration requires the right people, planning, investment, measurement and commitment.

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The New Law of Attraction for Working Millennials: Purpose Required

Energy companies locked in a competitive war for top talent are finding Millennials reluctant recruits. While some battles are still won with salaries and benefits, the industry's overall strategy must begin with an appeal to the hearts and minds of current and prospective employees across age groups with a clear and compelling declaration of Purpose.

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Risky branding

Why is it that some edgy or salacious brand names seem to be okay, while others are not? Most names that start out edgy or have negative meaning happen intentionally, with the potential risks acknowledged and accepted. Others seem to happen merely by mistake. But either way, it doesn’t always seem to matter in the eye of the consumer.

The human mind is compartmentalized when it comes to brand names and their images. Consider the name for Hertz rental cars, which probably doesn’t make most of us think we’re going to have a painful experience. When you sit at your beautiful Yamaha piano, you don’t feel that the piano is racy because there are motorbikes sold under the same name. Consumers are able to keep one association separate from another—and one brand separate from another (take Dove soap and Dove ice cream). And, there’s a high level of receptivity to new and edgy names, something we’ve seen spike in the past decade.

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To understand the competition, don’t just look at competitors

With the pace of technological advancement today, no one is safe from an utterly disruptive innovation that completely changes the way people experience a brand. But it's not enough to think about the competition, or to understand and even anticipate what our immediate competitors are doing. If we really want to know where the market is heading, we need to watch how customers behave.

I don't mean ask them what they want. We all know the famous Ford saying: "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they'd have said 'a faster horse.'" I mean it's important to understand how they live, what motivates them and what kinds of experiences they seek out. The goal is to focus on new and better ways to deliver on those expectations.

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Got security? Brands without it may soon cease to be

In our digitally connected world, the role of security is gaining importance. Security was once defined as a "private password" or perhaps software that came pre-installed on your new computer. But today, it's those things and much, much more.

Great brands used to be the result of great products and services delivered at great prices. The idea that they needed to be secure never crossed people's minds because your TV set didn't store your credit card information and your phone didn't keep a log of your activity. But now security, transparency and privacy are required ingredients for great brands. Otherwise trust is unattainable.

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From here, those clouds look like rain!

For the last year, we've been bombarded by technology companies talking about "the cloud." And recently, we've seen how "the cloud" can be a confusing, insecure and sometimes dangerous place.

If you ask most consumers, they can’t tell you what a "cloud" is. But whether they know it or not, they are most likely using an aspect of a cloud-based service. Think Gmail, Flickr and DropBox, otherwise known as email, photo sharing and online storage. We may not know the technology behind these useful products, but they are easy-to-use and valuable. But there is a growing problem. While most of the technology world is focused on talking literally into the ether and to one another, most consumers just want to understand the product or service.

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And one for all: Branding in the age of collaborative consumption

At the intersection of social media, increased connectivity and a shifting global economic landscape, new business models are emerging. One trend among internet brands is the growth of services built around the principle of "collaborative consumption."

Author Rachel Botsman defines this as "swapping, sharing, bartering, trading and renting being reinvented through the latest technologies and peer-to-peer marketplaces in ways and on a scale never possible before." In a collaborative consumption model, individuals act as brokers for goods and services that consumers would normally purchase from retailers. Although the model may change, the advantages of a clear brand message and compelling brand experience may eventually be more important than they are today.

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