OK, maybe it doesn’t. But Fast Company reports that perhaps brands should smell. Their August issue looks at how companies are using scent to help distinguish their brands.
And we're not talking cars and perfume. The fives senses are being used more and more to help define a brand. What color is your brand? Recent research tells me that it is probably blue. What does your brand sound like? Starbucks asked this question and the company is reaping the rewards.
The New York Times sees this as part of a larger trend. It reports that in the late 1990’s large budgets funded advertising and marketing. Now companies are taking new approaches to brand building.
”People have to have faith to create a brand. Take a cup of coffee. Someone had to believe you could take it and create a perception of uniqueness around something generic, and command a premium price. You can't start with the research. You have to believe you can do it and then do it. You can then measure whether you succeeded or not. A cup of coffee is sold everywhere in the United States for 50 cents. Someone had to believe they could make it a little stronger and sell it a different way and get $1.75. That doesn't start from the research.”
If you haven’t asked yourself these questions, maybe you should. Odds are good that everyone on this list has answers to the questions above.
This goes for professional service companies too. Every company has a lobby, meeting space and many sponsor events. Consider how your brand lives in these spaces and immerse your customers in a distinct experience that will build their loyalty and keep you competitive.
p.s. To those hoping to find the sweet smell of success…remember there is a fine line between a scent and an odor. Just remember that Febreeze is scented to eliminate odors.
tags: public relations, media relations, PR, advertising, marketing, branding, brand, design
Dear Mr. Ms
I would like to inform you that the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations in Iran will be held on 15-16 November 2005 in Tehran at the International Conference of Iran.
As far as we know, you are a top professional in public relations and since you are unable to participate at the conference, we will be grateful if you answer the following questions in the form of a recorded film on CD.
1. What is cyber PR?
2. What is the relationship between PR and information society?
3. Is there any mutual relationship between cyber PR and civil society?
4. What is the impact of cyber PR on the concept of freedom of expression?
5. How will be the future of PR web logs against cyber PR?
We hope that by your cooperation we could be able to hold a successful conference in Iran.
Thank you in advance and with best regards.
Sincerely yours,
Mehdi Bagherian
Secretary of the Conference
Add:P.O.Box:19395-6986,Tehran,Iran
Telefax:(+9821)8315270
Mobile:(+98912)1938919
Web Site:http://www.iranpr.org
Web Site:www.icpr.com
E_Mail:info@iranpr.org
Posted by: Mehdi Bagherian | 08/01/2005 at 05:18 PM