The most essential function of a brand: trust, props, logo, savings

One point, the function of a brand is trust

More than ten years ago,? For example, if Is Nanchang beer delicious? People say they are used to drinking it, but I think it is true anyway. This is a kind of trust. When Yanjing Beer first came to Nanchang, people would ask when it was produced and look at the spray code on the bottle. Comparing the two, there are issues of trust and distrust. Later, we analyzed that one factor for consumers to choose a brand is trust. If there is no trust, there is no recognition.

The second point is that the function of a brand is a prop

The metaphor of props comes from the terminology used in advertising films. It is a hint in a certain situation. For example, when it comes to supper in the evening, although we drink beer, the beer is a prop at this time, and we are talking about emotions. All commodities are just props in the interactions between people, not the subject.

At the beginning, I defined the function of the brand as a prop. Many people didn’t understand it and said that my wine was too awesome. No matter how awesome I say, drinking is not the purpose in retrospect. When people drink at the wine table, in the end it is not drinking, but emotions. Many people couldn't accept the metaphor of props at the time. In particular, some business owners say, how can this product of mine be a prop? Today, it is becoming clearer that the brand itself is a prop.

The third point is that the function of a brand is a logo.

I was particularly fond of Nike more than ten years ago. When Nike launches new bags, new shoes, pants, and hats, I’m the first to buy them. Many people ask me why I buy Nike? I joke that my teacher always gave me a cross when I was studying, and I finally have the opportunity to give myself a check. Then I also influenced a bunch of people around me by wearing Nike. They also all buy Nike. In our opinion, Nike represents sports and fashion. Therefore, when you talk about sports and fashion with a group of people wearing Nike, you can hardly make a mistake. This is the brand, and finally it becomes a culture, condensed into the brand personality on the logo.

Many people today said, look how well my trademark is done. In fact, a trademark is just a graphic identification. Without spiritual control and the support of brand culture, this graphic can easily be forgotten by people. Therefore, the personality of a brand is actually its logo.

Even if different brands make the same clothes, they are irreplaceable. Li Ning also makes sportswear, but it is not fashionable like Nike and Adidas. Puma also does sports, but Puma later turned to fashion, which is called pan-sports.

Nike once launched a brand, which was more casual, but later it could no longer be sold. Because leisure is not his main item. So if you look at every field, the more distinctive a brand is, the more fans it has. Take the outdoor brand Arc'teryx for example. As long as you see someone wearing Arc'teryx clothing, he must be a very professional mountain climber. Arc'teryx is the Rolls Royce of mountaineering clothing. So just like this, the brand's culture will use the logo to imprint a belief in people's minds. This is the brand.

The fourth point is that the function of a brand is savings

A brand is like a bank. In the minds of consumers, they should not change easily or undergo plastic surgery casually. Proper grooming is okay. Because the things a brand accumulates over time in the minds of consumers will leave a deep imprint. Some brands save reputation, some brands save products, some brands save culture, and some brands save trust.

Brands are like this. Without these eight words as a standard to measure corporate brands, I think all companies have products, not brands. A brand must stand the test of time and be able to stay with consumers. A real brand will leave a deep imprint on people's growth process, and will bring them some subtle help in their interpersonal interactions. This is a brand, and the brand must contribute to society.

From today’s perspective, the eight words “trust, props, logo, and savings” are still not outdated. Many people accept it because they truly understand that building a brand is not easy. People who don't accept it don't want to build a brand at all, they just want to build products.

According to these eight words, he felt too tired. Business behavior is a continuous process, and the better way to test business and brand is the long river of time. If a brand wants to be passed down, what it must do is trust, props, logos and savings.

Case examples

There is a customer who makes a small business called Nanjujube Cake. I once asked their boss, why not expand the scale? He said that we only harvest so many wild dates every year, and I can’t adulterate them. He said that our brand is to adhere to the turtle culture, crawl slowly bit by bit, and live for a thousand years. This was more than ten years ago, and it left a very deep impression on me. He does not seek greatness, but refinement; he does not seek breadth, but specialization. Therefore, his southern jujube cake can now be seen in supermarkets such as Wal-Mart in Guangzhou.

Speaking of which, we also have a customer who is completely on the opposite side, that is Huang Ye Betel Lang from Hunan. Also more than ten years ago, the general manager was a heavy smoker, a pack of betel nuts and a pack of cigarettes. We worked together and asked Tang Guoqiang, a celebrity in the betel nut industry, to endorse the product. The commercial became an instant hit after its release, and the product was in short supply. The original product is a betel nut cut into three pieces. When the supply exceeded demand, he found someone to process it. He cut a betel nut into four pieces and produced it quickly. As a result, the product failed to meet the standards. After the media reported that the market for Huangye betel nuts fell directly from the top end. Peers squeezed it again, and then it declined.

This brand initially built trust in consumers through advertising, and people also used betel nut as a prop in social situations. The slogan of the advertisement is "Emperor Betel Nut, who else could I do?", it's very cool. The logo is also very simple and to the point. But the brand did something wrong in the process of saving. If you have a reputation but don't build your own reputation, you will fail. Trademark brand