Ed Steele offers his take on why brands need to think more like Coke, KitKat and Domino’s
To be a shopper today is to be overwhelmed with decisions, and chronically distracted by competing messages. Having powerful Distinctive Brand Assets (DBAs) is a must for brands to cut through the clutter. But a logo alone isn’t enough. Brands must have a suite of DBAs that work effortlessly with the reality of today’s shopping ecosystem.
The new shopping ecosystem
The evolution of social commerce, TVs that serve shoppable ads, and regular appearances of new retail channels like Tesco’s Marketplace, mean that chances to buy are everywhere. Now, a shopper’s journey to buying exists in a multifaceted, tangled ecosystem where so-called ‘ATL’, ‘BTL’, ‘online’, ‘offline’, and ‘retail’ channels merge together.
This results in shoppers being exhausted by decisions about what to buy and where. In the face of this avalanche of choice, successful brands make life easy for shoppers by being instantly recognisable at every touch point through a suite of standout DBAs.
Most marketers are familiar with the idea of DBAs. The elements of a brand’s identity that are sufficiently well known to stand in for its name in communications. Think of the McDonald’s Golden Arches, or the iconic shape of the Coca-Cola bottle.
Diversification of DBAs
But in the ever-evolving world of commerce, it’s not enough to simply have a well-known logo or colour. To thrive, brands must build multiple DBAs that are adapted to a world where people are paying half attention at best, and an invitation to buy a competitor is never far away.
A brand with a range of DBA styles has a killer advantage. Logos, colours and strap lines are very effective, but often neglected asset types like unique packaging, fun characters and distinct sounds are growing in importance. We see Kevin the Carrot and think Aldi, read ‘Have a Break’ and think KitKat, and feel the unique shape of the Pringles tube and instantly recall that famous snack brand.
Take Coca-Cola. Not only does it have a distinctive logo, colour, and bottle shape, but also a character in the form of the Coca-Cola Santa, and the song from its classic “holidays are coming” ad. These components together hit the different parts of the brain that control memory. The more components associated with your brand, the more memorable you are.
The power of sonic
When people are distracted, sound becomes a powerful way to gain attention. Despite living in the age of screens, we consume a lot of sonic media. 25 percent of internet users listen to podcasts (eMarketer 2021), and 35 percent of US households have a smart speaker (Voicebot 2022).
Some brands are already utilising sonic DBAs with great success. Dominoes is putting a concerted effort into establishing its “Domin-oh-hoo-hoo” line, with dedicated ads featuring the line since 2021. Another brand thinking outside the bottle is Coca-Cola. It is seeking to make the fizz noise of removing a bottle cap into ownable assets with its recent “Try Not to Hear This” campaign.
It’s crucial for any marketer to know what are, or could be, its DBAs. Then, they need a robust strategy for when and how to deploy them, ensuring shoppers recognise your brand at every turn. Equally as important is identifying gaps in your current suite of DBAs. Do you have DBAs that grab attention when shoppers are looking the other way? If not, you need a plan to create them.
Ed Steele is Senior Strategist at Live & Breathe
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