Go-To-Market: Branding
WIP is pleased to present this article written by our member Beth Flom from Flag+Company.
With Web 2.0 ramping up for mainstream adoption, the proliferation of small companies with big opportunity is once again omnipresent
Taking a strong stake hold in that mix are companies playing in the WiFi space – whether wiring parks, buildings, or public spaces; manufacturing routers and access points; or operating and installing networks. At this stage of the game, companies in the new ultrabroadband wireless arena must not only sell themselves, but sell the wireless
industry as a whole. Unlike our European counterparts, Americans are just
beginning to understand the power of WiFi. To adapt to this learning curve,
companies playing in the space must create branding and marketing tools that
embrace education, as well as differentiation.
These no-nonsense wireless branding strategies are the keys to getting it right: Focus on the Practical. New features and cool capabilities are just that – fun gizmos that attract attention. But unless users can translate that wow- factor into long-term usability, the shelf life is limited. Great wireless brands discover practical uses that can easily integrate into a user’s life and make something easier, better, or more enjoyable. Connect with Customers. Rather than understanding how customers can relate to the technology, determine how the technology can relate to the customer. The best brands are customer-centric. In the burgeoning wireless space, this tenet becomes even more crucial as customers are asked to both choose a brand preference, as well as understand and adopt a new way of life. Understand that Size Matters. Though executed differently, branding for wireless organizations – whether start-ups or market leaders – must still begin with the same premise of edification. For early stage and start-up organizations this means that education must be integrated into the DNA of the company’s brand. Larger, more recognized players must, however, find a way to intertwine this revised focus into an established position. Use Wireless to Sell Wireless. WiFi is about more than Web surfing and checking e-mail – wireless experiences have become marketing tools in and of themselves.
From mobile phone ortals to PDA applications, using wireless to sell wireless gives users a “living” example of how the technology works. It is inherently educational –with a fun twist.
Web 2.0 promises new technology and expanded opportunity. That new technology brings with it dynamic changes and nebulous benefit statements that are just now becoming clear to the early adopters. The challenge comes in translating those claims into simpler language and clear benefits that resonate with the masses. While the technologies and products must deliver, pave the way with an integrated marketing strategy that educates as much as it proliferates.
About Flag + Company Flag + Company has branded, defined, re-defined, and marketed companies from global players to startup organizations, including Nokia, WiFi Salon and Nortel. With a founding tenet that marketing should be creative for the sake of business, Flag is passionate about building brands for those companies changing tomorrow’s marketplace.
For additional information, contact Flag at 212.727.FLAG, or visit the company’s Web site at www.flagandco.com .
About Beth Flom As a managing partner and co- founder of Flag + Company, Beth has worked with organizations of all sizes and sectors within the technology arena. Prior to founding Flag, Beth served as a senior director at The Delve Group, a strategic branding firm focused on the business-to-business sector, and creativedirector at D2 Creative, where she established a traditional marketing and strategy division within an interactive agency.
Taking a strong stake hold in that mix are companies playing in the WiFi space – whether wiring parks, buildings, or public spaces; manufacturing routers and access points; or operating and installing networks. At this stage of the game, companies in the new ultrabroadband wireless arena must not only sell themselves, but sell the wireless
industry as a whole. Unlike our European counterparts, Americans are just
beginning to understand the power of WiFi. To adapt to this learning curve,
companies playing in the space must create branding and marketing tools that
embrace education, as well as differentiation.
These no-nonsense wireless branding strategies are the keys to getting it right: Focus on the Practical. New features and cool capabilities are just that – fun gizmos that attract attention. But unless users can translate that wow- factor into long-term usability, the shelf life is limited. Great wireless brands discover practical uses that can easily integrate into a user’s life and make something easier, better, or more enjoyable. Connect with Customers. Rather than understanding how customers can relate to the technology, determine how the technology can relate to the customer. The best brands are customer-centric. In the burgeoning wireless space, this tenet becomes even more crucial as customers are asked to both choose a brand preference, as well as understand and adopt a new way of life. Understand that Size Matters. Though executed differently, branding for wireless organizations – whether start-ups or market leaders – must still begin with the same premise of edification. For early stage and start-up organizations this means that education must be integrated into the DNA of the company’s brand. Larger, more recognized players must, however, find a way to intertwine this revised focus into an established position. Use Wireless to Sell Wireless. WiFi is about more than Web surfing and checking e-mail – wireless experiences have become marketing tools in and of themselves.
From mobile phone ortals to PDA applications, using wireless to sell wireless gives users a “living” example of how the technology works. It is inherently educational –with a fun twist.
Web 2.0 promises new technology and expanded opportunity. That new technology brings with it dynamic changes and nebulous benefit statements that are just now becoming clear to the early adopters. The challenge comes in translating those claims into simpler language and clear benefits that resonate with the masses. While the technologies and products must deliver, pave the way with an integrated marketing strategy that educates as much as it proliferates.
About Flag + Company Flag + Company has branded, defined, re-defined, and marketed companies from global players to startup organizations, including Nokia, WiFi Salon and Nortel. With a founding tenet that marketing should be creative for the sake of business, Flag is passionate about building brands for those companies changing tomorrow’s marketplace.
For additional information, contact Flag at 212.727.FLAG, or visit the company’s Web site at www.flagandco.com .
About Beth Flom As a managing partner and co- founder of Flag + Company, Beth has worked with organizations of all sizes and sectors within the technology arena. Prior to founding Flag, Beth served as a senior director at The Delve Group, a strategic branding firm focused on the business-to-business sector, and creativedirector at D2 Creative, where she established a traditional marketing and strategy division within an interactive agency.
WIP will feature a Go-To- Market article every month in our website!!
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Labels: Beth Flom, branding, Flag+company, usability, web 2.0, WiFi
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