Having a Smashable Brand?

Smash your brand! That's what Martin Lindstrom, self-proclaimed Brand futurist, advocated just a short time ago.

Running with the mindset that traditional advertising no longer works, Martin advocates you might need to Smash your brand!

In the New York Times June '04, an article revealed that the overall effective influence of tv commercials decreased by 52% in just over ten years. In contrast, the cost of producing those same tv commercials increased more than 130% over the time frame. This was a clear indication that the traditional paths of brand building were slowly drying up, forcing savy marketers to re-think their missions and search for alternatives.

An invention from the early days of the twentieth century provided the answer based on Martin's hypothesis.

Many of you will recognize this story from early Marketing 101 classes in college.

In 1915, a designer from the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana was asked to design a glass bottle. The brief was pretty straightforward. They wanted a bottle that even when broken, the pieces would still be recognizable as part of the whole. The designer succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. He designed the classic Coke bottle, which has gone on to become one of the most famous glass icons ever. The bottle is still in service, it's still recognizable, and has been passing the smash test for every new generation over the last 80 years.

The Coke bottle story is fascinating from a brand-building perspective. In theory, all brands should be able to pass this test. So, working on this principle, if you removed the logo from your brand, would it still be recognizable? In fact, it would be worthwhile to know, because to place too great an emphasis on a brand?s logo carries risks. Least of all there is a danger of neglecting all the other potential brand-building opportunities. If paid due attention, many other aspects of the product become recognizable in their own right. Color, navigation, texture, sound and shape. Even blindfolded, you'd know you're holding a classic Coke bottle. Would advertising copy enhance it? Will the colors, graphics, images or even packaging design individually pass the smash test?

Smashing your brand requires attention to every facet beyond just your logo. You need to look at signal, tone, touch, shape of your product, merchandising and its wrapping. Owning a Smashable color creates an emotional bond between the consumer and your consumable product. Martin goes on to say color isn't the only thing which can create a truly Smashable brand. Pictures or photos, your language, icons, rituals garner brand identities.

Take a few seconds and digest that. If your product doesn't pass the taste test, so-to-speak, then maybe it should be augmented to try and attract consumers on a whole new level.
He uses McDonalds as a perfect example. Arguably one of the best known brands in the world, McDonald's uses the Mac in their name to every possible advantage. Whether "their world is awash with Big Macs, McNuggets, McMuffins and even McSundays", the vernacular has become part of our every day lives. My buddies and I often use Mac before some of our words in everday conversation. How many brands out there can make that claim?

Martin claims the idea of smashing your brand is simple. "Identifying the components you want to be famous for and leverage the fact that the logo is only a very small component of your overall brand visibility is key. Consider what your brand should be well known for in five years time from today and then consistently begin to build up the association with your signals. But be consistent and be persistent. Changing strategy half- way can be dangerous. Ex. IBM is no longer associated with Big Blue ? Pepsi has taken over. Why? Because these companies had taken their ownership of these essential colors for granted. Even if this means that you can find the Coca-Cola logo in a blue, green and orange versions in the UK."

Smashing your brand is in fact all about keeping focus on everything beyond the logo, because a good 90 percent of the real estate on your product or service should also be branded. When every other aspect of your product is branded, you have a truly smashable brand.

So, what are you waiting for exactly. Get to Smashing your product!

Till next time, may your wind never fail and may it sustain 13+mph!