Brands are personified by the people and products that represent those brands.
In the consumer world, McDonald's got a lot of heat when they decided
their brand identity was all about fostering a happy, friendly feeling.
McDonald's coined the tagline, "We love to see you smile," intended to
capture and promote this "reality."
The campaign bombed. Why? Actual consumer experiences didn't jive with the marketing campaign.
You can imagine some of the consumer reactions:
"I'm not smiling because I've been waiting in this drive thru line for
20 minutes and when I finally get to the window, I'm face to face with
a human being with zero personality who never apologizes for the wait
and then proceeds to give me a Big Mac instead of a double
cheeseburger."
Most communications execs agreed this was a perfect example of
ill-conceived marketing. Somehow, very high paid executives blessed a
messaging platform they thought they could "sell."
But whether you're a consumer company or a high tech company, the truth is that branding doesn't work this way.
As consumers, we instinctively feel product and service experiences.
And we're smart enough to know the real deal. We immediately sense – at
an internal, gut feel level – whether a company is telling the truth or
trying to scam us. When they do what they say they will do on a
consistent basis, then we are pleased, become loyal to that brand and
buy more of it. When we're not satisfied, then we start complaining and
ultimately stop buying.
The lesson for the high tech industry?
A great brand is built when a company dedicates itself to creating a
product and service experience that consistently meets the needs of the
people who consume that service or product. The high tech companies
that try hard to listen and learn and improve all the time become the
big winners and gorillas. The ones that don't fall by the wayside.
A personal computer company that brags about its new PC having a low
footprint – yet it still takes up half your desktop space - is asking
for a negative reaction. A business intelligence software tool so
complex to use that the customer can't get any intelligence out of it,
is not meeting real customer expectations. A network security product
positioned as the ultimate in network protection that is publicly
compromised in a real life example of undetected intrusions, is in a
tough spot to make strong security claims.
When high tech companies pioneer and promote new technologies, they
have to remember to deliver on the experience side of the equation.
While their new products and services are cool and breakthrough and
revolutionary, they also have to do what you claim they will do. And
they must foster a positive experience from the folks who put up the
bucks to buy them.
When it comes to your company's brand identity, build it around a
customer experience you know your company can credibly deliver.
Don't say you're the fastest when you're not. Don't say you've got a
great user interface if it isn't. Focus, instead, on your strengths. If
your product is the most scalable solution in the market - and your
customers can back that up - then build your differentiation and
customer benefit around scalability.
Listen to your customers and seek out their opinions on a regular
basis, especially after you've closed the deal and they've signed the
contracts. This should be the beginning of a mutually advantageous
dialogue. Incorporate their feedback into your offerings and let them
know you appreciate their input.
When you do this, your company is fulfilling the textbook definition of "living your brand promise."
