| Chapter
1- Section 4
The
Brand Asset: Make it a Friend not Foe?
By default
then, appearance and graphics are usually assumed to be the highest
priority for a Web site. We’re conditioned to believe that
branding is critical. Most of us have been raised and educated in
a brand conscious way. From Levis to McDonalds to Nike, we’ve
learned that brands embody value
for us as consumers and do affect our future purchasing decisions.
I have no quarrel with the power of branding, however, the power
of brands on the Internet is grossly exaggerated. Hundreds of branded
web sites may offer the very same products and services. The company’s
unique value proposition and differentiation are inadequate.
The Internet
has a magical presence in consumer’s minds, making them believe
that all the things that brands embody and promise are available
from another company at another Web site at a lower price. Generally
speaking, they are available on the net at a lower price. Consumers
know that they may be wasting money by buying a branded item. Another
competitor found through the search engines, is offering the same
product for much less. What will the consumer do?
I believe
the Internet is a hostile place for brands. Anyone can develop a
Web site for minimal cost so there’s no way you can protect
against brand erosion and theft. Forget about TV style branding
because people don’t use the Web right now for that. For brands,
the Web is no man’s land.
If there
is one aspect of branding that can be achieved, it is achieved via
sophisticated graphics. Even then, it is a constant battle to create
a more sophisticated, distinctive look than hundreds of other competitors
all over the globe.
Good clean,
distinct design can project quality and credibility. However, if
the graphic message and mood doesn’t fortify the message in
the copy, it becomes bad design and a liability. Consumers aren’t
fooled either. They see or sense somehow, that things just aren’t
consistent. Design done well can definitely generate sales and involvement
with the site. Let’s hope your site has a design that fortifies
the brand and can still allow you to use copy that works in the
search engines. If search rankings are very important, your brand
positioning and graphic presentation may have to be altered.
In the
offline world, branding is an important asset. Image is a powerful
form of communication and can affect sales online. Corporate branding
however, often lives in a dreamy, rarified environment of “madison
avenue” language. In the realm of search engines, these words
are rarely, if ever, used by searchers. To make things more uneasy
for Web site planners and copywriters, online brands come and go
fast. Sometimes this is deliberate with planned obsolescence being
a part of the marketing strategy. Other times, competitors move
in and copy a market leading company’s brand image overnight.
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