There is a lot of buzz about having a“brand platform”. What does it mean? Even within the advertising industry you’llfind disagreement over its definition. What one guru calls a “brand platform”another calls a “corporate image”.
Regardless of what you call it, you needit. A brand platform serves as the springboard for all branding decisions.
Your brand platform is what your brandstands for. It is a strategic statement or set of statements that encompasseswhat the brand does, how it plans to succeed and why it is unique or different.Most consist of the following basic elements:
1. Mission. Your mission statement should express your brand’s purpose anddriving philosophy in a clear, succinct and compelling way. To construct yourmission statement, you must identify your brand’s features and benefits, targetmarket and competitive advantages as they stand today. You must also decide ona long-term goal for your brand.
2.Identity attributes. List words or phrases thatdescribe your brand at its core – words you want customers to associate withyour brand in lieu of other brands. This list should make your brand stand outand resonate with the desires of your target market.
Keep in mind, though, that consumers can’tand won’t associate your full list with your brand. That is why, at some point,you should highlight one of these words that you want customers to most connectwith your brand. You want to ‘own’ this word in the mind of your customer.
3.Value proposition. Ask yourself: how is my brandbetter than the others? Where does my brand create value for consumers? What ismy brand’s competitive advantage? Your value proposition should differentiateyou from your competition and sum up the unique benefits consumers get fromchoosing your brand. Distil your brand’s value into a sentence or two, and tryto include key features and benefits.
4.Descriptor and/or tagline. Whichever you choose (adescriptor or a tagline), it usually appears near your logo where there is onlyroom for one statement. A descriptor is a clarifier, like ‘Home Electronics’,while a tagline is more sophisticated. A tagline is a slogan, company orproduct statement, or vision that condenses the brand essence in a way thatcreates interest. It should be short, pithy and smart. (Note that taglines,slogans and positioning statements are often used interchangeably.)
5.Brand story. Record and preserve the history ofyour company or product in a concise and compelling way. Was there anythingunusual or interesting about how it came into being? Think through publicrelations angles; the media loves a good story. Your history can also make awonderful addition to your website by increasing the comfort factor withconsumers and helping to overcome the impersonal nature of online commerce.
Above all, remember that brands are createdin the mind and heart of your consumer. Strive to embed an emotional tie inyour brand platform. The fact is, customers buy the brand they feel comfortablewith – and that’s not always the brand with the most features or benefits.
