On Thursday, c-leveled, a local business development firm, hosted IEE staff and members for a workshop dedicated to the topic of brand development. Creative Director, Craig Seder and Chief Experience Officer, Jeff Lizik walked attendees through branding methods and also covered important points related to maintaining brands in the digital space. The session kicked off with the question: What is branding? From a holistic viewpoint, branding is a company’s way of establishing a difference. It’s the overall experience a consumer encounters when they interact with a product or service through any channel or medium. After solidifying an understanding of branding, the workshop moved into brand classification and the different focuses a marketer, planner, or strategist can use to position a brand as well as reach the targeted end user. The categories were as follows:
- Benefits- The unique and specific product/service features
- Attribute- The highlighted “ingredients” of a product/service
- Role- The role the product/service plays in consumer’s lives
- Attitude- Values that the brand and consumer hold in common
- Territory- The platforms and mediums in which the brand lives
- Awareness- The level of iconography or recognition the brand currently receives
After evaluating each category and discussing the benefits and challenges associated with each, the discussion shifted toward digital trends. Topics such as purpose-driven content, influencer marketing, organic vs. paid social media, and the buyer’s journey proved to be intriguing topics of conversation for the remainder of the workshop.
