How to give yourself a BAD reputation

I talk a lot about the importance of effective brand management to my clients, because it's arguably the most important element of your corporate marketing.

Your brand is the collection of words, thoughts and impressions that pop into the consumers' mind when they hear your name. Everything you say or do reflects either positively or negatively on your brand. You could have the best advertising in the world but if your brand image is poor, you won't be successful.

Case in point: McDowell Ovens.

They make bread crumbs. At Sobey's at least, they have great shelf space which, for packaged goods companies, is one of the most important marketing strategies.

But look closely at the package: "For all your bread crumb uses."

Wow - what a revelation! Here I thought I should use bread crumbs for non-bread crumb uses! (that's sarcasm, in case you didn't catch it)

Packaging (and specifically, what you put on the package) is also a key marketing strategy for packaged goods companies. They had an opportunity to write anything they wanted on their package, and they chose that ineffectual statement. This packaging decision damages their brand. All the good they did for their brand by obtaining key shelf space is undone by their packaging laziness.

I bought a competitive brand.

THE TAKEAWAY FOR YOU:

The lesson for ALL businesses (packaged goods or otherwise): please, please, please look at ALL you do (from packaging to answering the phones) and consider whether you are enhancing or damaging your brand reputation.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Any other examples of exceptionally poor or exceptionally effective packaging?

From the "why bother?" category

Here is a photo I had to take when I came to a stop behind a truck recently.

You have to be completely stopped, and the car immediately behind the truck to be able to read it. So this marketing tactic will work on exactly ONE person.

Why bother?

What's worse, even if you happen to be the lucky one that has the chance to read it, you can't even tell whose truck it is!

Again, why bother?

If you have the opportunity (i.e. if you have a truck), post your brand name and your tag line. And by the way, your tag line should be somewhat descriptive or at least intriguing.

All it takes is some common sense and some attention to detail. It just upsets me a bit to see companies wasting marketing opportunities like this. Don't waste. Pay attention to how you position yourself in everything that you do.

Not so eco-friendly after all

Eco-friendly production serves companies well for a couple of reasons: it's truly responsible, and it's marketable. There is a distinct, influential and growing segment of consumers who are influenced by a company's environmental responsibility.

My wife bought a journal yesterday called "ecojot" (ecojot.com). It's a writing journal made in Canada of 100% recycled materials (100% post-consumer waste, vegetable based inks and glues, recycled labels). A great concept... but the journal came wrapped in plastic!

If you are that brand-committed - that dedicated to establishing a position in the market (in this case, an eco-friendly position), then you have to go all the way! You can't be half pregnant. You can't claim to be eco-friendly then wrap your product in plastic. You lose all the credibility you tried so hard to establish. Al Gore lost a lot of credibility when they measured the carbon footprint of his mansion. Stephen Page lost credibility when he was arrested. Inconsistencies like these create a negative impression in the consumer's mind that is hard, if not impossible to reverse.

This is the whole point when talking about branding. EVERYTHING you do needs to strengthen your brand. Inconsistencies between your brand positioning (your "reputation") and your actions can do nothing but deflate opinions about your company and therefore, sales.

If you put a stake in the ground, stand by it.

The Power of Packaging

For my birthday recently I received a golf practice kit, which included a net and a piece of artificial turf complete with a rubber tee. Well, the mat made of artificial turf came rolled up in a box which meant that when I took it out to start using it, it wouldn’t lie completely flat. It was harder to get the ball to stay on the tee, and I wasn’t getting the best practice because the ball was a couple of inches higher than it would have been on the course.

And believe me, I need the practice!

This mat is no more than 12” by 18”. How hard would it be to create a thin box in which this mat could lie flat? A box like that would also give them all kinds of space for messaging and logo placement. It may have even given them more prominence on the shelf. Or perhaps they could use a clear plastic package, which would help promote the product even more. Neither of these options would be considerably more expensive, so why not make the effort?

Instead, I’m a dissatisfied customer.

Think about how your product packaging affects the customer's impression of the product, both before and after it is purchased.


Have your say: what are some good examples of product packaging?