People can talk about a lot of stuff that affects the bottom line of a business, some more and some less. I believe there are four different topic areas that could and should be considered when trying to create more word of mouth for a brand:
The brand values – what the brand believes in and stands for.
The offer – the actual product or service offered.
The customer care – how the customer is treated in contact with the company after the sale.
The advertising – what is portrayed in the brand’s communication.
I believe the first three of them are more important than the fourth. Advertising needs the other ones to be working on a longer term, but the other three can create word of mouth that leads to a prosperous business on a long term all on their own. That said, to create a really strong brand, it needs to help individuals or groups build identity. The brand needs to satisfy higher level needs, so it needs to stand for something, and the brand values should be part of the equation.
And as always, what needs to be achieved for all four is something that is “remarkable” – something worth making a remark about.
Some brands always recruit from within. Others recruit from the outside. No doubt there are different advantages to both of these approaches, like experience with the product and corporate culture or bringing in new perspectives and experiences.
But, what about passion? What kind of passion for Opel does a marketing manager who previously worked for Peugeot and Seat (article in Swedish) bring to Opel’s marketing department? Sure, he worked for almost two years as a consultant since he left Peugeot, so he has some new perspectives. But, what does this say about the brands? Do they have personality? Do they stand for something different? Do they inspire passion? Do we want to talk about them as something entirely different?
Or are they entirely exchangeable? I believe not, just like Branding Strategy Insider writes in The Seven Markers of Passion:
“Hire Passionistas as Brand Stewards
Nothing brings a brand down more quickly than an interchangeable parts philosophy in the recruitment, hiring, and rewarding of the people behind it. Careerists who jump from one company or industry to another on their way to ever more senior posts may be building their own brand, but they will neither feel nor fuel the passion.”
The irony of the story is that just last autumn Peugeot recruited their new marketing manager… … from Opel!
Disclaimer: This post is NOT about the knowledge or professional skills of the respective marketing manager. I know neither of them nor have heard anything about their current or previous work!
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Viral Thinking - a "Viral Marketing Toolkit is my ebook about how to maximize the potential for viral spread. Creating something that is viral is sometimes the goal, but it is not easy. In this ebook I have tried to cover the areas you can work with to improve the odds.
You could call it a "viral marketing toolkit". However, just increasing the spread improves the ROI, even if it doesn't go viral. So, my hope and belief is that it is helpful for anyone who works within marketing, PR or communications, whether online or offline.
