What makes a solid brand? Values.
1. People
2. Good Business
3. Values
From the oldest hotel and business in the world, Nishiyama Onsen Keuinkan, to Colgate, Kelloggs, John Deere, Nestle, Unilever, and most other brands that have lasted over a hundred years, which we have studied, they all have one thing in common – brand values.
The founder(s) gave careful thought to the lasting principles that will govern the existence of the business as a brand and each successor had a duty to preserve and transfer these values to their own successor(s).
Here is a quick preview of some of these reputable brands and how values have helped them become solid brands:
a) Nishiyama Onsen Keuikan: The core value of this ancient brand is captured right in its mission statement, “it is the pleasure and mission of Keiunkan to carefully protect the benefits from this rare earth.” Preservation is an enduring principle for this brand and for over 1300 years now, it has ensured that the hot springs are preserved which implies that the hotel which was built to house the springs has to be preserved generation after generation.
b) Colgate: On their official website, we found the statement “The small soap and candle business that William Colgate began in New York City early in the 19th century is now, more than 200 years later, a truly global company serving hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. Throughout this history, Colgate people and Colgate values have been at the heart of our success.” At the very heart of their success as a brand that is over 20 decades old, lies two things we have mentioned in these series of what makes a solid brand, people and values.
c) Kelloggs: More than 100 years ago, Will Keith Kellogg founded this brand and ever since then, it has gone on to become a solid brand. In their own words, “through our values-based culture, we create a stronger future every day”.
d) Nestle: Founded 152 years ago, innovation has been at the heart of the brand since its beginning. In their words, “ever since Henri Nestlé invented Farine Lactée to alleviate infant mortality, we have been dedicated to enhancing people’s lives.” Their value of quality is based on the commitment to enhance the quality of lives.
e) John Deere: This brand goes straight to the point on their website, “We work every day to uphold our founder’s core values. Integrity, quality, commitment, and innovation are more than ideals we work toward. They are values we live and breathe – values found in every product, service, and opportunity we offer.”
The world has over 5000 business brands that are over 200 years old (over 3000 of them are in Japan), and Japan alone has over 21000 business brands that are over 100 years old. One thing all these brands seem to have in common is the values they have held on to through the decades.
The question for you is, what principles govern your business?
What core values are you weaving through the fabric of your business that could be passed on to successors?
If you desire to build a solid brand that will stand the test of time, articulate and communicate your brand values to all stakeholders.
Building profitable and reputable BRANDS is what we love doing.
More lessons coming on what makes a solid brand.
#DoBusinessBetter
WHAT MAKES A SOLID BRAND? GOOD BUSINESS.
2. Good Business.
The whole idea of branding is to market your business in such a way that it has a fixed place in the minds of customers and the market at large. What this implies is that branding on its own will not make any difference if your business model and strategy are flawed.
You could have all the fanciful designs, inspiring ambiance, well-painted walls, fabulous signage, pleasant service delivery, visually appealing communications, and all other concepts, they will all amount to nothing if the business is not generating enough revenue to be profitable.
So here are a few things to consider in building a good business.
a) Business Idea. Beyond hobby, passion, or copying what others are doing, your business idea should be aimed at solving a problem. An idea that meets a need will beget a good business.
b) Product Viability. Beyond your assumptions and excitements, does your product really work? Will people actually pay for it? Does a sizeable market exist for the product or service? If your product (or service) is not viable, you cannot build a good business around it.
c) Business Model. A good business is one that has clearly defined sources of revenue. You must have a plan of how exactly the business will make money repeatedly.
d) Business Strategy. No experienced person starts a business and leaves it to chance. You need to have plans on breaking into the market, gaining market share, retaining customers, and so on.
e) Growth Possibilities. As the years unfold, a good business should be expanding in revenue, workforce, market size, new products, and so on.
f) Systems & Processes. You need to organize the business as much as possible. Establish guiding rules and operational procedures for finance, HR, procurement, bids and tender, and every other aspect of the business. Develop and maintain a global perspective.
g) Corporate Governance. This pertains to the leadership structure of the business. If you want a business that can function without you or even outlive you, a business that keeps everyone accountable, and for quality decision making, you need a solid corporate governance structure. A good business leaves a legacy and creates a succession plan.
Your business model and strategy is like a socket with electricity, branding is the plug, it must get into the socket and the switch turned on. If you want a solid brand, keep working at building a solid business.
Building profitable and reputable BRANDS is what we love doing.
More lessons coming on what makes a solid brand.
#DoBusinessBetter
THIS COULD SAVE YOUR BRAND.
One of the most valuable things you can do for your organization is to seek honest feedback from your team. There is a treasure of insights lying untapped within your team, but the wall between you and them does not let them share.
You have your ears closed and they have their lips sealed.
It should not be so.
Maybe you think this does not apply to you, but are you sure your team has been honest with their feedback and opinions?
Your brand just may survive longer if employees share their reservations.
You could double profits or increase productivity if you create ways to hear their opinions.
Seek team feedback. It is free and does not change your status as Boss.
If you need an external person to help handle such a process, reach us via wecare@mapemond.com
Building profitable and reputable brands is what we love doing.
BRAND LESSONS FROM THE WORLD’S OLDEST HOTEL & BUSINESS.
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, a hot springs hotel in Kyoto, Japan, is the world’s oldest hotel and also the world’s oldest continuously-operating business, as verified by Guinness World Records. The hotel is now 1313 years old and has been operated by 52 generations of descendants of the same family.
We picked some very simple but vital lessons from this legendary hotel brand that businesses around the world should pay attention to if transgenerational growth is a concern.
Lesson One: Brand Values. Careful thought was given to the lasting principles that will govern the operation of the business and each successor had a duty to preserve and transfer these values to their own successor.
Lesson Two: Socio-cultural values matter. The prevalent culture of society has an influence on how businesses run and perform. This is why Mapemond organizes Outclass Employability and Entrepreneurship Training, to breed a different generation of young Nigerians with the right work discipline, work ethics, and work culture.
Lesson Three: Think legacy and succession. What is the point in building a business that ends with you? We should think in terms of being able to transfer what we build to the next generation. Whatever you can do to give your business a chance to survive beyond you, please make the attempt.
Lesson Four: Maintenance culture matters. Successive generations have ensured that this legendary hotel is well maintained over the centuries. How well do you pay attention to good maintenance in your business?
Lesson Five: Innovate. While the essential selling points of the hotel – the view, hot springs, and location – have been maintained, the hotel has gone through a lot of adaptation to modern designs and concepts. As old as it is, it competes favorably with other hotels and tourist destinations across the world.
Building profitable and reputable BRANDS is what we love doing.
WHAT MAKES A BRAND SOLID? PEOPLE.
1. People.
The quality of people involved with a brand from the founder to the management team, team members/employees will ultimately shape what the brand becomes.
What you can do.
a) Work on yourself. Don’t be an obstinate entrepreneur or executive. Provide quality leadership. We helped a client recruit and onboard a team of smart young people but they are ALL on the verge of exiting because the Boss makes the work environment very toxic.
b) Profile your desired team. Determine the kind of team you want to build and the kind of persons who will best fit into the team in terms of experience, character and all other essential qualities.
c) Position your brand rightly. Put the necessary things in place to attract, onboard, and retain the right persons for the brand. Your brand should also be appealing and inspiring to employees, not just customers. Sell your brand to the people you want to build it.
d) Provide growth opportunities. If the quality of your team will grow, then you must take training and growth seriously. You can organize in-house training and also engage external trainers. Give responsibilities to team members, so they can learn and grow.
e) Provide mentorship. If you are a small business or startup, chances are that most of your people will be millennials. For you to get the best out of them, you have to mentor them and help them navigate their path to success.
f) Set guidelines. Decide the direction you want for the brand and set the guidelines for every team member to align. Everything that matters to the brand and cannot be compromised, spell it out clearly.
This is why as a brand consulting agency, we also work closely with Clients on talent recruitment and development. We work with a lot of young people and in the process, we prime them for whatever brand they may get involved with.
Building profitable and reputable BRANDS is what we love doing. Let’s help you build yours.
More lessons coming on what makes a solid brand.
BUSINESS INSIGHT: WHAT BRAND ARCHETYPE IS YOUR BUSINESS?
Every brand is perceived in a certain way and that perception is concluded as its personality.
The personality of any brand is what is referred to as its archetype. Regardless of their geographical locations, size or nature, brands all over the world have different archetypes that distinguish them from others. It is based on this, customers are able to relate with or draw conclusions on a brand.
Now the simple question we would like you to answer is, what brand archetype (or identity/personality) are you assuming knowingly or unknowingly for your business? Whether you are aware or not, your business has been operating with an archetype that may be good or bad. Moreover, the personality your brand has taken is what it would be known for and its success will be largely dependent on it.
There are twelve basic archetypes (or identities) that a brand could assume. We have listed them below alongside a brief description of each one. As you read through, try to identify which archetype best describes your own business.
1. The Innocent: Always want to be happy
The innocent brand is driven by an ambition to get the best from life. Brands like this tend to look for happy ways of escaping negative traps and simply want to be free. They always want to get things right and would not want to do wrong things that may attract punishment. With their positive attitude, they are able to overcome challenges seamlessly. These kinds of brands aspire to keep their customers happy and hopeful. Under this category, we have brands like McDonald’s, Dove, ToysRus, and Coca-Cola.
2. The Explorer: Wants to break free and discover other things
The explorer brand as the name implies is given to adventure and new discoveries. They are ambitious and trendy, always seeking for new ways to cross hurdles. They find pleasure in exploring new opportunities and also pushing new initiatives. Explorer brands create products and services that are thrilling to their customers. Their products are usually designed to give customers more freedom. Brands that fall under this category are Go Pro, Jeep, and Timberland.
3. The Magician: Making dreams come true
Brands with this kind of archetype make everything dreamy. They awaken your imagination and make it run wild. They take you away from reality into a fictional world that speaks loud of their creative ability. The Magician brands run with a vision which they pursue with determination until they achieve it. Brands in this group act as a catalyst for new innovations. They are intentional about giving each customer a long-lasting personal experience. This set of brands is always searching for solutions to problems and ways to make the world better for their customers. They can also be referred to as healers or visionary. Some of such brands are Disney, Red Bull, and Mary Kay.
4. The Outlaw or Rebel: Revolutionary
The Outlaw or Rebel brand dreads dwelling in the box. They are radical and don’t enjoy restrains which is why they have the tendency to rebel against an opposing factor. They are fearless and can challenge existing rules. They move on to develop new standards. Outlaw brands form some sort of cult that pulls the crowd with their beliefs. Brands in this are Harley Davidson, Charley Boy, etc.
5. The Ruler: Wants to be totally in charge
Ruler brands are authoritative brands. They have a strong personality that tends to be controlling sometimes. They have a great sense of masculinity. The Ruler brands present themselves as experts in their industry. They are usually rated high and occupy leadership positions. They often use their power to promote order and produce more results. Budweiser although not a ruler brand completely, uses the ruler brand archetype for its slogan “King of Beers”. Regular examples of a Ruler Brand are Rolex, Google, Rolls Royce, Hugo Boss, Microsoft, and Donald Trump.
6. The Lover: Make you fall in love with them
The Lover brand evokes the emotions of their customers. They try to meet their needs and also make them feel special. The Lover brands believe love is the bedrock of everything and as such make it the center of their services. Their aim is to create an intimate relationship with their target audience. They are usually committed and passionate about their goals which are geared towards flooding the market with their irresistible offers. Examples of such brands include Chanel, Victoria’s Secret, and Celine Dion.
7. The Sage: Knowledge bank or seeking truth
The Sage brand is an intellectual brand that loves to seek and share knowledge. The Sage brand creates an environment that promotes teaching and learning. They are always in a search for answers to questions most brands have been avoiding. The Sage brand is known for intelligence and problem solving. Some of the brands that can be classified as Sage include Harvard University, National Geographic, Peter Drucker, Paulo Coelho, etc.
8. The Jester: Lives in the moment
The Jester brand is playful and full of humor. It operates with one clear goal which is to have fun. Brands under this category would never want to pass across as boring. They don’t worry about problems but rather live in the moment and see how things unfold. They try to create a cool impression of the present and use several means to lighten the hearts of their customers. The Jester brand infuses fun into all its activities even during critical brainstorming moments. They encourage people to play and embrace their inner child. Examples of such brands are McVities, Old Spice, and Saka.
9. The Nurturer: Loves to care
The goal of the Nurturer brand is to care for others selflessly. They are known for altruism, compassion, empathy, and generosity. This type of brand looks out for the safety of its customers. They often portray family image and promote service to humanity. They educate people on better healthcare tips. Baby care products such as SMA, Johnson & Johnson, and Pears are all examples of Nurturer. Other brands like Ford are also under this group.
10. The Creator: Wants perfection and inspires imagination
The Creator brand works with a big picture in mind – a vision. They are focused on creating, developing or revamping fresh ideas and would remain dogged until they accomplish it. Their fulfilment comes from the end result of their inventions or innovations. Most marketing and technology brands fall under this category. Most times they are considered perfectionists. Examples of such brands are Lego, Canon, and Apple.
11. The Regular Guy/Girl: Wants to belong or offers a sense of belonging
The Regular Guy/Girl brands are those that make efforts towards the satisfaction of their customers. They try to promote a sense of equality and humility in the minds of the customers through their products or service. They produce their products with quality in order to increase the level of trust customers have for them. The target is to always create a sense of belonging. Examples of such brands include Wrangler, Barack Obama, and Budweiser.
12. The Hero: Wants to prove itself
Hero brands are on a mission to succeed and show they are worthy. They despise failure and only leverage their strengths. Hero brands are determined to make a difference and impacting the world greatly. They present themselves as superior brands and often times use striking images and colors to communicate their brand values during marketing. Examples of such brands are Duracell, Nike, and the US Army.
As you aspire to be a global brand or conglomerate, ensure that you put these things in perspective to align accordingly, the market will give the verdict ultimately. Knowing the archetype your brand should be helps you become more intentional with your marketing communications (particularly what you say and how you say it).
Whether you like it or not, your business will assume its own personality and it’s best you don’t leave it to chance. Consciously design and harness the personality you want your business to represent as a brand.
Do you need help in branding your business? Let’s do a great job for you. Send us an email at wecare@mapemond.com
Do Business Better!
BRAND REVIEW: TECNO MOBILE
The emergence of smartphones began a new era in the mobile phone industry. Smartphones have undoubtedly become an important part of our lives that we can hardly do without. They are referred to as the new personal computers because aside calls, smartphones come with enabling features that have brought more ease to our lives, businesses, and generally changed our society greatly.
It would interest you to know that prior to 2007 smartphones were not as affordable and rampant as they are now. In fact, twelve years ago, the mobile phone market was mostly saturated with Nokia Symbian phones, Samsung and Apple smartphones. While Nokia phones were affordable, they had numerous limitations. On the other hand, Samsung and Apple smartphones were too expensive for most customers in Africa to afford.
Having identified this gap in the mobile phone industry, TECNO launched itself as the most affordable smartphone brand. This singular move set a new tune in the market and brought more competition thereby giving the big brands a run for their money. TECNO came with an innovative approach and consistency to achieve customer retention. The brand literally rewrote the state of art of technologies by producing localized products under the principle of “Think Globally, Act Locally”.
BRAND HISTORY
The TECNO brand has proven that a need in the market is always an opportunity for brands especially new ones to gain a breakthrough. The founder of TECNO mobile, George Zho, knew this early and worked with the vision of solving the need of mobile phone users in mostly Africa, right from its inception in 2006. Notwithstanding being a Hong Kong based brand, TECNO mobile has become a household name in different countries as it keeps its innovative game on and leaves other phone brands trailing behind. The brand has remained committed to offering consumers with satisfactory mobile communications solutions.
As a subsidiary of TRANSSION Holdings, a company dedicated to producing high-quality smart devices and mobile internet service that can compete globally, TECNO as its flagship brand has become one of the leading phone brands in the world. TRANSSION Holdings has built its brand portfolio with superior mobile phones like TECNO, itel, Infinix, Carlcare, etc.
Though TRANSSION’s first attempt on a TECNO mobile wasn’t as sleek as what we now know the recent ones to be, and didn’t have a smooth entry into the market, the brand strived against all odds. With several modifications and innovations, the brand bounced back stronger, dominating its industry in just a short period. Following market research, TECNO mobile identified Africa’s need and dived in to solve it which led to its success, thereby making Africa its number one customer base. The entrance of TECNO mobile into the Nigerian market changed the telecommunications narrative in the country. It offered the customers more choices with different features that were affordable and this earned the brand more users.
Apart from its affordability, TECNO mobile also holds the reputation of being the first dual-SIM phone brand supplier in Africa and holds 40% of market share in major African countries. The brand has further established itself as a global player in the telecommunications industry expanding to continents like South America and Southeast Asia. The success of the brand can be ascribed to well-designed strategy and systematic management.
From solving an identified need, TECNO mobile has earned several recognition and awards. With its outstanding smartphone product chain that is uniquely designed, TECNO continues to beat its counterparts in the mobile phone industry. The brand’s strength focuses on innovative designs and manufacturing, sales and services.
BRAND VISION
The parent company, TRANSSION Holdings operates with a vision that has had a ripple effect on every aspect of the business especially in the quality of their product. Here is the company’s vision:
“To provide consumers in global emerging markets with their favourite smart device and mobile internet service.”
BRAND MISSION
The company has a detailed mission statement, which is to:
- Be a moral conscious company.
- To provide users with smart device and mobile service that they enjoy;
- To provide partners with profit earning solutions and help them fulfil their potential and value;
- To create material and spiritual happiness for employees;
- To create value for shareholders.
- Become an outstanding representative of Chinese private enterprises which establish their business overseas.
BRAND VALUES
The brand functions with values that have shaped its products and services. They are;
- Teamwork
- Honesty
- Integrity
CORPORATE CULTURE
The brand has a culture that helps its organization thrive.
“To continuously thrive as a market leader among the industry, we must look ahead, think big and get ready for challenges. We must stay abreast of the changing market demands and fulfill customers’ expectations. That’s what our corporate culture is all about. It is the motivation, guideline and target we are following to succeed in our business and dreams.”
Written by Jennifer Chioma Amadi
Do you need to get your brand positioning right in the market place? We can help. Send us an email at wecare@mapemond.com
Do Business Better!
BRAND REVIEW: MARLEY AND BLUE, A NEW COFFEE STORY
The new song on the lips of most coffee lovers in Port Harcourt is “Marley and Blue”. The brand recently announced its opening this August with photos and videos of the space shared on their social media platforms – Twitter and Instagram specifically. So far, it has been a cool rhythm mixed with smoothly served cups of coffee.
Marley and Blue presents itself as a brand out to improve the quality of coffee sold in the city. From its well-structured appearance and classy feel, it can be perceived that the brand came with all its instruments to give customers the best coffee experience. There is no doubt that it is intentionally creating an image of quality and reliability in the minds of its customers. It also introduced an identity for its coffee that is called ‘joe’.
The brand was founded by Ese Emerhi who was driven by her love for coffee and her desire to create a quiet space for people to hang out during the day. She explained this in an interview with #StartupPortHarcourt.
“I relocated back to Nigeria in 2014, and as a coffee lover, I noticed that in Port Harcourt at least at that time, there were no spaces or collaborative spaces, coffee shops in particular, that people could come to spend the afternoon or a Sunday morning in a quiet conducive space, so I decided to create a space where I would be comfortable in here in Port Harcourt”.
In the interview, she also shared the vision for Marley and Blue. In her words;
“The vision for Marley and Blue is really to be that hub, that glue for creatives, artiste, the tech start-up community here in Port Harcourt to be able to gather, collaborate and spark ideas that really move the world together or to change the world…”
The brand sure did have such a great start and is already making a statement in Port Harcourt. Though we do not know what the future holds for this brand, one thing is for sure, we will definitely be looking out to see if it sustains its music!
Let us get your feedback in the comment section if you have had a feel of Marley and Blue…
Written by Jennifer Chioma Amadi
Need help structuring your brand? We are here to help! Send us an email at wecare@mapemond.com
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THE SUCCESS STORY OF BOLE FESTIVAL ’19
On the 3rd of August 2019, the city of Port Harcourt was smoking hot with fumes from roasted plantain and fish engulfing the atmosphere, dust raised by thousands of people, and beats of different types of music blaring from speakers. The fuss and the standstill traffic were evidence that Bole Festival 2019 had taken over the town.
It baffled a lot of persons that a single event organized by just one brand had the ability to pull such crowd and literally turned the very quiet Obi Wali center to a beehive. The crowd was a mix of regular fun-loving individuals, on-air personalities (OAPs), and press agents from different media houses were present to capture every moment of the event.
But then the main VIPs of the festival were the wide range of vendors who made their products and services available to spectators and buyers. The highlight, however, were the entertainers invited to light up the event. It is safe to say that the event would have been nothing without the blend of people present that day.
Away from the jamboree, now let’s look deeper to see why Bole Festival was a huge success. Everyone who has ever tried to plan a project or host an event would certainly agree that it is not an easy feat! No matter how small that project or event, it requires a hundred percent brainstorming, planning, and organization to have an excellent execution. It was evident that the Bole Festival was well planned which is why we think the team deserved some applause. So here are a few things we observed;
Good Social Media Strategy: For a brand seeking to attract hundreds of people from around Nigeria and outside the country, it must leverage the power of social media. Being its fourth edition in the business of hosting the event, the Bole Festival crew made good use of their social media platforms to spread the word about the event. In the social media campaign, they focused on the fun facts about the festival while they watered the appetite of potential attendees with promises they couldn’t resist. We dare say the crew kept their promises. They also made good use of hashtags which flowed with their theme for this year, Our Taste, Our Culture, which resonated with the people.
Easy Payment: One thing customers dread is going through too much hassle to pay for a product or service. And their fear of online payment is endless! So including the option of online payment is sometimes a risk that only brave brands opt for. Yet the Festival’s crew was able to make the payment process, especially the online option, seamless. With just a few clicks on an internet-connected mobile phone, most attendees were able to purchase their tickets which was immediately sent to their emails. Several outlets in strategic places for the buying of tickets were utilized as well.
Partnership: Getting partners that believe and support a brand to the fullest is usually one of the toughest parts for most brands. However, Bole Festival has been able to break that limiting factor as it had quite a lot of sponsors and partners. Well, one thing is for sure, the brand must have proven itself worthy enough for partnership. Remember the first thought on every partner’s mind is “what’s in it for me?”
Variety: Though the main event is centered on bole, it was refreshing to have other options displayed by different vendors. This also presents the Bole Festival as an umbrella that houses and supports different types of brands especially SMEs. It speaks a lot about Bole Festival’s core values.
You can see more photos and videos at BOLE FESTIVAL
So, there you go! Those are our observations, but we would love to hear yours. Tell us what you think about Bole Festival in the comment section.
Written by Jennifer Chioma Amadi
Want to learn more about brand strategy? Then attend our branding Bootcamp this August. See details at BRANDING BOOTCAMP
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PUBLIC SPEAKING AS A MARKETING TOOL TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS
Attracting customers require a whole of consistent efforts, here is one that most great entrepreneurs in the world use. This strategy presents you as a go-to expert and it boosts the confidence of potential customers. It starts with planning – if you are not skilled in public speaking, seek training to equip yourself. Mapemond can help you.
1 Identify your prospects – where are your potential clients located, what kind of events do they attend or groups they belong to and how can you connect with them.
2 Create relatable topics – pick the areas of your business and pain points that the prospects will easily relate with.
3 Get your marketing materials ready – prospects may need some form of materials to refer to later (Mapemond are your ‘guys’ for such quality marketing materials)
4 Be open to giving attention – be willing to hear others out, receive their own marketing materials and create a rapport.
5 Give the last punch – share the action you want the audience to take or the one thing you want them to remember for long.
Always be ready to speak in public, so you can be influential in your industry and smile to the bank frequently!
Written by Donald Alaye