Identifying Brand Fans The Quickest Route to Brand Evangelism

Today Ad Age began at two-part series called “Caught in the Clutter Crossfire” probing the rampant creep of marketplace cacophony that has marginalized the effectiveness of traditional media strategies — while simultaneously giving rise to new categories of intrusion such as urban spam — toilet walls, dry cleaner bags, egg shells, foreheads, door hangers and other assorted and uninvited assaults on consumer eye balls.

“Attempts to beat clutter only yield more of it, a bitter irony bound to have dire consequences for businesses already struggling with questions of relevance and effectiveness. Put simply, the (interruption model) ad business is crushing itself under the weight of its own messaging, squeezing the effectiveness out of its product as consumers get more and more inured to the commercialization of their culture and surroundings,” writes Matthew Creamer.

It’s not only the physical ‘retention’ challenge of whether or not a consumer will remember or care about, let alone act on, any of the messages they are bombarded with everyday. More importantly it is the form of it. The “head-banging” approach that interrupts and pushes commercial communication towards the consumer is losing its grip as people tune out and drop out.

Mass communication is built systemically on shotgun theory, and even attempts at segmenting the target scope only send clutter in more directions as virtually every possible media platform is exploited – even traditional TV commercial pods are getting fatter. This model is irrevocably broken. Relationship Creation is the only viable path to igniting the fire of brand growth. This is a respectful and collegial model built on “opt-in” engagement with a consumer who is listening because they want and elect to do so. Operating principle around this model is a view that investing more deeply in brand fans will yield stronger business benefits in the long haul than casting bait in every direction hoping something or someone will bite. Indifferent consumers, in the end, buy on price and routinely switch their allegiances on that basis.

Identify the Super Target

Involved fans can drive profit and growth. The 80/20 (majority of business and referrals coming from a smaller segment of customers) rule can be developed to its fullest effect when the marketing focus is narrowed. The challenge today in brand strategy and communications is first to identify who comprises the “Super Target.” Part of the effort involves working to uncover and understand their passions, interests and desires that run parallel to (or even within) a client’s category. The top box goal: establishing a reciprocating relationship with these consumers — people who can identify so keenly with a client’s brand that it becomes woven into the fabric of how they express themselves and their individuality. The Super Targets are potential Brand Evangelists – and therefore most likely to pass along recommendations to try a product to their friends and family.

Consumers have shown they are far more likely to base their buying decisions on opinions of people they trust. Earning the respect and involvement of potential brand fans is an active, and not static endeavor. The brand communications effort must be squarely based on reaching and enrolling key influencers – we refer to them as the consumer’s “Board of Directors.” Editorial media, family members, friends, experts, neighbors, opinion leaders, educators, authors, even celebrities can be part of the Board that consumers will listen to. Most importantly, the strategies used to reach Fans and engage them run in the opposite direction from clutter.