The One Thing You Must Get Right The One Thing You Must Get Right When When Building a BrandBuilding a Brand

Patrick BarwisePatrick Barwise && Sean MeehanSean MeehanHarvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review; ; Dec 2010Dec 2010

THE THE POINTPOINT

““TheThe companies that will companies that will succeedsucceed in this environment in this environment areare exploiting the many opportunities presented by exploiting the many opportunities presented by social social

media media while keeping an unwavering while keeping an unwavering eye on their eye on their brand promisebrand promise, , and they are judiciously revising and they are judiciously revising

the marketing the marketing playbookplaybook rather rather than trying to rewrite it.” than trying to rewrite it.”

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ENHANCINGENHANCING THE THE PLAYBOOKPLAYBOOK

• The Customer The Customer PromisePromise

• TrustTrust

• Continual Continual ImprovementImprovement

• Innovation Beyond Innovation Beyond the Familiarthe Familiar

FundamentalFundamentalQualitiesQualities

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THETHE VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS MODEL MODEL

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• Learn what people are saying in Learn what people are saying in Call Centers, Websites, and Call Centers, Websites, and public opinion.public opinion.

• Uses Uses Social Media Social Media to support to support the brand values and promises:the brand values and promises:

• Innovation• Fun• Informality• Honesty• Value• Caring attitude

THE CUSTOMERTHE CUSTOMER PROMISE PROMISE

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• Operational Operational ExecutionExecution • Service Service deliverydelivery

• WebsitesWebsites• Up -To- Date• Accurate

• ““Rapid ResponseRapid Response”” solutionssolutions• Twitter• Facebook

BUILDING BUILDING TRUSTTRUST

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• Gathering Insights to Gathering Insights to ImproveImprove

• Travel Travel BlogsBlogs

• Customer Customer Complaints Complaints • Tedious & redundant

requests for security information

• Online-community suggestions

• SolutionsSolutions• Opt-in service• Arrange taxi sharing

from pax from same flight

CONTINUAL CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT IMPROVEMENT

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•Big Trip’s PlanningBig Trip’s Planning• Facebook Flight Status App

(first for airline)• VTRAVELLED (inspirational

journeys)• Flight Club• Taxi2 Cab Sharing• Flight tracker (real-time Aircraft

positions)• VVA iPhone app• Flight Entertainment

systems @ “Premium Economy Class”

•BenefitsBenefits• Exchange information• Stories• Advices• Creation of “Trip Pods”• Brand reinforcement • Novel customer insights

innovationinnovation beyond beyond the familiar the familiar

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• Don’t throw out your PlaybookDon’t throw out your Playbook• Start with Brand Promise; Guide them

with Social Media

• Use Social Media Primarily for Use Social Media Primarily for InsightInsight• Real Value is learning about

Customers

• Strive to go Viral, but Protect the Strive to go Viral, but Protect the BrandBrand• AUNTHENTICITY & RELEVANCE• WILL IT BLEND? [ YouTube Video]• SONY

• Engage, but follow the social Engage, but follow the social rulesrules

KEEP YOUR EYE KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALLON THE BALL

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• American Express American Express (OPEN (OPEN Forum)Forum)

• CiscoCisco (MyPlanet)(MyPlanet)

• FordFord (Fiesta Movement)(Fiesta Movement)

• ExamplesExamples::

• Procter & Gamble

• Toyota

LEVERAGELEVERAGE SOCIAL SOCIAL MEDIAMEDIA

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““The Rise of The Rise of Social Media Social Media makes it more makes it more important than ever to get the important than ever to get the

branding fundamentalsbranding fundamentals right”right”

THE THE CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

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ByBy Pam Lamantia Pam Lamantia & & Baruch VergaraBaruch Vergara

BRANDING BRANDING