BRANDING AND ADVERTISING

The strength of any offering manifests itself from the centre outward. Hence we talk about the tornado, or the sweet spot of a tennis racquet. This study of truth inspires us because, similarly, the puissant part of the flame is the blue. Out of the blue comes the big yellow, the big idea that cuts through and builds a relationship with the consumer in an unconventional, fresh way. Herein lies the concept, the story that begins to tell the story of your product or service. Through this, the intrinsic and extrinsic values of your product or service are communicated and the invitation to experience the brand opened. And this communication could be by way of a logo or positioning statement, a radio spot or billboard, press ad, tweet, Facebook etc.

Through this communication, an emotional affinity is created with the product or service as its values are internalised. That’s branding – the emotional equity the consumer garners with the product or service. That’s how we view branding at Blue Flame.

OUR APPROACH

Convention says planners plan, writers write and art directors direct.

At Blue Flame this ideology does not exist because its very nature renders it the nemesis of creativity.

Does one dismiss a conceptually sound headline because it comes from an art director or tea lady and not a copywriter?

Through our network of different disciplines in marketing and communications, we look for and apply the best solution for the problem.

It’s a vision that resides in our minds. And it’s one we’re looking forward to sharing more and more with you as the client as we embrace the vision of developing or contributing insights towards your brand from the heart of your product or services outward.

OUR PROCESS

How we disseminate the brand to seek solutions...

The first step in the creation of a sound creative brand or marketing strategy is the in-depth analysis and understanding of the brand status.

What are the old and current perceptions if any about the brand? Is it a new brand entering an existing or new market? Is the product or service even a brand to begin with? Taking into account the definition that a brand is the emotional equity that a product or service possesses in the eyes of the consumer or target market, what will a quick high-level tell us about our product or service?

Our point of departure is that we cannot quite pin the process down to a science, per se, because it’s influenced by emotions and lateral thoughts. However, we can determine a rough methodology we follow in arriving at a brand strategy, essence and promise.

We disseminate the target market and differentiate between the needs and wants. Parallel to this process is the inquisition into how the organization views its product or service and the analysis of the business objectives – the determination of the exact goals to be achieved by entering the market with the product or service.

All this is done in consultation with the client and client team. Once the business objectives have been determined, we identify the desired public and implement qualitative research that will help us arrive at a “vacant brand positioning”.

This is the ideal positioning that very importantly outlines our product offering and the core messaging or sweet spot of the fire, the blue of the fire before the yellow, which is the application of the concept. Our competitive edge is thus created.

We arrive at a clearer marketing premise that correlates with the business objective and we refine it to create our desired brand positioning.

Other variables that come into play throughout our process are the constant analysis of the competitive environment, macro and micro, the pulse or mood of the market, which helps to further determine product or service demand and potential market pitfalls, and the early creation of potential key messaging of the brand promise.

Our brand strategy is eked out of this process having also taken into account all the primary stakeholders in key strategic and implementation areas on the one hand as we well as the direct and indirect external changes and client needs on the other hand. Through further and constant interrogation of our progressive findings, our brand essence comes to life creating the perfect vanguard for our brand execution.

The process that follows, that of brand position finalization, is launched internally to garner ambassadorial buy-in and ownership and is followed by a through media plan and go-to-market launch strategy.