Brand Marketing: 10 Ways to Boost Your Brand's Reputation

On June 29, Starbucks announced that it would remove its advertisements from social platforms in opposition to the platforms' laissez-faire attitude towards hate speech. This is another international brand that has responded to social activities in a timely manner to promote social change, following global brands such as Coca-Cola and Unilever announcing that they would remove their advertisements from social platforms, to prevent platforms such as Facebook from profiting from racism and hate speech.

It is not difficult to find that more and more brands are increasingly actively taking on the responsibility of promoting social change and moving towards the path of "political correctness". Taking the lead in expressing opinions on controversial social activities often brings unexpected attention and goodwill to the brand, and enhances the brand's reputation.

Reputation refers to how many consumers will actively associate the brand with something positive when the brand does not express its own opinions.

So, in addition to taking on social responsibility and speaking out, what other ways can help brands quickly improve their reputation?

1. Respond quickly to major social events and express your attitude

As mentioned earlier, when major social events occur, it is time for brands to respond positively and speak out. Not only because of the communication value of social current affairs, but also because of their profound social and cultural background, these events become important materials for brands to gain attention and accumulate reputation.

Vodafone changed its messaging and mobile beacons during COVID-19.

2. Cleverly associate individuals, organizations or IP images to create "positive" factual associations

This is not just about paying celebrities to do advertising, but about trying to create facts and making the brand a real event in the daily life of famous people (in film and television). Soft advertising is more conducive to the shaping and dissemination of brand reputation. But the way of contact should be tactful, clever and natural, and it is necessary to choose individuals and organizations whose image and concepts are more intrinsically connected with the brand.

The official announcement video for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, titled "The Best for the Brightest," invited four creative minds, including field photographer Chris Burkard, to experience the product firsthand. They are more demanding about computers than ordinary people and their rebellious temperament is completely consistent with Apple.

This year's International Women's Day tribute also highlights famous female figures in a range of disciplines, including education activist and the youngest Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, director, "METOO" initiator, etc. These great women all use Apple, and none of them was taken specifically for the promotion of this creative activity, which is real and natural enough.

3. Occupy important communication sites

The place where a brand appears often has a decisive impact on its reputation, and the brand's reputation is related to consumers' feelings about the scene. For example, if a product advertisement appears in different channels, the impression of the product formed in the minds of consumers will be different. The more global, international and authoritative the place where information appears is, the more it can demonstrate strength and establish high trust with the audience. Also, the more unique the scene is, the better.

4. Actively control public opinion and take precautions

The role of public opinion control is not just "supervision", but taking the initiative when potential "crisis" is discovered to minimize the negative effects. This requires careful care, because it is easy to create a brand but difficult to maintain it, and brand maintenance is no small matter. To turn potential crisis events into invisible ones or even into positive cases, we need to be cautious, take multiple considerations into account, take proactive prevention and control, and leave a good reputation.

Alibaba is an expert in crisis public relations, but unfortunately it accidentally "turned over" when handling the Jiang Fan incident.

5. Establish and pursue a brand spirit and culture driven by values ​​to lead the changes of the times

Excellent brand culture can penetrate into people's deep psychology and way of thinking. The spiritual and cultural expression of a brand is an important social and psychological basis for its long-lasting and stable reputation. Brands need to use all their resources and wisdom to seize and create social opportunities to shape a clear and unique brand spirit and culture, spiritually lead the changes of the times, and build great brands.

Apple: Think Different borrows the images of people with strong personalities and creativity, such as Spiegel, to embody going against the trend and being different. It successfully hit and led Generation X: the anti-traditional trend of young Americans who entered adulthood in the 1980s and early 1990s, inspiring them to think independently, be enterprising and creative.

6. Launch products and services for young people to win the hearts of future mainstream users early

Young people are early adopters of products, creators of market trends and game changers. Only by convincing young people can we influence the mainstream consumer groups. Launching appropriate products and services targeting the young market segment can further leverage the long-tail effect and accumulate reputation among young people.

China Mobile launched M-zone, capturing the hearts of a generation of young users. The young people of that time have become the backbone of society and still maintain a high level of loyalty to China Mobile.

7. Pay attention to the needs of special groups

The special needs of niche groups are often overlooked. Brands should pay attention to these needs with keen observation and use creative strategies to actually help special groups through product design. This approach can greatly enhance the effect of building brand reputation.

IKEA - ThisAble's 3D accessories, just attach these little guys to IKEA furniture, even people with physical disabilities can enjoy a high quality of life. Without much effort, IKEA fully demonstrated its sense of social responsibility and at the same time generated a lot of discussion.

8. Innovate business products to fill unmet needs

It is easy to understand. It is about gaining insight into users' unmet needs, seizing opportunities, and launching improved or innovative products. This is how most great brands start.

9. Create an attractive membership system

Members are the stable and loyal customer base that brands need most. The healthy operation of the user system can add icing on the cake for brand building and enhance user stickiness. Airlines, credit cards, hotels, etc. have accumulated brand reputation through highly efficient and excellent membership operations. (One of the tricks may be to let members feel a sense of identity from the brand.)

10. Activate user participation and build word-of-mouth

Activate user participation, communicate with users directly, narrow the distance between the brand and users, get along with users on an equal footing, and conduct truly in-depth user operations.

Xiaomi - fans participate in all aspects and have strong interactions online and offline.

Building brand reputation is not as difficult as you might think, but it does require continuous effort over a long period of time to build and maintain. It is a good thing that more and more brands are aware of the importance of shouldering social responsibilities and the necessity of shaping values. However, improving brand reputation does not necessarily have to be done in a big way. It can also start with small things. After all, the path a brand has taken will always leave traces and aftertaste.

Author: Jing Yingying

Source: Yanzhiyoupin