Brands are Human - They Need to Communicate as Such
Thanks to the socialization of the web, brands have taken on very human characteristics. They’re conversational. They’re sometimes awkward. They’re nerdy. They’re intelligent. They’re jerks (sometimes). They’re cute. They’re welcoming. They’re darling. They’re ignorant. They’re self-righteous. They’re self-important. They’re helpful. They’re all sorts of things that, frankly, our friends are.
Point is, brand managers need to understand that their brand has the opportunity to create, embody and promote a human side, via social channels. I mean, deep down, we all sort of think of the brands we love as qualitative pieces of our identity. (Actually, we probably don’t consciously think about this.) Example. I love Ipath shoes. And to me, I associate Ipath shoes with certain characteristics based not only on the product itself, but also on the way the brand communicates on, say, Twitter. There’s a sense of camaraderie. I hear a couple of buddies hanging out. They tweet about things I might dig. Essentially the brand communicates socially as if it were the ringleader of a group of super-passionate customers without a whole lot of corporate-speak. It communicates like a human being to other like-minded human beings who are likely to resonate with the messaging… and purchase.
Now none of this matters if the product isn’t up to snuff. So before you go focusing on humanizing your brand, build a quality product. There’s a reason why I’m at the stage where I’m an Ipath zealot - it’s because I’ve bought probably five pairs over 10 years… including these bad boys which I’ve had since 2008, are still in great shape and currently on my feet at the moment…
Case Study: GetRaised
Overview
GetRaised came out of the ChurnlessLabs. While we were at Thrive, we saw that, as a percentage of income, women were great savers compared to men. But in terms or raw dollars, there was a sizable gap. So our product team developed GetRaised, a recommendation engine that shows users whether or not they are underpaid - and gives them the tools to do something about it.
How It Works
A user tells GetRaised what they do, where they do it and how long they’ve been doing it. The system compares that data against a mashup of Bureau Labor Statistics data, other anonymized GetRaised user data, and more. Then, on a bell graph, GetRaised shows the user whether or not they are underpaid. If they are, GetRaised will help them build a custom raise request for $20. Think of that custom raise request as a mad lib; it’s an actual letter mapping out the users market value, recent accomplishments and short- and long-term goals that the user will download and deliver to their boss. The system then coaches the user through the process: negotiation tips, prep recommendations and more. And if GetRaised doesn’t help the user get a raise in six months, the $20 are refunded.
PR Element
Dave planned, executed and measured all GetRaised PR, content and social efforts. He earned key coverage in outlets ranging from Forbes to Thrillist to Mashable to the New York Times and more. He also engaged bloggers focused on workplaces issues and career topics. Socially, he established Facebook and Twitter communities, measuring engagement and driving awareness. Dave also led the way in terms of generating guest content for GetRaised on other media outlets and blogs.
Tactical Moment - In addition to traditional media, we pursued GetRaised coverage in daily emails like Thrillist, DailyWorth and LearnVest. Why? The subscribers to these products have signaled that they care about certain topics, specifically lifestyle, personal finance, career growth, etc. The result: quality coverage in front of an already interested audience. Thrillist coverage, by itself, drove about 3,000 visits. In one day.
Product Snapshot
(Note the sweet media coverage!)
