The power of speech

I read voraciously at the breakfast table when I was a kid. Cereal boxes, jam jars, milk cartons. Anything I could find to fuel my imagination while I ate my cornflakes. I wasn’t bored, I was simply enchanted by the stories they told or that I could conjure in my mind with just a few juicy morsels of information.

I wondered if Snap, Crackle and Pop were actually three distinct types of Rice Bubble, each with a different product formulation to create the right sound.

I puzzled over the ingredients in the jam, trying to work out which one caused the lid on the jar to shut so tightly. Did the natural sugars in the jam create a unique vacuum, and was it true that there was a special grip required, known only to a select group of fathers? (Luckily, mine was one of them.)

And I was always curious to know how “fresh” was the milk in the milk carton. Did it mean fresh this morning? Fresh this week? Or simply fresh enough? What’s more, my mother wasn’t one for brand loyalty when it came to milk, so all sorts of differently coloured cartons would make an appearance at the table, leading to a constant stream of bewilderment as we tried to unlock the intricate code that distinguished the homogenised from the pasteurised, the semi-skimmed from the full cream.

Fast forward thirty or so years, and I now find myself not quite as inspired by the words I read in branding. Sure, the responsibilities of adulthood have no doubt dulled the further reaches of my imagination, but that does not explain why every hotel directory in the world reads exactly the same, no matter how budget or boutique. Useful telephone numbers, dry cleaning details, room service menus and intricate instructions for internet access. Where’s the reassuring voice of the savvy concierge who so kindly scored me a table at that exclusive restaurant last night?

Buy flat–pack furniture from any retail brand, and you can only assume that they simply ran out of money when it came to writing the assembly instructions. You spend all that money on talking people into buying your brand only to find it lost for words when it comes to crunch – talk about having a screw loose.

Conversely, politicians used to bore me senseless when I was younger. But now, I’m pushed to find anything quite as exciting when it comes to the power of speech. Never was this more evident than in the gaping chasm that stretched between George W. Bush and Obama. Even the make-up of their names provides a clear signal of the tone you expect to hear in their voice. Stern, establishment and old–school on the one hand, open, inclusive and contemporary on the other.

In Australia, K–Rudd is continually looking to language to build his personal brand and cachet. Since the launch of Kevin07, he’s been hard at work trying to show he’s one of the people – a fair dinkum, dyed–in–the–wool, true blue, Aussie bloke. And when he used the term “shitstorm” on our television screens, it became a powerful trigger for reinforcing this strategy. Likewise, the s–word was followed by the r–word (“recession”) and the b-word (“billions” – when discussing the budget deficit) as equally powerful triggers for action.

Political speechwriters have always seemed to have the upper hand on the mere copywriter. Back in the day, when the Roman Empire towered above the known world, Cicero led the pack with his skills of oratory and rhetoric. He had a very persuasive way with words, to the point that he saw his role as persuading his audience to come to their own decision, rather than forcing a decision upon them. It just so happened that their decision matched his own more often than not.

Likewise, the fable of the North Wind and the Sun, as told by Aesop. The North Wind tried to prove his strength by blowing the traveller’s cloak from his back, a tactic that only led the traveller to pull his cloak tighter around him. However, the Sun shone so brightly that the traveller removed his cloak in the heat of his own accord. The Sun proved persuasion is a stronger ally than force when it comes to achieving your ends, and language is no different.

For me, words have always carried incredible power. Whether a spark for the imagination, a call to action, or the prose of persuasion.

Branding is no exception. It relies on both words and pictures to tell the complete story. Too often, however, brands are visually stunning but have little of interest to say. They are all too easy on the eye, but conversation is not their strong suit, and you can’t help but feel a little empty once you move beyond the surface sheen.

In fact, it is impossible to build a strong brand without considering the impact of words, starting with the name.

The name plays a pivotal role for any brand. More than merely the legally trademarked moniker, names send a strong signal of intent. And when done well, they can create a powerful call to action that works itself into not only our minds but also our mouths. We now “Skype” one another in the same way that our parents used to “Hoover” the house, and brands like “Virgin” are no longer synonymous simply with sex, as per their basic dictionary definition.

Nowadays, names are developing their own brand cachet to the point that they are even reducing our reliance on taglines. Over the years, there have been some great taglines that will forever be remembered by their loyal audiences, irrespective of the most recent campaign. Apple and Nike are both iconic examples of brands that worked a tagline to their advantage in building their profile and presence over time, but now they focus people’s attention purely on their names to build brand loyalty. Names are now taking on both roles, delivering a single, much simpler, more direct and, ultimately, more powerful punch.

On the other hand, directness can sometimes work to your brand’s disadvantage. The urgency of Nike’s “Just Do It” just doesn’t do it for many brands where service levels require a few more comfort cues.

I remember reading a great example of this in John Simmon’s book, “The Invisible Grail”, in which he wrote about the types of advert that you often see in the front windows of cafés – “Experience breakfast chef wanted”. It’s a fairly straightforward message to understand and act upon, but it reveals very little of the character of the café in question. With a little more thought for language and consideration for the tone of the message, another venue wrote this advert – “Charming, intelligent, waiting staff. One more wanted”. The difference, and therefore the impact, is palpable, and it’s this understanding of the power of speech that Pret A Manger employed when they wrote their own recruitment advert – “We are opening new Pret stores, one at a time, no rush. And we need to employ more wonderful people”. They are clearly able to communicate a fair amount about the organisation’s values through the words they use, helping people decide whether this is a brand where they would like to work or not.

When it comes to creating any call to action, it is vital to remember that the right words will always evoke the right response. Choose them wisely.

What’s the more, the right words can do so much to touch your audience’s emotions.

I, for one, love my coffee. So what better way to get me even more excited about great coffee than great writing that revels in the brand. Puccino’s, for example, is a family-owned, UK café chain with an exuberant philosophy that puts a premium on its off–beat personality and exceptional service. This exuberance takes flight on takeaway cups that read “Cola is for wimps” in scrawled handwriting. Sugar packs claiming to be “Pillow for earphones” or “Not one of those handwarmers”. Paper bags that proudly pronounce “Carrying stuff around is the new leaving it where it is”. And, my favourite, in–store posters that greet customers with these words: “Of all the coffee bars in all the towns in all the world, you walk into me”.

Not only is it consistently great copywriting, this is also real emotion. And, if you follow any of the posts on the various blog sites and feeds where this branding has appeared, you’ll instantly witness the warmth and connection that customers feel for the brand – and for coffee, their daily salvation.

McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes have also used an equally insightful tone of voice on their packaging in the past to reach out to their customers, playing up an envious element of the brand that meant people were often unwilling to share the Jaffas – the packs announced “This box is empty” and “Don’t even think about it!”. In the same way that Puccino’s ensured the daily grind was anything but routine for their coffee and their customers, so Jaffa Cakes decided that greed was good and they should relish the opportunity to divide and conquer.

In the corporate world, the power of speech was not lost on IBM when they came out of one of the most difficult periods of their entire history. “We decided not to die”, declared the first of their Sweet Sixteen decisions that transformed the business, and the 2001 annual report did much more than provide a report on a corporation’s travails, it told a gripping, “no–holds–barred” story of company fighting for its life – tales of “big battles, stinging defeats and gritty comebacks. Unexpected alliances, daring forays and game–changing discoveries”. Corporate jargon made way for a visceral tone that portrayed the simple emotion and sheer humanity of the transformation, the stories that sat behind the numbers, the people behind the pictures.

Language like this can reveal so much more than the individual words themselves. And for many companies, it can sometimes be the difference between life and death. It hits you right between the eyes and leaves its indelible mark, but it’s not the only way to work your message.

Persuasion is an equally powerful tool, as Apple found when they made a subtle change to the wording of their recommendations on the iTunes store – from “iTunes recommends” to “Listeners also bought”. The recommendations now came from people’s peers not the company, a factor that theoretically contributed to an impressive uplift in sales via this channel.

Amazon has always used a similar approach – as do a raft of other online stores – and this will only grow in significance in line with the various social media tools that now allow unprecedented levels of discussion in a public forum. Influencing those discussions may be more complex, but establishing an authentic and engaging tone of voice is a critical path to follow if you are simply to join the discussion, let alone influence the outcome through persuasion.

Brand and corporate blogs are still struggling to understand their role in this new media landscape, and having to rely on language alone leaves them feeling a little exposed. There are no logos to leverage, no visual cues to hide behind, no lectern to provide protection for the most sensitive areas. Words, and words alone, must take centre stage.

As I’m sure you must have realised by now, I love words. They have inspired and intrigued me since I learned to read and write, but it is their ability to paint pictures in the mind’s eye that gives them their special power. They say a picture is worth a thousand words – and I would tend to agree with the impact that an image can achieve – but what grabs me is the potential for a single word to tell ten thousand stories.

The brands included here, from Rice Bubbles to IBM, all understand their role as storytellers. And for a brand to attract believers, it must have something to say.

This brand's going to be the death of me

Creatives have always received the accolades when it comes to building the profile of an agency, but the title of brand strategist has begun to increase dramatically in cachet.

There’s simply no elegant way of writing this, but it seems that every Tom, Dick and Harry harbours the aspirations – but not necessarily the skills – to become a brand strategist. I receive enquiries on a weekly basis from people keen to see how they can transpose their account management skills and acquired strategic marketing experience into the role of a full-time, hands-on original thinker. More often than not, the signs are not promising. However, what frustrates me is not the fact that strategy is receiving so much attention (on the contrary, I think this is a great step forward for our industry), but rather the inconsistency between the level of significance that agencies put on the glamour of brand planning versus the daily grind of brand execution.

It is a simple fact that strategy alone does not differentiate your brand, it is the execution of that strategy that sets you apart as you deliver your message and actions in accordance with your business goals.

With that in mind, I find it ironic that the implementation phase of most branding initiatives is referred to as “brand execution”, given that this is inevitably the point at which you run the greatest risk of killing your brand.

There are a variety of acknowledged ways in which you can “execute” your brand, some more visceral than others. What follows is a look at the different challenges that will test an organisation’s commitment when it comes to implementing their brand’s strategy. It highlights a critical area of branding that does not necessarily receive the same accolades or attention as those of strategy and creative, as it is fundamental to achieving the ultimate goal of any brand, namely a successful business outcome.

#1 Death from natural causes

By far the most acceptable way in which to execute your brand is simply to allow it to pass away in the quiet of the night.

The signs of old age were obvious for all to see, but nobody took any action to do anything more than ensure the brand’s basic survival, certainly not enough to encourage growth or even reinvention. What’s even more unfortunate is that often customers do not even notice the passing of their once favourite brand. They switch seamlessly to the young pretender whose lack of substance is at least counterbalanced by a swathe of enthusiasm and energy.

Your customers now face an incredible number of choices for their business, and the basics of segmentation, targeting, positioning and delivery are more important than ever. Branding is not for the fainthearted, and the most successful brands are the ones that take the bravest decisions. Had it not been for this attitude, IBM would have died with the typewriter like many of their competitors (may they rest in peace). Instead IBM chose to reinvent their business and reap the rewards.

#2 Death from cardiac arrest

In some cases, organisations decide to take their brands into overdrive.

As they strive to commission special projects, accumulate steering committees, and launch working parties with a magpie’s enthusiasm for the new, visionary papers and innovative strategies are engineered and embedded on an almost daily basis until eventually the organisation grinds to a shuddering halt. The veins of its corridors and cables now jammed with ambitions that far exceed its operational capabilities, the organisation admits defeat in the face of a yawning chasm between the realities of today and a rare future that they could only envision. The faint beating of the heart of the brand can barely be heard above executives clamouring to distance themselves from once lauded strategies as they consign their brand to the history books – only for the next generation to conduct a cursory post mortem before proceeding to repeat the same formula.

What often goes unnoticed is that the fact that the strategy itself was pretty accurate, but that it was let down by unrealistic expectations in the way that the strategy could be implemented. In the same way that most people don’t like change, most businesses don’t like revolution. They prefer a transformation more akin to evolution. Time is not only the great healer, it is also an ideal lubricant to help ease organisations into a new pair of shoes. It gives employees and customers alike the space and respect to find their own feet in the stiff leather of any new arena.

Complex strategies in cluttered markets call for multiple horizons if any brand strategy is to be successful. This is a lesson that Mayne learned firsthand when they restructured their business with insufficient consultation with their key customers, and as a result the strategy was quickly deemed to have failed and a very unhealthy diagnosis for the company was soon forecast.

#3 Death by public hanging

Hangings have always been a very public way to meet your end, even doubling as a mild form of entertainment in medieval times. These days, they are equally entertaining for business editors and students of the branding industry, condemning brands to a slow and painful death that is painstakingly recorded on blogs and front pages all over the world.

When businesses hang themselves, it is typically a result of making promises with their brand and communications that their organisation cannot deliver.

In the UK, Abbey rebranded themselves a few years ago under the premise that they would democratise the world of high street banking. They made a massive investment of time and money to redesign their advertising, collateral, retail presence and other marketing communications only to have their customers find that they had not in fact reinvented their business as promise, they had merely redecorated their brand.

Empty promises, unmet promises, and promises that are carefully worded with spin but without any substance all result in your customers quickly becoming disillusioned and dissatisfied. Ultimately, they become someone else’s customers and, with the smell of new paint still lingering in high streets across the country, Abbey’s customers simply left them to hang.

#4 Death by lethal injection

Brands used to be the domain of marketing departments and represented little more than the company’s logo reproduced on the office stationery. Nowadays, branding represents a core discipline of any successful business, an organising principle for how the organisation behaves and the decisions it makes.

With many more stakeholders involved in a branding process that has far wider implications than in the past, aligning and managing their expectations is a critical factor. Of course, the marketing department need to know how to develop their communications and collateral, but the finance department also need to know what value to put on their brand and how to manage that investment as an asset; the call centre need to know how (and how quickly) to answer the phone; and, the human resources department need to know how to promote and measure employee performance, as well as recognise future leaders.

Branding plays a pivotal role in all these scenarios, but all too often the implications of an organisation’s brand are not fully understood and therefore underleveraged, or otherwise they are misconstrued and a fragmented message quickly appears just as soon as the strength of their brand disappears.

Either way, once confusion spreads, it is difficult to contain and before too long, the brand is no longer the great asset that your shareholders had hoped that it might become.

Instead, it is a daily liability that must be neutralised – and before those marketing guys cause any more trouble in the otherwise stable worlds of finance, product development and corporate strategy.

And once the lethal injection has been administered, it is already too late.