In a day and age where people are always competing to look newer, younger, fresher, brands are no exception. 2014 was a year of big facelifts, and not just on our favourite celebrities—some of these makeovers were on our favourite brands!
In today’s saturated markets, the process and methodology through which we communicate brands requires constant innovation and evolvement, methods of reaching out to consumers are required to make the brands stand out and communicate effectively. Retail brands have taken efforts and investments in building environments and spaces that inspire and encourage pleasant customer experiences.
Last week wasn’t the first time Uruguay’s Suarez made headlines for biting an opponent team player. Last week, however, was most definitely when Suarez’s infamous bite gave the FIFA world cup its major social media moment. Jumping on to the ‘real-time marketing’ (RTM) bandwagon, several brands capitalized on the ‘bite’ to market their products.
Oscar Wilde famously said “Youth is wasted on the young.” Today’s market research, however, suggests otherwise…and companies are sitting up and taking notice.
Kids are an incredibly influential consumer group having both a direct and an indirect impact on a wide range of product categories. Over the past few decades this power has been extended by the principle of “family democracy”, where parents now actively encourage the involvement of kids in brand decision making, whether it be for lunchbox snacks, technology or the family holiday.
Colours are a language of their own; in every day life and in visual communication, they are one of the first things we register when we are assessing anything. They evoke emotions and have psychological properties that instantly trigger various thoughts, memories and associations for people, environments and events.
Art, design and music have always been an a representation of how a culture expresses attitudes and emotions of the time: this expression is represented in forms of design. For example, the 70s recession brought earthy colors, environmental movement into the design. In the 80’s, we see an explosion of vibrant colours with the economic upturn and MTV’s influence on spreading pop music. In the 90’s, we see grunge and graffiti style. The 00’s, we see the influence of the technology revolution and minimalism, individualism and globalisation.
Just 10 days away, the Pepsi IPL has created much anticipated frenzy, excitement and buzz in the UAE. For those unfamiliar with this event, IPL refers to the “Indian Premier League” and is a professional league for men’s Twenty20 cricket club. Although only Indian clubs compete at this annual event, each team boasts international cricketers from around the world; making it one the most-watched cricket events in the world! In fact, in 2010, the IPL matches were the first sporting event to be broadcasted on YouTube around the world.
Not a surprise then that the UAE, more particularly Dubai, is hosting the first half of this coveted event.
Success in any activity requires the right ingredients and basic fundamentals. Winning a sports championship requires skill and years of practice, baking requires the right mix of ingredients, - similarly a business requires the basic fundamentals to start, grow and establish a presence in the market. A strategic business plan, clear goals and a robust brand from day one are certainly key ingredients towards a strong foundation and success for any large or small business.
Brands are living things; they live, age and (sometimes) die, but with nurture they last, and usually for long. Every brand has a set of values that connects to its geography and culture, keeping it on brand and delivering it's promise; educational brands are no different.
“I don’t eat anything that isn’t grown organically” – how often have we heard this statement in our social circles? The fact of the matter is that increasing number of people are health conscious today, and while this means more people living in their gyms, it also means more people being mindful of their eating habits.
An up rise in this trend poses quite a significant challenge for global food companies that more often than not sell products that aren’t necessarily healthy. In the face of these challenges, marketers are relying increasingly on branding to differentiate their products.
Healthcare issues are highly personal and often emotional, making it more challenging for consumer healthcare companies to establish a credible and trustworthy healthcare brand. It’s not enough to just provide good products or services—that’s expected. Whether you’re a hospital, a pharmaceutical company, a medical supply company, or just an independently practicing doctor- your brand needs to connect with consumers, stay competitive, and be profitable.
To get your brand started, we’ve compiled a list of the 7 most definitive elements that create and sustain a successful and “healthy” healthcare brand.