Managing Expectations  

June, 2011

One of the first questions marketers ask when undertaking a branding initiative is; "How long do I have to wait before I get the brand recognition I'm looking for?"  Given the myriad of ways a company can build and communicate its brand in today's marketing environment, often expectations are that brand recognition can be established overnight. 

And while it's true some brands can be overnight sensations, most companies need to understand that it will take an ongoing commitment of both time and financial resources to ensure that their brand reaches the desired level of awareness.  It's interesting that a lot of small to mid-sized companies often express a desire to quickly build a brand similar to the likes of Google or Nike, but fail to appreciate the commitments and efforts that went into building those brands.   

Before undertaking a branding effort marketers must take a reality check and consider:  

•    The size of the budget does matter
•    Success rarely happens overnight
•     Branding success takes a long-term and consistent commitment
•    Very few companies are Nike or Google
•    The value and sex appeal of the product or service play a role 
•    Comparing b2b with consumer branding efforts is usually unrealistic
•     Always set realistic and measurable branding goals and ROI

While a few brands are indeed instant successes, most were not built overnight.  Check out the years these brands were established.

Coca Cola   1892                               

GE  1876

Heinz  1869

Heineken  1863

Levi's   1853

When you set realistic goals and expectations you'll have a better chance of achieving the level of brand success you're looking for.

brandwerks3 is a brand development firm that helps companies increase the success of their marketing and business development initiatives by helping them properly position the organization, its products and services in the marketplace.  We do so by uncovering and defining their true brand assets, establishing key market differentiators and creating brand communications strategies that resonate with their target markets.