by Erna George. The fair trade between just how much information brands want and how much consumers should provide is as important a consideration for me as any of the other more ‘creative’ or ‘marketing’ issues my previous columns have addressed.
Tag archives: by erna george
Fair Exchange: Why predictability is a critical brand characteristic
by Erna George. A level of predictability is what makes others feel safe; it is something they can depend on. This is exactly what a brand does; otherwise, we might as well pack products in a white cardboard box and identify its contents in black Arial font.
Fair Exchange: Equal benefits
by Erna George. January is usually when we all consider how we’d like to do things differently in 2014. But, before we start planning the year ahead, evaluating the year behind us is key.
Fair Exchange: Brands must have a purpose to win with people
by Erna George. Functional benefits such as ‘double the goodness’ or ‘three times the power’ are nowadays difficult to uphold as they are easily copied. And, with increased choice and consumer cynicism, they are no longer good enough.
Fair Exchange: Loyalty smoyalty
by Erna George. Brands partner consumers in many ways and finding ways to keep what should be a two-way partnership exciting is a challenge given all the many distractions around. One device employed seemingly at the drop of a hat in South Africa is the loyalty programme.
Fair Exchange: Your brand in Africa — global guest or global bully?
by Erna George. One of my pet hates is those global brands who arrive on our shores thinking they can fill a gap in any market in Africa without altering their product, packaging or communication. While possibly an acceptable position in 1995 when our country was making its way back into the global economy, this has been a no-no for some time.
Fair Exchange: Comparative advertising — help or hindrance?
by Erna George. I do believe that competition is what keeps innovation flowing, pricing honest and the consumer getting good value. But will consumers start questioning whose stats are correct, how are comparisons done and whose claims are being honest versus who is being economical with the truth? How exactly does this help the person in the street, or in the supermarket, and what does it do to brand trust?
Fair Exchange: Power in partnerships
by Erna George. Having started my career as a client at Unilever before spending several years on the agency side both in design and marketing insight & consulting, I have been ‘on both sides of the fence’. But, I remain true to one view: When clients treat agencies like vendors, or agencies treat clients like they are not experts, the relationship or the work it produces is never optimal.