The quick but healthy lunch destination Lettuce Eatery recently rebranded as Freshii.

They needed to be consistent with their offering, and by expanding to provide snacks, wraps and soups, a name change is in order. Proprietary research at Name Development shows that “more than 300 companies in the US change their name over the course of a year because they have outgrown it.”

NameWire.com, Name Development’s blog, reported on the reason to rebrand. “The name change is mainly due to Matthew Corrin, who originally wanted to be the “Starbucks of Salads,” but slowly widened his positioning to offer healthy meals and snacks. In short, he outgrew his name.”

But some are wondering if the new name was a good choice. The Torontoist interviewed Freshii’s CEO, Matthew Corrin who admitted that, “it might not be the greatest name in the world, and it doesn’t really mean anything,”  but he went on to affirm that, “it connotates freshness and fun. A name doesn’t really mean anything until you attach the brand to it.”

I guess Corrin believes his branding is firmly established. But can you really just transplant a brand promise from one name to another and expect the brand promise to shine through? After all, as NameWire pointed out, “Starbucks offers far more than just coffee and Burger King offers more than just burgers.” Lettuce Eatery at least had a very loyal following while Freshii risks not attracting new rabbits lunch goers.

Marketing Mag’s coverage showed the up side of the rebrand. They wrote that Corrin said that in Chicago, he “discovered that under the new name, stores sold more high-profit menu items like oatmeal, soup and frozen yogurt.”

There are many questions to ponder here:

1. Should Lettuce have abandoned the Lettuce name?
2. Was freshii a smart alternative?
3. Does the established brand promise of Lettuce carry over to freshii?
4. Is the freshii choice worth raising suspicion about riding the coat tails of the Fresh brand?
5. What would you have renamed Lettuce Eatery?

Note: read the entire Torontoish article for more about a supposed filing of an objection to the name with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office for being too similar to Fresh, another healthy eatery in Toronto and supposed menu plagiarism.

by guest blogger Ehren Cheung

5 Reasons Why Branding and Experience are the Same

This is the second installment of a two-part article. Read Branding and Experience, Part 1.

4. Culture and Expectations

When people take public transit – what do they want? Do they expect better service or do they expect crowds? Public transit users all have the expectation that it is crowded, so the TTC improves upon that image by increasing the number of buses per route. How do these customers treat one another? How do people use your service or product? Do all of these small elements combine to create a good experience? It’s an equation of negatives and positives / pros and cons.

Photo courtesy of Robert Ewart

A prime example would be when we walk into a store and try to avoid that annoying sales representative, or when we are looking for something and a customer service rep patiently waits for us to figure out what we want. Perhaps we’re trying to check out a product and a bunch of people are standing in the way chatting. These are all facets of a much bigger and broader picture. Understanding that there are always points of contact that your organization does not have control over, where can you begin to improve your customer’s experience? This could be air conditioning, cleaner buses, greater environmental friendliness.

The TTC has attempted to address security issues by placing closed-circuit cameras all over the place and has helpfully increased the awareness of the next bus or subway station by introducing automated announcements. Of course some elements that have been introduced had been forced by the Human Rights Commission. The funny thing is that announcements don’t only help the visually-impaired because commuters find them helpful as they no longer need to keep looking out the train window to determine what station it is. Prior to the automated announcements, no one was sure if their stop was coming up — especially if it were crowded and the bus driver wasn’t being particularly articulate in his or her announcements.

Improvements such as the above help address issues not necessarily directly related to getting from point A to B, yet when put together — provides a fundamental part of the greater experience.

5. Perception and Design

A number of years ago — the TTC had some horribly designed ads. That wasn’t the most horrible by far. It always looked like someone “designed” something in Microsoft Word and sent it to the printer. That said, some of their ads are still horribly designed. I think someone finally had the right idea and brought in a designer to provide a more consistent and professional appearance to the presentation of TTC brochures and posters. We don’t need to go over why design is so important. It ties into the customer experience and the exchange of value. Just think of products you purchase these days, how vital its design really is, and how it influences your perception of value.

So what now?

These five separate but intertwined elements illustrate that branding isn’t really branding and marketing isn’t really marketing. The outcome out of all of these “marketing” initiatives is a multi-layered and faceted, multi-directional channel of communication that influences all aspects of the individual’s sensory, emotions, and memory-association. This is one’s experience. The TTC may have introduced subway trains with greater space, but the irony is commuters associate the greater train space with smaller seat space.

Labour strikes are just as tied into the TTC’s image as the crowds of riders who use the city’s transit services. The TTC can post as many public service announcements as they want about the great work that the TTC and its workers perform, but just like the typical branding and advertisement — there is little for any individual to correlate with their experience. There is no context. We know on a basic level that good people run the TTC but that does not mean poor service levels are acceptable. It is only when individuals experience service levels that meet or exceed their expectations that perception begins to change, as do expectations, culture, and ultimately the overall message that is shared.

Looking at the public transit as an example of customer experience is fascinating because it forces us to acknowledge that there are forces beyond our control. Sometimes it is government policy while other times it is the metropolitan culture. For any product, it can be a similar set of external or internal forces; but the customer is almost always a constant within the equation. Provided that a business has an effective product and does not offend large masses of people; focusing on improving the experience of the customer — which amusingly, is the element that any business organization has the most influence over — will lead to the much sought after branding.

Ehren is an avid web worker. Currently working as the internet fundraising coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation (formerly an online marketing specialist for the book industry), he spends his nights tinkering with online media. One can find his musings at www.onelittlecog.com and share in his joy of road trips at just.gettingsidetracked.com.

by guest blogger Ehren Cheung

5 Reasons Why Branding and Experience are the Same

One of the first things we must understand when we talk about branding, is that branding and customer experience are essentially the same. We’re trained to step back and dissect the two apart; it’s actually quite easy – we do it all the time when we analyze our marketing strategies. The funny thing is that if we were to take a step forward – and look closely at how we respond or rather how customers respond to products, we realize that branding, marketing, and all that other mumble jumble is essentially the same as customer experience.

The greater challenge for businesses and organizations is to stop ourselves from overusing marketing terms or concepts and take that step forward to look at all these elements in a holistic and more humane perspective – the customer experience.

Photo courtesy of Robert Ewart

Think of your local public or mass transit system. What is your gut feeling? I’m going to use the Toronto Transit system as an example, what comes to mind when you think of the TTC? What is your first reaction?

1. It’s all about points of contact

Every time that your organization is in contact with the customer is also the time that you are effectively (or ineffectively) branding yourself. Whether this may be waiting for a subway train, stepping on to a bus or phoning in to ask a question in another language – this is all part of the customer experience. It’s important to identify how your customer interacts with you to really understand how they feel about you. Now we begin to realize that some points of contact aren’t even really “points” at all for you; but they are for the customer.

2. Customer Experience is everything. Just like branding.

Just to name a few: Buses either come in threes or none at all; Subways are crowded; TTC offers help in many languages for a cosmopolitan city like Toronto. We identify the brand based on our individual experiences with it. Newcomers may start off with a fresh point of view however those who are familiar with the logo, the bus system, transfering from one transit line to another – all regard the brand from their own experience, regardless of how much money the government keeps saying it’ll put into public transit.

3. Is your message conveying a point or a rationale?

Without diving into too much history, the TTC often uses the phrase “Ride the Rocket”. Alas, anyone who has travelled on the TTC would likely think otherwise. Not that the TTC isn’t effective at playing its role as the mass transit provider for the population of Toronto – it just happens to set itself up to be the joke of the city when mechanical failures and poor traffic flow continue to frustrate riders. Sure we could simply point fingers at all the different factors including politics and urban sprawl but there are always external factors to any business – that doesn’t mean you are exempt from a customer experience standpoint.

A more positive message that the TTC uses is “The Better Way”. Of course how much better is determined by the customer.

“I’m not suggesting the death of advertising; nor am I suggesting that companies avoid mission/vision statements or logos or color palettes. However, I am suggesting that all of those things are secondary. The primary job of any brand executive is to create an outstanding customer experience.” — Mark Hurst, Good Experience Columns

Tomorrow, we will continue with the rest of this two-part article, finishing up with Culture and Expectations, Perception and Design and Final Thoughts.

Ehren is an avid web worker. Currently working as the internet fundraising coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation (formerly an online marketing specialist for the book industry), he spends his nights tinkering with online media. One can find his musings at www.onelittlecog.com and share in his joy of road trips at just.gettingsidetracked.com.

… Out of a Bad Economy

Tough time all around, but those who are getting creative and innovative in order to ride out the storm are the ones who may come out in a better position once the dust settles. That might translate to better products, more tailored services, more thoughtful approaches, or simply a repositioning of a brand message.

The old First Citizens' Federal Credit Union logo

What better industry than banking to step up and declare yourself a leader - differentiating from the big bad banks and giving the people a safe haven to keep their money secure.

Earlier today, First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union announced a new marketing message, “Think First.” The slogan is meant to remind customers to be careful and deliberate when making financial decisions. But wouldn’t it be more powerful if this message were openly intended for the bank itself? Wouldn’t that give customers the peace of mind they’re likely seeking?

Perhaps they are practicing what they preach. The new branding will take effect gradually, with the website and some signage changing immediately and forms and documents changing once current supplies run out. Now that at least screams responsibility to me.

The new First Citizens' Federal Credit Union logo.

The new logo is a bright blue square with a simple, sans-serif F in the upper right corner, tilted so that the letter bleeds off the edge of the square. Compared to the former 20-year old burgundy logo with traditional lettering, beveled edges and a stuffy, law-office feel, this new logo is upbeat and positive. According to SouthCoastToday.com news, “The angle and location of the letter is intended to evoke the roof line of a house, suggesting the credit union’s commitment to community banking.”

The credit union is hoping customers will see First Citizens’ as competitive with the local and regional banks and not limited to workers in a specific industry. The new logo and message aims to add to the customer base. Chief executive officer Peter Muise said, “It’s an image that will prompt people to think ‘modern, efficient, invigorating,” he said. “This is kind of a bold statement at this time. We’re not hunkering down — we’re reaching out.”

The Classic Blackspot shoe, via brandchannel.com.

A hand-drawn anti-logo and a red toe tip dot (for kicking corporate ass). Isn’t this itself a brand? One that promises to rail against the big bad corporation and stay true to non-conformism - sure. That’s the brand promise.

Brandchannel.com reported recently about this anti-brand effort, saying that, “it seems odd that anyone should be against branding. Brands are merely a badge, a promise of quality, an assurance of consistency.”

And this anti-brand shoe is no different.

The Blackspot campaign was in response to the use of sweatshops. The shoes are made at a Portuguese union shop, hours from 8am to 6pm, a 1.5hours, and pay over the minimum wage. Other working conditions are clearly outlined on the Blackspot site.

The Adbusters site describes the campaign:

Blackspot campaign was born almost three years ago when we decided to stop merely criticizing the status quo and actually do something about it. It was born on the back of Nike, capturing the attention of the global media as a lively attack on the brand idolatry and sweatshop production methods of that multinational. Encouragingly, over 25,000 people are now wearing Blackspot shoes. Earth-friendly, anti-sweatshop, and cruelty-free, Blackspots are the only shoes designed to give Big Business what it needs the most: a swift kick in the brand.

So even if this anti-branding effort is itself a brand, does it really matter? Maybe the point is more about transparency in terms of your favourite brand’s promise. What are you standing behind and why does it matter?

Do you know everything about the brands you support? Do you make a point of standing behind brands that make a difference? Do you think a campaign like Blackspot can open people’s eyes?

With the U.S. Presidential Candidates preparing to debate, I thought it would be interesting to look at each candidate’s brand strategy.  Which candidate do you think is doing a better job at developing a brand strategy and consistently communicating his brand message?  Take the poll below and share your opinion on the Barack Obama and John McCain brand strategies (vote based on branding, not political interests).

Which Presidential Candidate is doing a better job of creating his overall brand and consistently applying that brand?
( polls)

The new Radiance line from Procter & Gamble’s Downy Simple Pleasures is a perfect example of branding, package design and advertising/marketing support that works in unity to create a consistent and compelling message.  It also differentiates the products in the line not just in package appearance but also in brand perception.  Let’s take a look…

First, check out the package design that is not only unique and stands out on a store shelf, as Beth Nori from The Dieline can attest to in her post on the subject, but also creates a clear brand image.  There is no doubt this package is meant to communicate upscale and luxurious indulgence.

And a close up of one of the bottles:

Read more

Today, I published a post on Corporate Eye about how Microsoft failed consumers by not meeting customer expectations for the brand with Windows Vista.  You can read my complete analysis at Corporate Eye, but here on Brandcurve, I want to take a different approach to the same topic - avoiding pompous branding.

Long story short, Microsoft had created expectations for the brand in customers’ minds.  When Windows Vista failed to meet those expectations, the brand suffered.  Microsoft’s reaction?  Check out the quotes below from the All Things Digital D6 conference in late May:

Read more

Can you explain your brand identity, meaning your brand position, purpose, promise and image, in one sentence? 

If you can, that’s great.  It means you have a clear definition of your current brand identity. 

If not, you need to take some time to define your brand so you can consistently communicate your brand message across all of your customer touch points. Read more

What better way to boost your brand image than by starting from within? I always tell clients that one of the most important aspects of building a successful brand is making sure your employees understand and live your brand promise. McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) is buying into that strategy with the launch of Station M, the McDonald’s employee blog.

Station M will connect employees at nearly 15,000 McDonald’s locations across the United States and Canada and will be a location for employees to interact with each other as well as the McDonald’s headquarters in Illinois. Read more