23 Jul How to create brand fidelity
In a world where everything communicates, the premise of brand fidelity is a competitive advantage. Brand fidelity refers to the faithful reproduction of a brands identity in every aspect of the communications ecosystem. It is achieved when you are being mindful of your intent with every piece of communication. It demands a great deal of the brand custodians. By custodians, I’m referring to all the people in the organisation who do something that connects with the customer. From the CEO down.
Brand fidelity demands the highest attention to detail in every aspect of communication. Have you ever noticed that the American flag sometimes appears backwards on military vehicles and uniforms? That’s because the US flag can never be seen in retreat, it must always be in the go-forward position. That’s the kind of attention to detail and obsession that marketers need in order to create brand fidelity.
Most marketers don’t have to consider flags in their customer touchpoint ecosystem. But Marketers do play a pivotal role in directing this sort of attention to detail, because they are the conduit between customer and brand. It is estimated that 75% of marketers will be expected to take responsibility for the total customer journey in the next five years (Economist Intelligence Unit). That means things like pricing; sales channels; the way in which an order is packed before being mailed; the quality of the on-hold music/message; the glue used on the warning sticker that allows it to come off easily and without leaving a sticky residue… these things all say something about the brand (and are often overlooked).
If a marketer has a healthy obsession with the details, combined with a deep understanding of the customer, all underpinned by the authority to make whole of business changes, they will be able to affect brand fidelity.