When manufacturers think of their brand, they naturally tend to think of the product, and only the product. They start by considering the features, what it will offer, and how it will work. This focuses on showing off the latest bells and whistles that products can offer, e.g. the clinical trial data or mechanism of action of a new oncology treatment. But it is not how customers choose what to buy, and it is not how a successful brand is built. More than anything, it isn’t the way to create lasting engagement and loyalty.

Successful branding can only come from identifying what customers really hope to get from our offering. A hint: what people deeply, intimately yearn for is never “another product”. To uncover this we need to dig deep into what really resonates with them as people, not just a customer, to reveal what positive feelings they project on our product (or the negative feelings they want to shield themselves from). When we understand what is at the heart of our proposition, we can anchor communications, design, and our entire work teams around it. When we look beyond the transaction, we can create powerful relationships, full of trust and optimism. 

Here is a simple example from the world of consumer packaged goods. A deodorant manufacturer would be in their right to think their purpose as a brand is to stop people sweating and smelling. As such, they create a unique anti-perspiration formula, and communicate around how long it can prevent sweat, what molecules are in it, and maybe how hard it was to create. But in the mind of our customer, the purpose of deodorant is to make them feel confident leaving the house in the morning, to be unafraid of hugging people in the middle of summer, to feel secure when delivering a big presentation. When we refocus on this, our teams start to feel differently about the product we’re creating. When it comes down to it, the benefit we’re going to push is still 24-hour protection. But the language, our communications and how our teams talk about the product has been revolutionized.

We should also go one step further and assess the broad spectrum of lives that are touched by our products other than the end-user. A life-saving new drug may dramatically change the lives of its patients, but it also gives HCPs a chance to offer hope where they couldn’t before, to be seen as innovative, or the best-in-field, or even just to worry less. Identifying these emotions is key to positioning communications and marketing materials with laser sharp focus, ensuring that the right messaging hits the right audience. 

In short, it is critical to construct your brand by leaning into the emotions and tangible aspects that are highly relevant with broad appeal. This, after all, will be the unlock that allows our tangible claims and benefits to speak louder and clearer than your competitors’.

Do you know what sits at the heart of your brand? The whole Jade Kite team is made of  specialists in cutting through the chaos of emotions to find the key strategic insights that can define your purpose with clarity. Get in touch today to find out how we do it.