4 steps to build a Meaningful Brand Marketing is not about brands; it's about people The Zeitgeist development from the I-era to the We-era has implications for brands and marketers. In the upcoming years, brands should not focus on the “me, myself and I” (brand image,) but on the We-side (brand meaning.) The successful marketer will put his or her efforts into improving the well-being of people and society.   I will explain how marketers can work on the well-being of people and society, by expanding the benefit ladder of their brand. By expanding from functional and emotional benefit (step 1 and 2) to transformational and societal benefit level (step 3 and 4). See the Bloom Brand Ladder model on the last slide!

1. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Peter Heshof – Brand strategist & Zeitgeist watcher
2014

2. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Marketing is not about brands; it’s about people
2
4
Steps
to
build
a
meaningful
brand
Marke'ng
is
not
about
brands;
it’s
about
people!
The
Zeitgeist
development
from
the
I-­‐era
to
the
We-­‐era
has
implica'ons
for
brands
and
marketers.
In
the
upcoming
years,
brands
should
not
focus
on
the
“me,
myself
and
I”
(brand
image,)
but
on
the
We-­‐side
(brand
meaning.)
The
successful
marketer
will
put
his
or
her
efforts
into
improving
the
well-­‐being
of
people
and
society.
In
this
ar'cle,
I
will
explain
how
marketers
can
work
on
the
well-­‐being
of
people
and
society,
by
expanding
the
benefit
ladder
of
their
brand.
By
expanding
from
func'onal
and
emo'onal
benefit
(step
1
and
2)
to
transforma'onal
and
societal
benefit
level
(step
3
and
4).

3. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Marketing is not about brands; it’s about people
3
Func6onal
and
emo6onal
benefit
Marketers
are
trained
to
develop
and
communicate
the
func'onal
and
emo'onal
benefits
of
their
brand.
One
example
is
Nike,
who
offers
super-­‐light
running
shoes
with
Lunar
technology,
which
makes
you
feel
athle'c
and
in
shape.
In
most
cases,
however,
brands
are
based
on
emo'on,
because
it
is
hard
to
have
a
dis'nc've
func'onal
claim.
That’s
why
Coca
Cola
is
inves'ng
in
the
feeling
of
happiness.
However,
this
kind
of
marke'ng
is
not
enough
these
days.
From
brand
image
to
brand
meaning
In
the
past
few
decades,
there
has
been
too
much
focus
on
brand
image
and
on
building
emo'onal
associa'ons.
However,
in
a
society
where
government
has
a
decreasing
role
and
consumers
get
more
power,
people
expect
more
posi've
contribu'ons
from
companies.
People
want
to
know
what
brands
do
to
improve
the
well-­‐being
of
their
daily
life
(transforma'onal
benefit)
and
the
well-­‐being
of
society
(societal
benefit.)

4. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Marketing is not about brands; it’s about people
4
Societal
benefit
At
the
moment,
many
companies
already
offer
a
contribu'on
to
society.
This
can
be
done
in
two
ways:
by
reducing
your
nega've
impact
and
by
increasing
your
posi've
impact.
The
first
has
goXen
the
most
aXen'on
with
sustainable
business.
Unilever,
for
example,
aims
to
halve
its
environmental
footprint
by
2020.
Yet
that
is
not
enough;
that's
just
a
pre-­‐requisite
for
a
decent
business
prac'ce.
Investment
in
your
posi've
contribu'on
as
a
brand
is
more
important.
Unilever’s
brand
Dove
accomplishes
this
by
helping
to
increase
the
self
esteem
of
young
girls
through
the
Self-­‐Esteem
Project.
While
the
Dutch
coffee
brand
Douwe
Egberts
contributes
by
organizing
the
Neighbor
Day,
which
is
a
day
that
encourages
people
to
meet
their
neighbors
by
drinking
coffee.
Providing
a
societal
benefit
is
important,
but
is
not
the
most
important
key
to
success.

5. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Marketing is not about brands; it’s about people
5
Transforma6onal
benefit
As
a
brand,
you
are
most
relevant
if
you
can
be
of
significance
in
a
consumer’s
daily
life,
on
a
truly
human
level.
Because
the
consumer
s'll
thinks,
“what's
in
it
for
me?”
first
and,
“what's
in
it
for
the
others?”
later.
So
your
focus
should
be
on
helping
your
consumer
to
improve
the
daily
well-­‐being,
helping
to
develop,
and
helping
to
transform
himself
or
herself.
That
is
much
more
valuable
than
just
the
social
contribu'on
of
your
brand!
Cases:
Nike,
Flora,
Exact
Nike
understands
this
concept
well.
They
want
to
help
you
as
an
individual
to
become
a
beXer
athlete
more
and
more
each
day
with
Nike+.
Flora
and
Becel
spreads
have
been
helping
people
around
the
world
to
successfully
lower
their
cholesterol
level,
through
its
three-­‐week
Flora
pro-­‐ac'v
challenge.
Also
in
B2B,
there
are
front
runners,
like
Sofware
solu'ons
company
Exact,
who
is
helping
entrepreneurs
to
become
beXer
in
online
business
by
sharing
all
their
knowledge.
The
marketer
who
focuses
on
improving
the
well-­‐being
of
people’s
lives
will
be
most
successful
in
the
coming
decade.
The
transforma'onal
benefit
that
they
offer
will
have
more
impact
in
people’s
lives
than
the
last
feature
(func'onal),
another
funny
viral
on
Facebook
(emo'onal)
or
a
CO2
neutral
Office
(societal.)

6. 4 Steps to build a Meaningful Brand
Marketing is not about brands; it’s about people
6
!

7. Bloom helps brands stay relevant
based on trends and insights
Peter Heshof
Brand Strategist
Zeitgeist watcher
peter@tobloom.nl
+31618552437
www.tobloom.nl/en