A presentation to Marketing Masters Students discussing online branding, pre-dominantly in an agency environment.

2. Hello,
We are D4.
We specialise in
Online Brand Communications.

3. By thinking creatively we find new and
different ways to communicate. That’s why
we are so successful at getting our clients
noticed and their messages heard.
We believe in attention to detail, a
friendly, personal service and long term
relationships for mutual growth.
Our work is constantly evolving - shaped by
new influences, trends, technologies and
most importantly by our clients themselves.

4. Services.
We use a combination of design,
innovation and strategy in all of
our services to ensure we give
our clients the edge they need
in a competitive climate.

5. Online Branding.
Using creative innovation and business strategy, first we have to gain an in-
depth understanding of a clients objectives to ensure we help them visually
represent themselves in their chosen markets.
Brand is not just a logo, it’s an emotion and emotions influence 80% of all
decisions made. (Emotionomics, Dan Hill)
In the current climate, the most important factor for any company is results and
bottom line.
Every creative and design process must be tied back to a marketing strategy
based on realistic goals and objective.
Branding and all marketing and sales tools are now led by their websites.

6. Creative Process.
We perform a mini marketing audit on all clients at the beginning of every
project, which is the fundamental basis for understanding the messages a
company wishes to communicate to their target audiences.
Once the key messages have been established, we align these with the required
objectives and financial forecasting for marketing accountability.
Then we start the creative process, the vehicle for the messages and objectives
we wish to promote, to achieve what the client needs.
The creative process is as method based as marketing strategy. It requires an
analytical mind and an ability to empathise with a target demographic, to
inspire the required call to action.
All online initiatives are designed to illicit a particular reaction from the the
audience, usually resulting in a lead, enquiry, sale or at the very least data
capture.

7. Understanding Brands.
One of the most difficult jobs for agencies is getting clients to understand that
brand development is not just a logo, pretty colours and long lunches.
It’s an identity, image and concept, one you are trying to get an audience to
understand, recognise and buy in to, often in seconds.
School Uniforms
Skoda
Ratners
Wispa
Facebook
Google

8. Translating Values
into Functionality.
We look, not just at the brand but also at how websites can be designed to make
it as easy as possible for users to find what they will be looking for.
Studies have been made on the best navigation and functionality designs online
to keep people on websites for as long as is achievable. Eyeline, what people do,
where they spend the most time, what pages work and what pages don’t.
Badly designed websites can affect brand perception. Websites are no longer a
shop window but an indication of what a customers experience will be with that
company, service or product.

9. Target Audience
Demographics.
Understanding a target audience is key to the success of any brand. This might be
stating the obvious, but many mistakes have been made by assuming you know
your target audience.
It is no longer enough just to understand the basics: who they are, what they do,
what sex they are, how old, where they live etc. We need to understand on what
basis a target audiences decision is made. Whilst online media has made our
jobs easier it has also empowered audiences and given them a voice they have
previously never had.

10. Wireframes.
Some brands are easier to visualise than others, it is easy to get excited about a
fashion brand or an innovative new technical product, but try applying the same
rules to a financial product, electronics manufacturing or medical consultancy.
How would you get emotional buy-in to those as brands?
Identifying unique selling points and making them synoymous with a brand,
turning something mundane into something someone doesn’t just want but
needs, is a skill and something even the most experienced marketers will find
challenging.
Factor in a traditional graphic designer trying to communicate their vision to
someone who works in code, and it can often seem an impossible task.
Wireframes help build a picture of functions, combined with brand
communications and strategy, unifying designers and coders.

11. Results & Reporting.
We mentioned earlier, marketing accountability. Clients are harder to please and
are more savvy than they ever were. According to The Economist 70% of marketers
recognise that their budget should no longer be the first to be reduced and online
budgets are increasing.
However, to convince accounts, they must be able to demonstrate a return on
investment (ROI). Closing the circle from initial expenditure through to an impact
on a company’s bottom line is still one of the most neglected areas in marketing
and PR no matter the medium.
Clients require monthly, bi-weekly and sometimes weekly reports, as well as clear
indicators that they are seeing a return on investment. Agencies that can’t do this
will lose accounts. Marketers and PR’s who fail to do this will be out of a job.

12. Email & Viral Marketing.
More and more companies are turning to e-shots in place of traditional DM
methods as it more cost effective, trackable and more importantly measurable.
Branding has to be consistent and the ultimate aim is further data capture and
traffic to websites, all of which can be monitored and measured to establish not
just sales but the success of any brand.
Emails are instantaneous and free to send on. Well thought out campaigns online
can make a brand overnight, get emotional buy-in and encourage users to feel
ownership of a brand.
Email campaigns have the potential to turn an initiative into an overnight success

13. Microsites.
Microsites are a brilliant vehicle for sub-brands online.
New products, specific campaigns, education, building online communities....
Many companies used to rely on costly launch events to promote the above. Now
it is possible to do it all online, as well as getting audience, media and investor
attention.
The risk is brand confusion, too many sub-brands and/or microsites making an
online experience bad can irrevocably damage a brand.

14. Online Communities.
Online communities are still a minefield for marketers and PR’s
alike. There is still not enough of a mature market out there for
companies to trust online communities as a marketing exercise,
but statistics show that social media spend is quietly on the up.
It is however, widely recognised as a powerful tool if it can be
harnessed correctly. Some brands have had some success, others
have got it very wrong.

15. SEO.
Many brands are still only now recoginising the power of SEO as a tool to
manipulate traffic to their websites.
Keyword research spend is up on 2008
ROI tracking and analysis is up on 2008
Competitor research is up by 9% on 2008
Online PR optimisation is up by 8% on 2008
SEO is maturing and becoming more integrated with online PR.
46% of companies are spending at least 10K on SEO PA
32% of companies are spending at least 100K on paid search
Due to increased competition on keywords PPC is not as cost effective as it was
for all sectors

16. SEO.
Better measurement equals greater investment:
Tracking ROI from SEO
Clicks/Visitors
Number of sales
Value of sales
Leads
Position/Branding
Page Impressions
Profit Margin
Telephone calls
Google 85% market share
Yahoo 44%
Live Search dropped 30%
Ask 9%
Miva 4%

17. Darwins
Sector:
Manufacturing
Commissioned:
Brand Strategy. Graphic Design.
Web Design. Web Development.
New Media.

22. How online branding made
a difference to Darwins
Fantastic response to new marketing materials.
Online order tracking system has given Darwins
a competitive advantage:
Large German client said Darwins’ were “only
supplier they dealt with who had an online
order tracking facility. This has encouraged
them to place new orders.”
Company now seen as modern, dynamic and
forward thinking in a traditional industry

23. Thinbelina
Sector:
Fashion
Commissioned:
Brand Strategy. Graphic Design.
Web Design. Web Development.

27. How online branding has made
a difference to Thinbelina
Has provided an identity as a professional
company, not just a one-woman-band.
Developed a brand aimed to capture a specific
market.
Gained them media attention.

28. uLet
Sector:
Student Lettings
Commissioned:
Brand Strategy. Graphic Design.
Web Design. Web Development.
New Media.

33. How online branding made
a difference to uLet Students
Developed a strong identity for a difficult
market.
Set them apart from all of their competition,
making them a company for students not a
lettings company.
Gained them media attention.
Developed a brand that works locally and will
work nationally.

34. Kinetica
Sector:
Recruitment
Commissioned:
Graphic Design. Web Design.
Web Development.

36. Ageing
Websites

39. Recent Work.

44. Questions?