Brand-personality Self-analysis: Finding your Brand’s Emotional Aftertaste

Marketing is difficult because it is unlike any other business discipline. Most of our business day is filled with left-brain tasks that may be complex but are for the most part logical and procedural in nature whereas marketing and branding are right-brain activities governed by that hated enemy of rational business thinking, psychology.

Most businesses advertise; a rather common practice designed to get the word out about your company, product, or service. A lot of companies despair at the thought of advertising as they see little immediate or obvious return on their investment. In some cases this dissatisfaction is based on misplaced expectations and a misunderstanding of what is actually being achieved, while in other cases frustration results from plain old fashion failure. This could be the reason why so many businesses have fallen in love with click-through schemes where you only pay for presumed actual results, however the definition here of results is rather liberal.

It is comforting to many to reduce the mysterious dark-art of marketing to promotional advertising where physical results can be tabulated, measured, analyzed, and scrutinized, so that adjustments can be made or more likely blame can be laid. Unfortunately falling in love with the number of ad impressions and click-through rates misses the point: how long are people staying on your website, how much of your message are they really absorbing, is your message designed to actually be retained in your audience’s memory, and is that message compelling enough to have that audience return when they are ready to act?

Advertising Is About Delivering Your Message

Advertising is about delivering your message and if the only message you deliver is that you reduced your price or added a new feature, then all you are really doing is conditioning your audience to wait for sales and buy from whomever is offering the most features at the lowest price.

On the other hand, if your advertising is intended to create a unique identity for your business that appeals to your audience on a higher level of customer satisfaction then it’s time to take a close look at exactly what message you should be delivering. And that message is the essence of the dreaded B-word, branding.

You’ve heard it before but it bears repeating, all businesses are brands: it is the collective experience your audience has with your company, product, or service. Failure to define, develop, and deliver a differentiating brand experience will result in your audience developing their own opinion of you based on limited experience and faulty information, guaranteeing misplaced expectations and advertising failure.

How To Develop Your Brand Message

Exactly how do you escape the bondage of price and feature thinking and free yourself to develop a unique brand presentation that differentiates you from your competition?

According to Patrick Renvoise, author of ‘Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer’s Brain,’ the decision to purchase your product is ultimately made in what is referred to as the “old brain.” This old brain just doesn’t give the relatively new, in evolutionary terms, written word much credence, and instead relies heavily on the five senses that generate experiences and memories.

This understanding of how the brain works helps us craft a marketing message that works. If the written word alone lacks sales power, video and audio must be the way to deliver your advertising, but how do we develop an appropriate, effective message.

Brand Development For the Brand-Challenged Business

Branding is the position you own in your audience’s collective mind, it is the sum total of all experiences that audience has with all things associated with your company, products, and services. These experiences are filtered through our five senses: sound, sight, touch, smell, and taste, all of which can be delivered through the appropriate and innovative implementation of Web-video.

Never underestimate the effect each of these senses has on the impression you leave with your customers. Not too many people thought how a computer looked was much of an issue in selling computers until Apple changed everyone’s perception of what a computer could and should look like, and so too can you shape the perceptions of your audience by carefully managing and differentiating your brand’s image.

The experiences clients have with your company leaves an “emotional aftertaste” according to psychologist and author Claude Steiner. It is this lingering aftertaste that forms the mental impression that creates the brand image. Our goal as marketers is to create a positive aftertaste that eventually generates contact with your company and ultimately induces a decision to purchase your goods and services.

But before you shape and craft this brand image you should analyze what the perception of your brand is. Asking direct questions is not the best way to find out what people really think. An interesting, enlightening, and highly inventive way to analysis the current perception of your company, product, or service is to ask employees, customers, or anyone else that comes in contact with your business a series of out-of-the-ordinary questions, not the usual focus group material.

Finding Your Brand’s Emotional Aftertaste

The questions below are examples of the kinds of things you can ask your colleagues, associates, and clients, in order to get an idea of what they really think of your brand and if that impression is the one you want to continue to foster, or if you need to go back to the drawing board and create new experiences and better advertising that generates a more positive emotional aftertaste and a more effective brand image.

You can add or make-up your own questions based on the following format: “If your brand were a ‘concept here’, what ‘concept’ would it be? Explain why?” If the word brand stumps your colleagues that’s a sure sign you have a problem, so try substituting the phrase “company, product, or service” for brand. Make sure the concepts you use are as removed from your normal frame of reference as possible and try to find ones that tap into some kind of emotional aftertaste and see what results you get. You will most likely be very surprised, bemused, and enlightened by the results.

The Emotional Brand Aftertaste Questionnaire

If your brand were a color, what color would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a car, what car would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were an actor, what actor would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a city, what city would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a flavor, what flavor would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a garment, what garment would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a movie, what movie would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were an animal, what animal would it be? Explain why.

If your brand were a surprise anniversary present, how would your spouse react?

If your brand were found in a supermarket, what item would it be? Explain why. If your item is normally found in a supermarket substitute a pharmacy, home decorating center or some other non-obvious alternative.

The Web and How To Deliver Your Brand Image

The reason our company recommends Web-video marketing is that it is the best way to deliver your marketing message by utilizing and referencing the five senses that create the experience that forms and embeds the brand in an audience’s collective consciousness.

A while back I wrote about a campaign that Kleenex was running called “let it out” which in my opinion was a great example of how to use Web-video to deliver a marketing message. I recently noticed that Kleenex was porting this campaign over to television with the videos re-edited into a shortened television-friendly collage and the result was the entire soul of the campaign was lost.

The abridged television format did not allow enough time to capture the emotionally charged dialogue; in fact if I hadn’t already seen the Web-versions of these videos, I would have entirely missed the point of the commercials. Perhaps it is a good thing that television advertising is out of reach to most small advertisers while professional Web-video is affordable for any viable business.

Marketers should take heart that the Web combined with Web-video offers a far more effective venue to deliver a memorable marketing message than television or print, but just any message won’t do. Craft your message around your brand’s emotional aftertaste and you should see results. If Web-video can turn a commodity like facial tissue into an emotionally charged brand then imagine what it could do for you.

Kodak 1531672 7-Inch Frosted Floral Glass Digital Frame Faceplate

• Designed to fit the 7 inch Kodak EasyShare Digital Picture Frame
• Glass frame with frosted floral design
• Easy to use¿snaps right on
• Customize your frame

Product Description
Kodak 7¿ Digital Frame Faceplate is designed to fit the 7 inch Kodak EasyShare Digital Picture Frame. Glass frame with frosted floral design. Easy to use¿snaps right on. Customize your frame…. More >>

Kodak 1531672 7-Inch Frosted Floral Glass Digital Frame Faceplate

Saint Valentine’s Day! Canvas Art is the Best Gift for your Sweet Hearts!

Original and fresh gift idea.

Saint Valentine’s Day is coming soon! Every person tries to find something inimitable and very special for their beloved ones-something that vibrating with the good mood, which reflects character and inspires heart and soul for creating pure and beautiful the world of love. Nowadays we have got used to the huge diverse offerings, but sometimes this big pleasure and seeming comfort turns into an issue. Everybody has experienced this feeling when you come into the shop in order to buy a present and while walking about the shop you understand that among the wide range of goods, forms and colours you cannot find that one, very individual specialty you are looking for. Alluring print on canvas is an amazing present for your dear ones, as it is very extraordinary. And it is the best way of turning great master-pieces or just your own personal photos, digital photos or just negatives at any size into a dazzling piece of art. Your photos are your book of memories a memory that recalls the warmest and treasured moments of your life – seized emotion, movement or sight that would never happen again as your picture on the past. Canvas is made of such surface and dense fabric that imitates cloth painting. Canvas consists of natural basis that allows implementing high- quality canvas work. Due to high –class inks, quality fabric and modern technology you get qualitative, waterproof product. All canvases are stretched over a wooden frame, ready to hang on the wall and create a nice atmosphere bringing a tasteful detail to your home decoration.

Photos and Styles.

Why not have your own image and special message put onto canvas? It would be a great present for your girlfriend, a canvas work radiating happiness and love. To the sweet kisses and sincere smiles on the picture you may add some nice words like together forever, I love you, to my love or you are the sunshine of my life. If you have found a white and black wedding photo of your parents- transfer it onto canvas and it will obtain new and bright colours. Your parents will be very much surprised! Beautiful portraits of your beloved ones will become an absolutely fabulous attribute to the whole family mood. Birthday photos and holiday snaps are the ideal canvas images. Canvas art works are superb; you can place them everywhere whether it is bedroom, canteen, living-room etc. Canvas prints can be worked in various colours, shades and styles like colour, black and white, sepia, colour splash, collage, triptych, blow up, illustration, panoramic, three tones, dots, graphic, Warhol, pop art. This list can be continued on and on. Just one thing to take into consideration is the interior of your design as canvas must fit it perfectly.

You are looking for this, very special gift, are you not? Canvas art is an actual and fast developing sector. It will create a WOW from your dear ones when you hand them their favorite pictures in such fantastic canvas art works. Art prints on canvas creates a very fine point in any place and any space. They are unique and very individual, being calming or energetic, relaxing or moving, noble or provocative, conservative or abstract- all these feelings are very personal, and canvas art allows finding your own way, your own beauty and painting your own life in rich colours. And you will then possess this beauty and nobody else will have it!

3 Design Concepts you Can Use to Make a Party Perfect Banner

Vinyl banners are your material of choice for those big events that merit an equally big announcement. Make sure you have these large banners as a souvenir for these monumental events that make them even more memorable.

Unlike your traditional hand painted banners, the vinyl banner is capable of outputting vibrant photographic quality prints. This gives you the flexibility to create more meaningful pieces for any occasion.

1. Photo profile

Show your guests a reason to celebrate. You can have a picture of the celebrant enlarged and place with a greeting in your banner. You can display as a streamer hanging from one wall to another, or print simply have it attached it to a wall at eye level.

Vinyl is a very durable material that can last a long time. When printed with archival ink, it is less prone to sun damage and will maintain its colors longer. This print also acts as the celebrant’s souvenir for this big event in her life.

To make it even more special, you can leave an empty space the guest can sign with a permanent marker. A smaller piece on the other hand can be mounted into a frame the celebrant can afterwards use to grace her bedroom.

2. Sentimental Banners

Take a trip down memory lane with your banners. Collect old and interesting photographs landmark events or simply depict the mood or trends of the time. Line up these photographs to follow a time line.

You can use this for birthdays, anniversaries, and even homecoming reunions. The celebrant and the guests will surely love remembering the good old days and sharing fond memories. You can even use the banner as a starting point for speeches and “roasting” for birthdays.

Just make sure that you use high resolution scanners for these posters to get the best picture quality possible. Large vinyl banners can have as little as 100 – 150 dpi to output beautifully. Be sure to check the correct specifications from your large format printing company.

3. Themed Banners

Your vinyl banner can do wonders in consolidating your design theme. Whether you have an under the sea party for your five year old or a fairy tale concept for your sixteen year old, the vinyl banner can set the theme for you.

You can use the banner as a backdrop for your stage or in a prominent area. You can also have several smaller pieces printed which you can display at the entrance, and in spread through out the party area.

You can use these banners for any occasion and for any display space from small rooms to big halls. You can print your banner in any size between 8×8 inches to as big as 61×100 inches. This gives you the flexibility to print a 3×5 feet poster for your photo collage, or a large 3×8 for your streamer.

More than just advertising material for businesses, vinyl banners can serve a unique function in your celebrations making them more meaningful. Whether you’re the celebrant or the event organizer, or simply a guest looking for the perfect gift, the vinyl banner can be just the best thing your celebration needs for that extra special touch.

Portable USA PU-10W 10.4-Inch Digital Picture Frame

• 10.4-inch diagonal LCD screen is clear and bright; 640 x 480 resolution
• Plays digital photos, MP3 and MPEG video files
• Easy to use, no PC needed
• Cherry finish with black matting
• Remote control included

Product Description
This Portable USA 10.4-inch digital picture frame features black matting alongside a cherry-finish wooden frame. As one of the largest digital frames available, it creates a dramatic addition to any decor. Put together your own perpetual slide shows by simply removing the media card from your camera and inserting it into the frame’s card slot to display your images — no PC is needed. The 10.4-inch diagonal LCD screen is clear and bright, and is ideal for home or c… More >>

Portable USA PU-10W 10.4-Inch Digital Picture Frame

Samsung Armani- the Enticing Gadget

The Samsung Armani is definitely a stylish handset from the domain of Samsung. The slim and compact design of this handset further adds to its sophisticated look. This Samsung handset has various advanced user friendly features. This gadget is armed with 60MB of embedded memory and this storage capacity can be extended further by using an additional microSD card. An intriguing music player is incorporated in this gadget, which can support the popular music file formats like – MP3/ACC/ACC+.

The most innovative feature incorporated in this music player is the ‘track filtering’ option. This unique track filtering feature would enable the users to sort out their favourite music tracks by the name of artists, genre etc. When a particular music track is being played in the background, the music player shows the current music track in the standby menu.

The video player integrated in this mobile phone has the same interface like that of the music player. This video player has the ability to play video clips in the full screen mode. While, in the landscape mode the users can easily rewind and fast forward the clips. The video clips are supported by the MPEG4 format.

Armed with 3 mega pixel camera, this Samsung Armani mobile phone is further enhanced with the LED flash. This unique feature can capture and save images at a high resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. This camera handset has setting options that include picture size, shooting mode and superb effects. The shooting modes such as single shot, mosaic and multi shot would enable the photographers to shoot images as they desire. The effects like negative, sepia, black and white further enhances the captured images. The other extra features like white balance and viewer finder mode would facilitate the photographic passion of the users. This advanced gadget can even shoot video clips via a Camcorder mode also. With the QVGA resolution the video clips would be captured at a high resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and at the rate of 30 frames per second. While, the video clips that are captured and saved in the MPEG4 format would play on all the compatible devices. The most exciting Mosaic feature would allow the user to create photo collages. Whereas, the multi shot mode would permit them to capture several shots in quick succession with just a single press on the shutter. These additional camera settings can be accessed from the menu, where the user can switch between camcorder and the camera..

The various connectivity options like GPRS, EDGE and Bluetooth would enable the users to stay connected with their friends and beloved ones throughout the day. The network data transfers would be operated via EDGE. Further, the USB port would facilitate you to transfer all your important files to other compatible devices within few minutes.

This Samsung mobile phone is also equipped with the advanced NetFront 3.4 web browser. Browsing the webpages with this version is really pleasant as it displays the pages nicely and elegantly. Further, to browse around a particular webpage the user should either use the virtual arrows that display on the screen, or they should rely on their finger swipes. This would enable the users to scroll the links effectively.

The calendar of this gadget offers excellent three views like daily, weekly and monthly. The user can choose the calendar view of his choice. The five alarm slots have various configurable options like repetition and snooze time etc. These features make it a very user friendly phone.

The latest Samsung Armani mobile phone,weighs just 85 gms and has a measurement of 87.5 x 54.5 x 10.5 mm. The rich TFT touchscreen would display images with 256K colors with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. Further the brilliant battery would support talktime upto 6 hours and standby time upto 220 hours.

The Last Vesper

My Digital Frame & Sequence Final Project for Tisch Film, Spring 2007. Shot on a Nikon FM2 w/ negative film (400).

Samsung Armani – Defining You Style Statement!

Samsung has won the hearts of the mobile phone users with its extravagantly designed and sophisticated handsets. These days, it is always a puzzle to solve when we have to select a personal mobile phone. These tiny gadgets have overruled the market and constantly strive to cuddle the desires of the users. The designer Samsung Armani gadget has been launched to astir the curiosity of the fashion conscious people.

This sleek and trendy widget has an attractive 2.6 TFT touchscreen and offers elegant display. The users can also enjoy hassle free web access with the advanced EDGE and GPRS technology. The impressive 3.2 mega pixel camera can brilliantly capture still photographs and video clips. You can unleash your photographic skills with this wonderful camera phone. The top quality music player has the capability to support all the popular music file formats like MP3, AAC and AAC+.

The attractive features incorporated in the Samsung Armani include a web browser, FM radio, GPRS/GSM & EDGE technology, TV out , video recording, USB connectivity etc. After a hectic schedule the users can comfortably take a break by tuning into the radio option for live entertainment. The sophisticated Document Viewer feature can support the MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. The users can comfortably do all their office works even while traveling. This trendy Samsung Armani mobile phone has been designed to meet the needs of every segment of people. However, this high end gadget is very light weight and weighs only 102 gms. This gadget has the capability to capture video clips in the Camcorder mode too. The video clips are supported by the QVGA format and are shot at a rate of 30 frames per second. The most innovative Mosaic feature can brilliantly create astounding photo collages, while the multi shot mode can allow the photographers to shoot several images in quick succession.

The users can easily browse the online mobile phone stores to purchase this designer handset at an affordable price. These online stores offer the latest handsets along with lucrative offers and deals. With the Samsung Armani deals, the users can get this fashionable handset along with various incentives. The users should compare Samsung Armani deals offered by the various online mobile phone stores to get the most attractive of them all.

The latest Samsung Armani deals are regularly updated to offer the users maximum satisfaction.

Other Ways to Use Your Scrapbooking Creativity

Scrapbooking is not just for your photos! You can use scrapbooking techniques for so many different projects. I’d like to give you some ideas.

Looking for that special and personal greeting card that you can’t seem to find at the store? Well, get out your scrapbooking stuff and make your own card. If you can scrapbook, then you can make your own cards too. Doesn’t every scrapbooker do that? I sure do. You can save a lot of money. Use your scraps and embellishments that you can’t seem to find a place for in your layouts. It’s so easy and fun.

Create a gift bag to match your fabulous card with scrapbooking materials. You can use wide sturdy ribbon as handles, a little sewing and sturdy cardstock for the bag part. Cover it in patterned paper and add embellishments (i.e. flowers) to make it pretty and add to the sturdiness. Sew on a pocket on the outside and glue everything with modge podge or something similar that will hold and viola! you have a wonderful gift bag that will be special to the lucky person.

Handmade gifts are just wonderful keepsakes. There are plastic purses or cigar boxes you can buy and you can dress them up in an artistic manner. Add patterned paper and embellishments and use modge podge to make sure it all sticks. These make really wonderful gifts.

Take a regular spiral notebook and cover it with everything that is special to you. You will be sure to jot down and look at your notes, because you will not want to take your eyes off of the art you’ve created!

Make a “Welcome to Our HOME” collage and place it in a shadow box in your hallway. Your guests will love it and you can be proud of your creativity. You can also make your own keyholder with hooks and all. Or just take a plain frame and spruce it up with some paint and embellishments to make it look special. That can also be used a gift.

Another great idea I saw recently was an oval shaped wooden box with a matching lid. When you add your patternd paper, some ribbon and metal, it makes a lovely jewelry box for yourself or as a gift. Use the modge podge again, to make it stick. This is very important since you don’t want it falling apart.

Use those old wine bottle gift tubes to create your own beautiful gift tube for someone else! If you look around your house, you just might find things you can “dress up”. A candy jar, a coffee can, an old pencil cup, a magazine holder, an address book. You name it! Anything is possible. Just use your imagination and let your creativity run wild!

The Perfect Black and White Gift: Giving a Personalized Photo Blanket

For many photographers and photography lovers, black and white photos are considered very classy and timeless. When put on a memory gift such as a photo blanket, this can be the perfect gift for formal occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, the death of a loved one or when you want to give a beautiful gift that will complement any color scheme or room décor.

To create a black and white photo blanket, just follow a few simple steps. First select the photos you would like to use for the blanket. If they are digital photos, save them to your computer as .JPEG files. If they are film photos, scan them to your computer at 300 DPI in grayscale, RGB, or CYMK colors. DPI refers to the resolution or clarity of the photo…This is extremely important because your photos will be blown up to fit on the blanket, and you’ll always want the photos to be very clear at actual size. When the photos are enlarged in the case of a photo blanket, and the original picture quality is not very good, the final product will be blurry, pixilated or unrecognizable.

Next you’ll want to pick a photo editing or design program, such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo, or if you don’t have any of these programs, try Gimp, a free, safe, and downloadable program that will work great with a little familiarization. After picking a design program, select a New file that is the size of the photo blanket that you would like (30″x40″, 50×60″ or 60″x72″) at 100 DPI if your computer can handle 1 GB Ram and 1 MHz If your computer may not be able to handle a file this large, try creating it at 9″x12″ at 300 DPI for a 30″x40″ blanket or 10″x12″ at 300 DPI for the 50″x60″ or 60″x72″ blanket.

(If additional information is needed on how to use photo design programs please visit Photoshop, Corel Draw, Gimp or read our additional articles on getting familiar with design tools)

Continue cropping, designing and importing file graphics and your own pictures until you have a beautiful blanket that will stun family and friends. After you have finished, save your final design at the highest quality jpeg or jpg (however, it is always a good idea to save your work as you go). Most all photo blanket companies will want the image saved as a jpg (a.k.a. photo file).

Some keys to creating a classy black and white photo blanket are:

1. Stick with a neutral background or border such as black, white, or a grey color between 20-90%. 20%-90% grey shade refers to the amount of black in that shade of grey, 20% being very light and 90% being very dark. This will help frame the pictures and will complement and accentuate the grey mid-tones in the pictures. Also keep in mind balance. If the pictures are mostly white, try a darker background that will keep the white and black balanced. If you use a dark border or background on the front, you can always use a grey or white backing fabric, this again will help keep the shades balanced.

2. Experiment with borders between the pictures. If you can keep an even border between each picture and offset the pictures, or create a unique collage layout, it will bring visual interest and help keep the blanket one-of-a-kind. If you are working with pictures and would like to cut out a lot of the background, try using creative cut-out shapes such as ovals, circles or even hearts.

3. Clarity is key. Keep in mind that a picture on your screen is much smaller than it will be at actual size. Use high quality images and always preview the design at actual (100%) size so that you can see what the final product will look like. When you want a photo blanket that is crystal clear, I recommend VisionBedding as a good place since they use a dye process that will not fade, change the texture of the fabric, and can produce real-life clarity.

4. Get creative with text. Because the text is part of the image, you can personalize it, making it even more special. Add dates, names, places, or a memorable story. Using formal (such as Monotype Corsiva or Palace Script) of creative fonts (such as Pristina or Century Gothic) and techniques such as embossing, it will add a pristine look and give it that completed classy feel. (Try to avoid using all capital letters in formal fonts that have loops and curves as they will not flow as nicely and can be hard to read.)

Next Page »