Since I was 11 years old, I have wanted to be a marketer. You know how you read about people when they have that moment of truth and things just developed from there! Well, let's just say that I was one of those lucky people.
I was sitting on the couch watching TV like any normal kid, and then a commercial break came along- a Sony "Dolby" sound quality commercial. As soon as the commercial started, I was fully engaged in it. Unlike any other consumer entertained by the commercial, I found myself trying to understand the message that the company is trying to send across to me as a viewer. Then I found myself asking more questions.
- What's differentiating this?
- Are they effectively delivering the message across?
- What is the insight?
- Is the benefit really a benefit?
- Is there a reason to believe (RTB)?
Now you are probably asking how an 11-year-old knew those terminologies, right!? Well, I didn't back then, but marketing is common sense, right! I mean, the philosophy behind each question is what I wanted to know so badly that I sent Sony an email asking them those questions, but of course, they didn't respond. I can't really blame them; I probably sounded like an 11-year-old kid! Which I was :)
I sat there for the entire 90 seconds, putting myself in the brand manager chair, imagining myself dictating where I want to take this brand to. Brands are simply characters, and just like any character, when you have your first encounter, you try to understand it. Exactly after that moment, this is where I knew I wanted to be a marketer. This is where the pursuit started, and this where it led me to today, initiating this Brands blog out of a pure passion for the field.
Like any product or service, it must have a proposition... or a purpose. Just like anything we do in life, right! The purpose of this blog is very simple. I want to create a platform for constructive criticism for brands. I want us to pick a brand, dissect it, analyze, figure out what is their positioning, what the company is trying to do, and if they are doing a good job out of it or not? And why not?
Now, this is where it becomes a little tricky. Under no circumstances is this blog intended to bash at certain brands, marketers, or agencies. I am simply trying to achieve a constructive platform to discuss brands and their marketing strategies and executions. You might agree with some of the stuff I say, and you might not. That's the point. That's why it's a discussion. What I say is not necessarily true and vice versa, but we will hopefully reach a decent conclusion and a constructive learning outcome.
Before we dig into this, let me start by quickly saying what I hate and love about this marketing field.
What I hate: marketers who like to complicate the job or pretend that it is more than what it is. Being in the field makes you interact with many truly talented individuals who sometimes go overboard with the job and how tough it is! I am sorry but if you think marketing is tough, tell me again how a súrgeon should feel? We have the simplest and most fun job in the world; at least, thats how I feel about it every day driving to work, and I am grateful to be in it.
What I love: the ability to create. I have created 50+ brands so far. Those who know me well know that this is really what makes me tick. This makes me stay up at night (otherwise, I am in bed at 8:30pm sharp every day). This is what keeps me going. The sheer fact of seeing a brand out there (Schweppes Gold was my first), whether it is a product or a service that consumers love and cherish because of the value or joy it brings, is what makes me want to deliver more and more. This is why I got into marketing. This is why I love this job.
Without further a due, let's BRAND M UP!
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