Fátima Sarmiento, Advertising Strategy Director at beon. Worldwide, analyzes how a brand can be positioned in the market so that consumers go from like to buy and from buy to love.
When a new project arrives, what are the steps to chart the brand strategy of the client?
When they ask me to sketch the strategy for a specific project or a company, it may seem that I am going to take out my crystal ball, read the signs and give my recommendations, and there is some truth in it because to make a good strategy it is fundamental to provide both analysis and intuition. I rely on a three-phase process. The first one is very analytical, and consists of a reading exercise from multiple sources such as internal company data, market reports, consumer and competition analysis or strategies referring to parallel sectors. Knowing how to find the right information within the available data tsunami is crucial to reach the best conclusions.
The future is not written, but we can predict part of it. This is why in a second phase I follow the current multiple clues that may determine where consumers or design trends are going, and also the economies or new models that will prevail in the market or consumers’ aspirations. Based on this information, a third phase cross-matches the data to establish the possible new strategies that the company or project can carry out. So using a map and a compass and a bit of witch intuition would be in summary the necessary steps 😉
Could you itemize the essentials of a successful strategy?
A theoretical base combined with creativity and a spark of risk. This is how disruptive, differential strategies arise, but from realism.
When it comes to brand analysis, how can the right approach and positioning be attained?
By reaching the core, that is, its brand essence. And starting from this, and accordingly with the client, the brand personality, values, attributes, target, and guides are defined so that accounts and creative teams can develop advertising campaigns, corporate material, packaging designs, digital strategies, corporate events … and that everything that build brand positioning, communicating it to the market.
What is the role of technology in a brand’s strategy?
Today consumers interact with the brands and vice versa other in real time. It is essential to have an attitude of active listening and tools to know their behavior and how they react to the communication they receive, so we can focus -and further optimize- on the actions that are carried out.
The good strategy is that one that leads consumers from like to buy?
The good strategy positions your brand in the right track, avoiding risks. Plus, if you accompany this move with quality creativity, the consumer will go from buy to love.
