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The importance of excellent brand development goes much beyond creating a brand name, a slogan, and a logo. It is the message, ideals, and marketing that distinguish a firm from its competitors. Incorporated within the brand strategy are all actions a business takes to guarantee that its brand identity remains in its target audience’s minds and generate brand equity (the public’s perceived value of a brand).
Who are some of the most memorable and classic brand strategy examples that have influenced marketers? What insights have experts gleaned that may be useful to you as you design your brand strategy? This section contains stand-out branding strategies from more than 20 distinct businesses that are searchable according to industry.
What can you take away from these case studies in terms of developing your own brand identity?
- It’s important to remember that people believe in movements and tales.
- Own the essential values that your company represents, and incorporate your company’s mission into all you do, even if you expect opposition from individuals who are not part of your target audience.
- Make use of branding that you are confident will resonate with your target audience.
- Decide on and promote a unique selling proposition.
- Would you please use a strong brand positioning plan to demonstrate to your customers how your company distinguishes itself apart from the competition?
- By using an intelligent distinction, you can position your brand’s strengths against your rivals’ flaws.
- Encourage the usage of user-generated content and other forms of word-of-mouth to help increase brand familiarity and confidence.
- Create a hashtag for your company.
- Make strategic alliances with other organizations.
- Create an outstanding client experience.
- Rebranding should be used with caution to draw attention to your company’s areas that have been forgotten but are nevertheless significant.
Let’s take a look at some of the compelling brand strategy examples that marketers have provided.
Lays
Overview;
A potato chips effort by the parent firm PepsiCo, Lay’s launched the “Smile Deke Dekho” campaign in October 2019 to encourage people to smile more often.
Why it is successful;
- The unique selling proposition was that the brand pushed the notion of how a single grin can unite diverse persons worldwide while simultaneously conveying the emotions and the mood seamlessly via each flavor and package of chips and through the packaging itself.
- The initiative’s distinctive feature included influencers from different social media platforms promoting the brand on their behalf. Not only that, but Lay’s has created more than 350 selected packets just for the Influencers to use.
- A sense of receiving a personalized and customized product that has been specially picked for the consumer.
- It is a method of connecting with customers on an individual level and vice versa. The ad re-established the importance of a single smile, as well as the force of optimism that it can offer.
- The promotion encouraged customers to post a grin with their Lays packets on social media channels like Snapchat and Instagram, increasing these services’ usage.
Burger King
Overview;
Burger King is renowned when it comes to building its digital footprints in the world of digital marketing. They have done it for decades. Their internet campaign in the United States was an utterly brilliant marketing plan. In the digital marketing sector, the continual struggle between two brand competitors, Burger King and McDonald’s, often generated a ripple in the waters of the waterways of digital marketing. Many companies want to integrate the most recent technologies into their marketing plans and use the technologies. Unfortunately, because they are typically inexperienced and new, inevitable blunders are bound to occur.
Why it is successful;
- Burger King is one of those brands that enjoy experimenting with new technology to provide a marketing experience that its customers are unlikely to anticipate.
- This is an example of a marketing plan that is woven into the use of voice-enabled gadgets.
- Throughout this digital campaign, the tagline for Google’s voice-activated capabilities was emphasized, “Ok, Google, what is the Whopper burger?” As a result, any home equipment closer to the prompt and capable of hearing it would enable itself and read out the iconic Burger King whopper burger.
- The Whopper burger quickly became a viral hit, created to familiarize customers with the brand and its product.
- Although not entirely successful, the ad did create a precedent for the other businesses that could not be easily repeated in the future.
Nikon
The company Nikon created a campaign called ‘I am..’ to transport the audience two on a nostalgic journey that is a breath of fresh air in and of itself.
Why it is successful;
- It encourages the audience to engage in joyous clicking rather than just taking images for the sake of taking pictures. On top of that, various situations are shown in the ad, including one in which a parent catches the sight of his baby playing with foam in the song “I am the White Shark.”
- In a manner, the brand encourages people to capture the little moments of their lives, encouraging them to live rather than survive.
- Assist consumers and customers in establishing a personal connection with the brand.
- They are creating unforgettable memories, as well as inspiring and promoting a feeling of accomplishment.
Tesla
Overview;
Tesla is a high-end luxury brand that is much more costly than its rivals. As a result, they do not include pricing in their branding and instead emphasize the overall quality of their automobiles. Tesla automobiles are long-distance, environmentally friendly, and electric – in addition to being high-end luxury vehicles.
Why it is successful;
- Tesla distinguishes itself from other gas-powered luxury automobiles in that their vehicles are all-electric.
- They distinguish themselves from conventional electric vehicles by offering superior quality vehicles and a more excellent range of operation.
- Tesla has carved out a distinct market for itself, as well as a memorable brand to go with it.
- Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has positioned himself as a Tony Stark-like figure, and the company emphasizes its distinctiveness via advertisements and odd features such as “Ludicrous Mode.”
Apple
Overview;
Apple is a classic example of a successful brand, and for a good reason. The first example that Simon Sinek uses in his Golden Circle structure, which asks first “why,” then “how,” then “what,” is these people.
Why it is successful;
- Apple designs and manufactures gorgeous, inventive computers that are unlike anything else you’ve ever used and then advertises them in a way that resonates with its customers.
- According to Apple’s messaging, if you are an Apple person, you are also inventive, imaginative, and creative, which stresses the same attributes in its customers that they do in their goods.
- Apple, like Tesla, does not include the price in their branding, focusing instead on the value their goods provide and the relationship they have made with their customers instead.
Trader Joe’s
Overview;
With the framing of Trader Joe’s as a “national network of community grocery shops,” the company distinguishes itself from its competition.
Why it is successful;
- Similar premium food rivals such as Whole Foods Market provide a more intimate corner store shopping experience than these competitors.
- They provide a large selection of high-quality products at a moderate price and make shopping a pleasurable experience. It is evident across their assets, from the in-store signage to the Hawaiian shirts worn by their personnel to the language used on their website.
- According to their website, “if an item doesn’t pull its weight in our shops, it is moved to a gangway to make room for another item.” Those two words encapsulate what they stand for: providing value to their customers via high-quality items at affordable costs in an entertaining environment.
Dollar Shave Club
Overview;
One of the most critical components of Dollar Shave Club’s value proposition is shown by the name itself: they are very affordable.
Why it is successful;
- Dollar Shave Club has positioned itself as an affordable and convenient option, resulting in a relevant brand to the typical customer.
- The Dollar Shave Club brand is more humorous and informal than its competition Gillette, which is more costly and has a more macho tone to their marketing and branding.
- Gillette has an exquisite design and uses men who seem to be actors or models to promote their products. Dollar Shave Club uses average-looking individuals of a wide variety of ages to create advertisements that are more relevant to customers.
- It is less expensive, cheekier, and more convenient to use Dollar Shave Club’s brand than the brands of its rivals.
Sephora
Overview;
Sephora, well-known for its high-quality beauty and skincare products, takes pride in offering a shopping experience tailored to each client’s requirements and tastes. Sephora is a division of L’Oréal and is headquartered in New York City. Its primary target audience consists of ladies prepared to spend moderate to high amounts of money to appear their best.
Why it is successful;
- When it comes to differentiating itself from the competition, Sephora excels in seamlessly integrating the digital experience with physical retail and personalizing the beauty experience for each consumer.
- To make well-informed judgments regarding its marketing, the firm collects and analyzes client data. It is also always searching for methods to enhance the shopping experience for its customers.
- After thorough market research and analysis, Sephora observed that most women who spend money on skincare and cosmetics were dissatisfied after buying items that did not offer the outcomes they had hoped for.
- Customers found it quite irritating when cosmetics did not match their skin tone when they purchased them. The organization then devised strategies to assist its clients in making more informed purchase choices.
- Sephora does an excellent job of reaching its target demographic by encouraging conversation with its followers on social media. So it wasn’t long before the firm noticed that beauty buyers were turning to YouTube for instructional and product reviews before making a purchase.
- The company then concentrated on producing hundreds of beauty films each year. This strategy collaborated with YouTube and Instagram influencers to display its goods while reaching new and qualified target clients.
- In addition, the beauty business has developed a mobile application to provide its customers with a highly individualized purchasing experience.
- Using artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR), the app allows users to test out various beauty items they discover online or in-store before making a purchase decision.
- Sephora generated helpful and engaging material for its website via content marketing to assist consumers in making better purchasing choices. As a result, organic clicks, traffic, and purchases for Sephora were generated by some of the keyword-rich material also highly ranked on Google.
- Additionally, the business stresses the development of a beautiful community in which its clients may engage via the Beauty Insider platform. This is a platform that allows customers to interact with the brand as well as with one another.
- Compellingly, the Beauty Insider Community enables Sephora to communicate with its followers and target potential buyers.
GoPro
Overview;
Cameras that failed to consistently offer the dynamic and high-quality picture required to attract viewers on social media platforms have previously disappointed many photographers, athletes, adrenaline junkies, and YouTube content makers. On the other hand, GoPro cameras are popular among individuals who like capturing their dangerous acts on video since they can capture footage that is practically difficult to capture with standard cameras.
Why it is successful;
- A unique product needs a distinctive marketing strategy. To do this, GoPro provides its users and customers with great user-generated camera video, which they can then share with the world.
- Recording and sharing outstanding material has never been more straightforward than it is now. Because of this, the videos become real, extremely shareable, and exhilarating.
- GoPro’s editing tool makes films with a start and finishes frames that include the company’s readily recognized logo and branding at the beginning and conclusion of the video.
- When users upload their movies to GoPro, they distribute them on Instagram and other social media platforms.
- More users and GoPro customers are prompted to produce and share their movies as a result of this. Users that share movies taken with GoPro cameras become brand ambassadors, spreading the word about the company in a natural and non-intrusive manner.
- Aside from these initiatives, the firm also conducts various social media competitions, including the GoPro Awards, high-quality content on YouTube and Instagram, and other contests.
- In the future, GoPro will reward the most outstanding video creators with gear, cash awards, or “social stokes” (a phrase used to describe shoutouts or reshares on GoPro’s social accounts).
- Customer loyalty, retention, advocacy, and actual social proof are all boosted as a consequence, with no additional costs.
- Furthermore, it helps consumers feel as if they are a part of a beautiful community, and it allows them to have their moment of glory by amassing thousands of views and shares on social media.
Nike
Overview;
Even though Nike has faced several opponents throughout its history, the company continues to rise to the top. This is because Nike has established a distinct brand identity in customers’ eyes and has concentrated its marketing efforts on promoting specific values, such as athletic prowess, overcoming adversity (either by desire or will), and innovation, from its inception.
Why it is successful;
- Innovation is something that a high-quality company should embrace enthusiastically on all fronts. Nike has introduced several innovative products over the years, including the Waffle Trainer, self-lacing shoes, and the Nike Vaporfly sneaker, all of which have promoted the company’s brand while innovating.
- In 2018, Nike introduced “Scan to Try,” which enables consumers to scan the barcode on any product in the shop and use an app to see what colors and sizes are available and learn more about the product without leaving the store.
- Customers may use the app to check if a product is in stock or available in local shops or online. They can request that a sales associate deliver product items to specific shop or fitting room places.
- The Nike Fit, a virtual program that uses cell phones to record shoe sizes, is a recent technological innovation. This ongoing innovation keeps the client interested in the business and encourages them to come back for more.
- Nike has fostered a culture of true believers who use statements like “If you have a physique, you’re an athlete” to describe themselves.
- The fact that this is a component of every Nike marketing message and that it is conveyed to the general audience who is anxious to be told the secret eventually
- When it comes to conveying this culture to its audience, Nike primarily focuses on storytelling, utilizing advertisements to share inspirational tales of successful individuals and elicit good feelings from viewers.
- Nike also realizes that individuals who purchase their products look up to the influencers who inspire them. As a result, they used influencer marketing to get sportsmen such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Carli Lloyd to post their social media accounts on their behalf.
Netflix
Overview;
More than 100 nations across the world have access to Netflix’s subscription-based streaming entertainment service. It uses a range of campaigns and social media postings as part of its digital marketing strategy.
Why it is successful;
- All of Netflix’s content may be seen on any screen connected to the internet at any time, from anywhere in the world. As a result of the advertisements’ success, the company has expanded its membership base.
- To keep the dialogue going, Netflix uses social media questions and polls to keep people engaged.
- In addition, they use their official social media profiles to keep their fans up to date on what’s new on their streaming service and recommend new TV shows and movies.
- However, more people have seen their original commercial since it is so catchy. Billboard and video ad campaigns with the slogan “Netflix is a Joke” in black and white got people talking and thinking.
- It was a free publicity campaign for Netflix Stand-up Comedy specials taken up by the media worldwide. During the Emmys, Netflix ran a video commercial that included highlights of its original series with clips of comedians making fun of those shows.
Fanatics
Overview;
To provide its audience with additional reasons to come and connect with its brand, Fanatics, a sports e-commerce company sought to expand its product offering. The customer approached Fractl to transform the website into an online destination for sports enthusiasts, including starting a blog, boosting its following, and obtaining media recognition.
Why it is successful;
- When prominent athletic events and seasons occur, it is essential to provide relevant, sports-related content that will get immediate attention.
- Filling the site with evergreen information about historical elements of sports that will continue to be of use overtime was a priority.
- It recognizes emerging trends and develops content that capitalizes on major sports themes, match-ups, and player tales as quickly as possible.
- By posting material relevant to both current trends and tales with long-term significance, we assisted Fanatics in becoming a go-to website for sports fans.
- Organic search engine traffic increased by 1,100 percent in the first month, while ranking keywords increased by 230 percent. The campaigns also resulted in articles appearing on famous websites such as USA Today, MSN, Yahoo Sports, and The Score.
Recovery Brands
Overview;
Recovery Brands was a relatively young company in the business when we first partnered with them. However, the website, which provided information on alcohol and drug treatment, entered a highly competitive market and increased traffic, authority, and exposure on social media platforms.
Why it is successful;
- It was producing campaigns based on extensive research and was emotionally engaging while still consistent with its aims and vision.
- Using content modalities that would grab attention, such as crowd-sourced material, competitions, quizzes, motion graphics, INFOGRAPHICS, and mobile applications
- To get widespread exposure, it is necessary to secure high-quality features on high-authority websites with enormous audiences and power over other publications.
Coca Cola
Overview;
Known across the globe as the “World’s Most Famous Soft Drink Company,” Coca-Cola is an excellent illustration of how solidarity concerns may help develop gigantic and worldwide brand awareness.
Why it is successful;
- This is accomplished via collaboration with a large number of small projects that are focused on local areas. Examples include supporting a campaign to enhance school infrastructure in India, among other things.
- In the event of an immense tragedy (natural disaster) occurring in an area, the Coca-Cola brand lends its support by offering aid to those affected by the disaster and assisting them in making appropriate recovery efforts.
- Providing safe drinking water to disadvantaged communities across the globe was the emphasis of the program described below.
- To get the most significant results, the soda firm feels that it is essential to identify with a cause that they are enthusiastic about, promote the cause, and engage their consumers in the process.
- Customers are also encouraged to participate in the “Share a Coke” initiative launched in 2012. It continues to be regarded as one of the most striking instances of brand marketing in existence today.
- With the addition of their customers’ names to their distinctive cursive logo, Coca-Cola delivered a personal touch and inspired goodwill that few other companies have come close to replicating or surpassing.
- The Coca-Cola Company also targets elderly individuals who are diet-conscious and diabetic with diet coke, a strategy that has been successful in the past.
After that, they target young customers by sponsoring sports teams and events. - By offering several different products and package styles that vary depending on the location or economic class, Coca-Cola hopes to promote the experience and lifestyle associated with its brand.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve compiled a comprehensive list of case study examples brainstorm ideas for a subject that will emphasize your firm or the work you’ve done with a client.
Customers’ success stories are among the most potent marketing materials you could develop for your company. With a solid portfolio of case studies, you can guarantee that prospects understand why they should choose you over a rival when making a purchasing decision.
