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What do the big brands have in common?
Branding

What Do the Big Brands Have in Common?

There are several characteristics that the major brands worldwide have in common. As an average entrepreneur, it can be useful to have a role model and to learn from the steps that others take. This can save you a lot of time and energy compared to figuring everything out yourself. In this blog I will discuss five characteristics that can help you!

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Big brands distinguish themselves strongly from the competition

Brands like Ikea and Nike follow their own rules. They break the preconceived idea of function, service and style and surprise the competition. That is how they obtained leadership positions. It is therefore important to look at what your competition offers and add something extra on top of that. An adjustment in function, service or style.

Everyone knows brands like Nike and Adidas. To compete with these major brands, it is important to be able to distinguish yourself and to offer the customer added value. Under Armor has done this, moving past Adidas and taking second place behind Nike. They have broken the preconceived idea of the function of sportswear and turned it into a power armor under sports equipment. They were the first to present sportswear not simply as clothing to exercise in, but to show sportswear as equipment specifically designed to keep athletes cool, dry and light during competition or training. This change of perception distinguishes them as a brand from other brands, which is well received by customers.

Big brands connect with customers on an emotional level

What big brands do to win customers over is to respond to customer feelings. To make an emotional connection with them. Ensuring that their product or slogan evokes certain feelings in customers. Big brands attach a certain value to their products. An example of this is Apple. When you buy and use an Apple product, their slogans create a sense of belonging to a luxury brand. Using their products says something about you. Namely that you appreciate design and that you are consciously creative. That by buying their products you show that you think differently from others.

Emotion is everything when it comes to building an iconic brand. With the branding and marketing of your brand, make sure that certain feelings of value emerge in your customers. That your customers can identify with what they always wanted to be when using your products.

Major brands keep their promise year after year

Make sure you stay up to date with the latest trends and join the right brand associations. It is important that you stay up-to-date as a brand. Many entrepreneurs view branding as a one-time event: do it and it’s done. But that’s not it at all. Branding requires constant dedication and effort. To stay emotionally connected to your target audience, you have to work on it every day. An iconic brand does not guarantee business success.

Big brands have a clear goal

Nike 'Just do it'

The purpose of your brand should not be to make money. That is the goal of the company. The brand must represent something deeper and more meaningful than that.

  • Ikea sells inexpensive furniture that requires painstaking assembly, but the goal is to bring affordable modern design to the masses.
  • Nike sells shoes and apparel, but the goal is to encourage action, performance and personal achievement. “Just Do It.”
  • Starbucks sells coffee, but the goal is to fill a void in people’s busy lives.
  • Coca Cola sells Coke, but the goal is to spread American values around the world. The brand presents itself as “freedom in a bottle”.

What is the purpose of your company besides making a profit? Figure it out, write it down, and then start communicating that goal.

Big brands are good at communication

With a strong and targeted plan you will get nowhere if you cannot communicate clearly and you cannot get the message across to your target group. One characteristic that big brands have in common is that they are skilled in communication. It is a challenge to spread the right message. Many companies get it wrong when it comes to communication: their ads say one thing, their social media campaigns say something else, and their website communicates something completely different. Consistency and alignment is something all large companies have in common. It’s the approach that creates that elusive, emotional connection that fosters success and inspires people.

These were the five characteristics that large companies have in common. Hopefully it will help you and you can implement these characteristics in your company and brand!

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