It is a fact that the value of brand rises and falls with its communication. A crucial thing for (strong) brands is to communicate well their values to be perceived by consumers and sell.
As it is known, successful brand communication has two clinchers: enthusiastic customers and satisfied employees. As recently as ten years ago, companies created their own realities with advertising and PR – today, employees and customers define the reality and reputation of a brand name company. They talk to others about their experience with the company and its products around the clock (marketing91.com). Trust is the greatest asset in all this. It only arises when the customer has a consistent, credible brand experience at all brand touchpoints. Consistent brand touchpoint management is therefore an important control tool of brand communication.
But the best lever for earning the customer’s trust, as the same portal states, are a company’s employees, when they act as (trained) brand ambassadors, and credibly live and communicate the brand values and brand positioning. This can be clearly illustrated by using the Apple brand as an example. The term “APPLE” is used internally as an abbreviation for “approach, probe, present, listen, end” – meaning “approaching” the customer, “probing” him about what he wants, “presenting” a solution, “listening ” to feedback, and “ending” the conversation with a heartfelt invitation to come back.
So-called “context-based” brand communication has increasingly emerged as a key to success in the digital media world, proving the relevance of brand messages by systematically aligning them with the context. Companies use targeting techniques for approaching target groups to accomplish this. Bhasin (2021) states that brand communication is an important part and tool of brand management by which the companies inform, persuade, enlighten, teach, remind, and enrich the knowledge of their stakeholders about the brand, its strengths, values, fundamentals, and its offerings of products and services. Brand communication influences the stakeholders of the company. The stakeholders include employees, customers, investors, and sponsors as they are attached to the brand in the most integrated manner, and it is the prime duty of the management to have a communication with them on regular basis about the happenings and important matters of the brand. It works as the voice of the brand that strengthens the relationship with the stakeholders on the long-term basis. It encompasses the mixed use of traditional media channels such as newspapers and television with the strategic amalgamation of contemporary media such as social media platforms, content marketing, blogs, and digital marketing that works as an integrated approach to enlighten the customers and other stakeholders about the latest developments about the brand.
Furthermore, Bhasin (2020) suggests that there is a big and important role of the PR department of the brand along with the hired PR agency in designing and planning the Brand Communication strategy so that the message provided is clear, authentic, and relevant in nature. Before any sort of Brand Communication going outside the closed doors of the company, it is crucial to carefully understand every nuance of it so that any element of the communication does not harm the brand image and standing of the company in the market and in the minds of the customers. Hence, it needs to be backed by the meticulous planning and expert advice.
Advantages of good brand communication creates an impact, makes you authority, improves loyalty, improves the market. How to improve brand communication? Bhasin (2020) suggests you decide on the spokesperson (usually, the main promoter or the key member of the management is the spokesperson as being a promoter he or she knows and understand the brand in the most intricate manner plus has been an integral part of the growth journey of the brand right from the day one), have proper media channels (Hence, it is vital to plan and choose the proper media channels having a potent mix of traditional mediums such as newspapers, business magazines, and periodicals along with the combination of the latest digital and social media platforms such as content marketing and blogging amongst others. Having press conferences and stakeholders meets are still one of the best and most effective channels to improve Brand Communication.), be authentic, have a dialogue. Furthermore, it is useful to showcase the brand personality, as well as being helpful, open, and transparent.
One more thing is not to be neglected. That is the importance of connecting with other brands, the strategy called brand-to-brand communication. An article found in Forbes (2020) point out that strategically tapping into other brands’ customer base can open the chance for marketing techniques that appeal to the shared consumers in each audience. Brand-to-brand communication on social media can have a significant positive impact on a brand’s image. For example, as states Alysia Gradney for Forbes, brand-to-brand communication on social media is a great way to influence unconscious consumer associations. By associating your offerings to a brand that consumers already know, trust and love, you are now able to create a positive memory association quickly, allowing you to unconsciously build consumer loyalty by connecting your offerings to memories and positive emotions.