Belief can do amazing things. People will respond when they are emotionally engaged to something. This is what it is all about, getting your customers to belong to your brand based on something more than just what your business offers. It is about engaging them on why you do things in the first place, engaging them on your belief.

A great brand understands that humans don’t have the ability to care about something unless you give them a reason to care. Companies don’t succeed the people do.

When
Tuesday 7 September 2010

Where: The International of Brighton, 81 Bay St, Brighton 3186

Time: 7am to 9am

Cost:
Free to Bayside Business Network Members,
$41 BBN members’ guests, $41 for Deakin Alumni
$48 non-members

Click here for more info and bookings.

Click on the following links to view the articles:

http://www.adnews.com.au/news/loyalty-is-key-to-brand-success

http://prettyraw.com.au/australia%E2%80%99s-top-brands-revealed/

http://yourbusnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/fw-bikies-apple-and-salvos-in-same-club.html

Well, now comes the 21^st century mega trend of ME Branding.

According to its creator, our illustrious Creative Chairman, Simon Hammond, ME Branding is the inherent and often subliminal art of choosing companies, services and leaders based on how they make ME look.

“We have arrived at a seriously savvy brand society where people now clearly understand, often without even being aware of it, how to brand themselves,” says Hammond.

“They choose their brands, whether it be clothes, schools, computers, cars or friends, based on how they fit with enhancing or creating personal brands.”

The ME Brand trend is a natural extension of BE Branding because consumers choose brands with beliefs and use those brands to state their own beliefs.

This will have direct bearing on the federal election as we, as people, look for substance and belief to follow.

ME branding explains how the Apple phenomena came about after Apple reinvented itself, not through function, but rather form. Having an iMac made you look cool. Cool people embraced the pure design decadence and others followed. It made your personal brand. It said something about you. The rest followed.

Google was adopted  over Yahoo when those in the know deemed it the way to go. All of a sudden the search engine you used said a lot about your ME brand.

Toyota’s Prius was the expression of caring for the planet by the planet’s uber trendy; having a Body Shop bag said you cared; Ecko says you believe in free speech; and Harley Davidson says you’re probably mid 40s, get paid a lot of money and want out – albeit for a wreckless afternoon each week!

Brands are now being measured on what they say about me, not just what they do.

For all types of business, this must surely become the new litmus test. What does your brand say about those who choose it.  And, would your brand pass, what Hammond calls, the T test?

Put simply, would an employee proudly wear the logo of the company they work on their T shirt as they enjoy a Saturday out with friends.

Nike passes that test, so does Apple, so do many rock brands – but does your business?

Moreover, can your brand be known merely by its belief, like Dove is known for changing the perception of female beauty or Apple is known for thinking different.

The big challenge for all business is the belief of its people in the collective and substantive mission of the company. In other words, do your people believe in something that binds them together as a tribe?

To have this all binding belief strong enough and connected enough for employees to proudly promote it when they’re not working makes for one cool and commercially successful brand.

To have a logo or set of words mean enough to the ME generation so that they wear it with pride is the new holy grail.

It’s the ultimate test for ME Branding.

The BE Brands audit celebrates the purity of great branding and should act as a wake up call for the scores of bland corporate businesses that lack customer connection.

We believe the best corporate brands, such as Apple, Google, Virgin and Bunnings are those whose customers feel they can BE a part of.

In pure ‘BE branding’ terms, the Hell’s angels bikie gang is hard to beat. This is not a measurement of financial success or morality, but rather pure brand power. Business makes the mistake of ignoring the Hell’s angels, the Catholic church or the Collingwood Football Club, but they hold strong lessons on how to build true brand.

The great brands have a clearly understood belief, they enjoy a strong sense of belonging from their followers and they dramatically affect behaviour. Not all of these brands want to sell stuff – but they sure as hell could.

Australia’s Top 10 Brands:

1. The Salvation Army
2. Hell’s Angels
3. Apple
4. Google
5. Collingwood FC
6. Bunnings
7. Virgin
8. The Catholic Church
9. ABC
10. Bra Boys

The 2010 report began with more than 1000 brand interviews by THINK global research, before a more qualitative review and evaluation was conducted based on BE Branding criteria.

A business’s BELIEF, BELONGING and BEHAVIOUR are the key to customer connection and loyalty.
Popular brands voted by the consumers, were carefully evaluated for what they stand for, not merely for their awareness. We found that while many brands were well known, when we dug into them, they were not well liked nor were their beliefs understood.

People name the likes of Qantas, Telstra, Coke, and McDonalds out of sheer presence in the market, but when asked, either they can’t articulate what they stand for or the brand doesn’t deliver a belief consistently. This points to the difference in awareness and loyalty. BE brands have amazing loyalty, even if they are little known.

It’s why the surfing Bra Boys out of Maroubra are on the list. Love them or hate them, you know what they stand for and people are passionate about belonging. Their My Brothers Keeper fashion label and hit documentary is evidence they have a big tribal following.

Some smaller Australian brands are also showing the way such as T2, Smiggle, Boost and Alannah Hill and found themselves in the top 20. These businesses understand emotion and storytelling.
You know what they stand for, not just what they sell. Powerful brand loyalty, belonging, is about emotive connection; that only comes from shared beliefs.

Full list of top BE brands:
1. SALVATION ARMY. The big winner is the brand everyone understands, relates to and wants to support. This rated high with consumers and high with the experts. In tough times, this brand’s core belief really seems to connect.
2. HELL’S ANGELS. Here’s the epitome of a great brand. We know what they stand for, brotherhood, freedom, life beyond the law; we know they’re a tribe and take their belonging very seriously. Indeed we can see who belongs by their colours. And we have a damn good idea of what their behaviour is going to be if prompted. Say no more.
3. APPLE. It exists to help us think differently. And what a year. iMania is now official. Experiential stores where staff passionately play with you, new products that create three-block queues, a central belief that powers all it does and that denote my tribe. And of course the new ipad.
4. GOOGLE. Well and truly back in the hunt as Google gained more relevance in the market, due to its stand in China and other high profile activities. Chinese loyalists laid wreaths of flowers as it departed their country.
5. COLLINGWOOD FOOTBALL CLUB. The army of people who belong to arguably Australia’s greatest club continue to grow in belief and passion.
6. BUNNINGS. Shot into the top 10 as Australians flock to this brand for its simple belief that you can DIY and nest in comfort.
7. VIRGIN. While the profits slide and the boardroom quivers, the experience hasn’t waned. That’s some belief! We still love the irreverent announcements, the fun flight attendants, the powerful communications and the brand consistency
8. CATHOLIC CHURCH. Stronger as a brand in uncertain times as people look for belief that can give comfort.
9. ABC. People reported having major connection with this trusted brand. It also rated well for its belief in independent entertainment.
10. BRA BOYS. Few could deny the power of this ‘brand’ and while it wasn’t put forward without prompt, when the idea of this well known surf gang was discussed there was enormous respect and clarity about what it stood for, the loyalty of its members and the predictable behaviour of its tribe.
11. DOVE. The YouTube phenomenon and belief that our perception of beauty is wrong has begun to wane but this brand remains, in the judges eyes particularly, as a monolith in the new era of BE brands. 5 million women have attended their self esteem courses…this is what happens when a brand stands up for something.
12. QANTAS. It has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and relevance with its World Cup sponsorship and consistent ‘Still Call Australia home’.
13. HOLDEN. It seems the idea of Australia’s local car maker remains strong with people. Meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars.
14. THE BODYSHOP. This brand is still training its people to believe in what they do. Test it some day. You’ll be amazed.
15. T2. Still great belief in the art of teas, lived out in every store experience.
16. NIKE. As the web takes over, this global brand still believes in the creed of ‘just do it’ and has survived the onslaught of negative press to emerge stronger and more committed to its beliefs. It has to be one of the great symbols of this generation
17. BOOST. The devotees of this amazing fruit juice brand remain passionate about what it stands for and how this fun is delivered in a consistent manner by the well trained Boost youth army.
18. FREE HUGS. Still powerful with our judges but somewhat overlooked by consumers even though this humble brand now exists in over 80 countries. Hundreds of thousands have hugged Juan Mann in Pitt Street Mall.
19. MOLESKINE. 14,000 outlets, 53 countries, 65% through bookshops – all based on the belief that this notebook was the same used by the great writers and thinkers of history. A beautifully told story about the belief that something crafted is worth paying for because of how it makes us feel. Getting bigger and more diversified with city guides added.
20. HARLEY-DAVIDSON. The latest ‘Screw it lets ride’ campaign maintains this awesome belief brand. A brand that doesn’t make sense and we love it.

Others who came close:
Circus Oz, Hillsong church, Lush, AFL, Sunrise, RM Williams, Peter Alexander.