The words “brand” and “branding” are thrown around in casual conversation so frequently now we are still surprised to find not every business person knows what they mean.

Some business managers refer to their products as brands, probably a carryover from the early P&G days. Some still think their logo, package or trademark is the brand. Some mistakenly believe they have total control of their customer’s brand experience. And many think branding is just another word for marketing.

In simple, straightforward terms, this presentation provides the basics for you and everyone in your organization.

• What is a brand?
• How does it differ from a commodity?
• Why are brands built on intangibles?
• Does everyone perceive a brand in the same way?
• When and where do brands come in contact with the audience?
• Who in the organization affects the brand experience?
• What is the goal of branding?
• What are the advantages?
• And, finally, what are “The 9 Criteria for Brand Essence™”?

How will you better define and leverage the unique experience of your brand with your audience?

For help, contact Kirk Phillips at kirk@cpvinc.com.

Click here if you would like to download a PDF version of this presentation.

To address this need, we created MadeInTheUSAbrand.com featuring The Made in USA Brand certification mark. This mark is a brand enhancer and identifier of goods made or grown in the United States. U.S. businesses that meet the accreditation standards are invited to complete the online agreement and use the Made in USA Brand certification mark on their products as a way to enhance their brand in the eyes of consumers.

Family and friends of patients can go to the Nationwide Children’s site and in a few steps select a card format, optionally upload a photo, and then enter a personal message. Once they enter the room number of the patient, the resulting card is printed in color by the hospital’s print shop and brought to the room of the patient. It’s not at all unusual to see patient’s bulletin boards and even room doors lined with dozens of well-wishes. It makes the hospital a friendlier place.

In the four years since we developed this unique system, more than 60,000 cards have been generated along with many grateful notes to the hospital staff for providing this service.

The word “strategy” is derived from the Greek “strategos,” meaning military leader or general. In the military and elsewhere, its definition has evolved to mean a systematic plan of action intended to achieve a desired goal. The difference between strategies and tactics is sometimes blurry, but generally strategies are planned and tactics are executed.

Often, the strategic plan involves trickery–another word for surprise attack. In sports, it’s the trick play, the fake hand-off, the juke move, the curveball, the feint, the reverse, etc., all intended to catch the opponent off-guard.

One of the principles of strategy essential for success according to The United States Army’s Field Manual of Military Operations is this one:

• Surprise (Strike the enemy at a time, at a place, or in a manner for which he is unprepared.)

Many organizations forget to develop a plan for out-maneuvering their competitors. Instead, they focus only on achieving operational excellence. Perhaps you have seen some version of this caution: “Efficiency is a consequence, not a strategy.”

Of course, tactical efficiency sometimes works, say handing off to the tailback on third and goal. The play fools no one, but if well executed it may succeed. Once. Next time, the defense will be wise to it.

Sun Tzu in the The Art of War says, “Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.” In other words, mix it up.

Is your strategic marketing plan directed toward out-maneuvering your competitors?

Our campaign to build awareness for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s urgent care centers uses print, outdoor and online ads now through 2010.

The idea behind the bold language in the campaign came from listening to parents at focus groups talk about their urgent care experiences. They don’t mince words!

Now, go wash your hands.

In a typical year, CAHS takes in more than 14,000 felines. Along with spay & neuter programs and overpopulation education initiatives, adoptions are always a top priority.

To help those adoption numbers, we developed a print campaign that spoke directly to the independent personality of cats. It also spoke to the audience. Feline adoptions increased by more than 20%.

A development of condominiums that would eliminate the sprawling parking lots in the central business district, creating a new, energetic community encompassing nine city blocks and revitalizing downtown.

The big idea was to build out, rather than building up, to create a neighborhood like the Gold Coast of Chicago or Beacon Hill in Boston, comprised of traditional and unique interpretations of townhomes.

A real street-level neighborhood with front porches and tree-lined boulevards.

Hard to visualize? Not after we created this life-size replica of the first building to be built on the site. This vinyl façade was erected at the exact location and served as a traffic-stopping backdrop for the groundbreaking ceremony.

It matters because larger medical groups may offer advantages to patients such as wellness programs, health management programs, coordination of care, access to electronic health records, and lower costs than independents and smaller practices.

To make these advantages more obvious to patients and other providers, Central Ohio Primary Care, the second largest physician-owned primary care medical group in the United States, asked us to help build their awareness.

Step one: a new identity to unify the practices.

Following interviews with physicians and an online survey of patients, we designed a new logo with friendlier colors and greater emphasis on the Central Ohio Primary Care name.

Watch for it at your doctor’s office!