An Audio Branding Blog By TreBrand

Here’s a reading list for all of you business folks looking for a stronger brand. I’ve listed my top 10 favorite books on marketing and branding. I’ve also listed the authors’ blog if it was available.

This list only scratches the surface of what’s out there. If you know good titles of marketing books please add them in the comments section.

The Books

Brand Gap – Marty Neumeier

A short but insightful read on how brands need to bridge that gap between how they think and what they actually do.

Marty Neumeier Blog Liquid Agency Blog

Buyology – Martin Lindstrom

Why do we buy Apple iPods and BMWs at crazy price? In this book Martin Lindstrom gives you the science behind why we buy things.

Martin Lindstrom blog Martin Lindstrom Video Blog

Guerrilla Marketing – Jay Conrad Levinson

A favorite of many small business marketers. Jay Conrad Levinson in Guerrilla Marketing shows you how to get the most out of a small marketing budget.

Jay Conrad Levinson on Twitter Jay Conrad Levinson on Twitter

A New Brand World – Scott Bedbury

Written by brand expert Scott Bedbury, the mastermind behind Nike and Starbucks, A New Brand World tells us what the shape of the future will look like. In the book Scott shares 8 simple strategies to achieve an outstanding brand.

Ogilvy on Advertising – David Ogilvy

The old master himself speaks his mind on how to create effective advertising. David also delves into the business side of developing an advertising agency.

Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind – Al Ries and Jack Trout

Positiong: The Battle For Your Mind is another classic book about marketing. Although this book was first published in the 1980s it still has tremendous relevancy. Al Ries and Jack Trout will help you discover how to create and maintain a brand that has a strong position in the marketplace.

Purple Cow – Seth Godin

Purple Cow is a major achievement for the Seth Godin brand. In the book Seth explains why being different is so important. In doing so, he shows you how a purple cow can help grow your business.

Seth Godin’s Blog Seth Godin’s Blog

Selling The Invisible – Harry Beckwith

One of the best in Harry’s arsenal, Selling the Invisible is a must read for service marketers. It will help you solve the simple problem of how to make service products tangible.

Harry Beckwith’s Blog Harry Beckwith’s Blog

Sonic Branding – Daniel M. Jackson

You didn’t think we’d write a list of marketing and branding books without mentioning audio branding did you?

Split into three sections the book thoroughly explains how sonic brands are created in a manner that is easy to understand if you are a non-musician. A must read for any marketer who uses audio in advertisements or wants to expand a brand globally.

Daniel M. Jackson’s Blog Sonic Branding Blog

Zag – Marty Neumeier

Here’s another quick study by Marty Neumeier. This time he explains how to be different. In his own words, “When everyone else zigs you need to zag”.

Bring this one on your next business flight you’ll finish it by the time you land. Trust me it’s well worth the read.

Marty Neumeier Blog Liquid Agency Blog

Remember to post your favorite marketing and branding books in the comments below.

Every week we’ll post a song or jingle that we can’t get out of our head.

Mr Clean

The big macho man loves to clean, but he also gets stuck in your head. Better him then the grease on your stove.

After researching this one it’s nice to see that Proctor and Gamble is able to recognize an audio brand winner. They have done a great job of modernizing the sound as well. Lets take a look.

This first one goes back to 1958.

In this next one listen for the Mr. Clean hook at the beginning of the commercial. It does wonders for getting the Mr. Clean brand in your head. Terry O’Gara over at the Critical Noise Blog does a nice roundup of how repetition in music can aid memory of key points such as a call to Action.

Here’s an updated version of the Mr. Clean franchise commercial.

Check back next week for another sticky song.

This might seem a bit odd considering TreBrand specializes in audio branding, but silence can be vital to a successful TV commercial. However, I wouldn’t advise this for radio – you might get someone fired.

Below are two commercials that have used silence quite well.

MADD Canada

Although not complete silence the dramatic point is made with only ambient sounds.

International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD)

A similar style commercial, but a more dramatic use of silence.

You can think of silence in commercials like white space in print advertising – it’s a palette cleanser for the ears. I suggest that you use silence to emphasize something, a call to action maybe, but also for dramatic effect like the videos above.

Have you experimented with silence in your ads? Let me know your experience in the comments section.

Every week we’ll post a jingle or song that we can’t get out of our head.

Thanks to eHarmaony and the girl who loves cats this week’s choice is cat themed.

Meow Mix

The classic 1990 version of the Purina Meow Mix commercial

Today on the CJSmusic blog I suggested that the word talent is dangerous and here I want to help you understand a tricky problem faced with marketers today and that is gaining mind share of a target audience.

The Problem

Many marketers and business owners feel that their product or service is the best. This isn’t a problem in fact their mousetrap is probably better then the last one. Here’s the thing, I don’t care.

As a consumer I’m wary of ads (as an audio branding professional I love ads!). I have a hard time trusting companies today. Just simply bombarding me with your message does not earn my patronage. Especially when I get messages I’ve never asked for (really not sure how you got my email?).

Long Term Commitment

Providing consumers with short term relationships is only an invitation to have another discounted sale. Competing on price is no fun for anyone. This to a large extent is why myself and other marketers believe Groupon (and others) are a poor strategy for sustainable business. Organizations need to think about their long term commitments to their customers.

Building for the Long Term

Every organization will be different in this aspect (if you’re not different then rethink your plans. Being a me-too is as good as competing on price).

ideas to try:

• Loyalty programs
• Anniversary gifts
• Saying thanks

Of course when you are searching out a long term marketing strategy you’ll need to link it with financial measures such as Return On Investment (ROI). Just think how great it would be if your best customers ere your best friends.

So the question is, have you earned it?

Every week we’ll post a song or commercial that we can’t seem to get out of our head. This week we highlight Mentos.

Mentos

Ah…The classic marketing question. I think many managers miss this one through no fault of anyone. It’s such a basic question that we tend to overlook it. The cause and effect that this question has on a marketing department is substantial so it’s worth the effort to take a look at it.

For example, back a few years ago, actually decades ago, the rail companies were the big shots. They held a sizable monopoly over the business world and it’s end was nowhere to be seen. Gradually this was decreased to today’s numbers which is next to nothing. What happened? Read on »

Every week we highlight a song that we can’t get out of our head. Feel free to suggest you own in the comments.

Band-Aid

Band-Aid has relaunched their stuck in my head jingle. Have a listen below.

Well, it seems that the US government has listened to consumers.

Just recently, according to Yahoo! News the US senate has passed a bill that will require broadcasters to keep their T.V. commercials at a respectable level.

Now, you’re wondering why commercials are so loud in the first place?

Read on »

Over the last few months I’ve noticed an abundance of classical music being played in here in London, Ontario. It first started out with the central library blasting (and I mean blasting) out operatic songs from the 18th and 19th century. Now, if you walk near Dundas and Richmond you will find classical music being played out of the speakers of the market towers building. The intent of these projects is to eliminate loitering in front of the respective buildings. Here’s an article from the London Free Press about the project at the library.

So, what does all this have to do with audio branding? Everything. Read on »