A New Brand Launch: No Guts, No Glory
It’s been said that developing a new brand and releasing a new product are not for the timid. Over the past few months, I’ve learned that. You are compelled to have some stake in the outcome. It’s a matter of my reputation.
It is hoped that months of strategy meetings, market research, product and logo design, as well as sleepless nights, would produce a memorable brand and a prosperous company. A comprehensive, months-long study was not conducted. Simple, seat of the pants marketing is usually a recipe for disaster. However, we had a solid brand and product within 45 days. We have only received compliments and made a few sales. I don’t recall ever having so much fun while working so hard. Our modest marketing team was having success.
I will be discussing our experience developing a new brand and product line over the coming weeks. From brand creation through post-launch, I’ll handle everything. I’ll discuss all of our launch-related triumphs, missteps, unsavory details, and gaffes.
I haven’t done any agency work or received any professional branding training. This is not a complete list of what must be done to build a successful brand. This is more of a tale of a generalist in marketing being asked to add “branding expert” to his vast list of other skills. If you work in branding or enjoy seeing other people weep, it’s worth reading. It may make for a good chuckle.
I oversee marketing for two moving firms with many locations. Marketing strategy, lead generation, sales assistance, SEO, PPC, website design, and graphics are among my duties. In the job description, that was stated. The real list of duties is slightly longer, as it is for all small-to-medium businesses. Oh, and brand building wasn’t included.
This project definitely wasn’t done by me alone. Rob Schmidt, our VP of Sales and Marketing, and Ashley Towne, our Marketing Administrator, make up our small but exceptionally accomplished marketing team. A few months ago, Ashley joined our team.
She was completely unaware of the significant role she would play. We were all seated together in the boat.
So, here is how it all went down.
“By the way, we are launching a new company initiative,” the owner said. ”
My first vacation since I started working for the firm was only a brief trip. I was informed that the owners would be holding an online meeting TODAY at 2 PM, and that I was required to attend. That would make it a working vacation. What a waste of some beach time.
The owner had made the decision to buy more than 150 brand-new containers for use as mobile storage, it was revealed during the conversation. Wow. I didn’t anticipate that. It was agreed that we would meet in person to devise a plan over the course of the next week.
Initially, it was advised that we model the business after another well-known corporation that shared our owners. Naturally, as a marketing manager, I was drooling at the prospect of developing a new “lasting and unforgettable brand.” Maybe I was also helping to establish a kingdom. And it was obvious that I was going out on a limb.
The majority of the market’s rivals, including the main national brand, have names and visual elements that are pretty generic (a polite way of saying uninteresting). Maybe there was a chance for us?
Unfortunately, the leading rival is so well-known and prosperous that their name has come to represent the whole sector, similar to how Kleenex has done for the facial tissue sector. Can anyone hear me requesting a face tissue?You know you’re up against some stiff competition when a brand refers to an entire product sector.
The project was covered in the executive meeting. My boss, Rob, the VP of Sales and Marketing, presented our “Jump Box” proposal to ownership. A moment of quiet followed. Rob gasped and considered revising his résumé at that moment. The owner then remarked, “We haven’t considered going that path. Rob inhaled once more.
Our plan was to develop a distinct brand idea without the advantages of the original, well-known associated brand name that was first taken into consideration. We want to develop a new brand that would appeal to our intended market. We wanted a modern brand that was memorable and snappy rather than stuffy. It pleased the executive committee. Boost Box, an appealing name They even preferred the first brand logo proposal that was offered.
I’d like to say that the name was the result of several months of study. It was a true instance of “thinking in the shower,” as the saying goes. There are no studies, focus groups, or think tanks for the agency.
I first accomplished these things after coming up with the name:
- Determine whether the domain name is accessible.
- I looked up the name’s trademark at the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office).
- I discussed it with my daughter Betsy, a branding specialist at a big marketing company.
- Dry off after taking a shower.
