Today, both consumer and business audiences are overwhelmed with marketing messages generated from social media, owned media, advertising and earned media. Customers, partners and prospects have a myriad of ways to learn about your organization, and as PR practitioners and marketers, we can expect that trend to continue.

The naming game 

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet,” declares Juliet, William Shakespeare’s tragic heroine.

But in today’s marketing world, naming is a critical practice. Effective integrated branding helps create a shorthand for your company, enabling customers and the public to understand what your firm does and stands for.

And effective branding starts with a name that captures your essence successfully.

Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory, conveys strength, speed and triumph, aligning with the brand’s positioning as the leading sports brand in the world. Consider Apple, whose simple, non-technical and approachable name and branding contrast with the complexity of its technology, suggesting user-friendliness and innovation.

It’s all interconnected 

Because communications are so interconnected, and so many companies rely upon the PESO (paid, earned, shared, owned) model, it is critical that naming and positioning (as well as communications) are cohesive. Integration of brand, name, product names, messaging and themes are all crucial to positive customer perceptions. These factors drive market differentiation and contribute to achieving overall brand success.

Communication pros should pay careful attention to consistent messaging across brands, platforms and products. When it comes to agency partners, they should look for well-developed strategies designed to drive cohesive messaging across all of the PESO channels.

It’s key that the messaging resonates with the audiences the brand is looking to engage and aligns with the brand’s public persona. Otherwise, consumers and businesses are left confused or angry.

We know what happens when a brand doesn’t understand or pay attention to its main audience. Who can forget Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney for its Bud Lite brand? Considered an epic marketing fail, it shows little or no understanding of the current charged consumer landscape. Although Bud Lite had been a supporter of Pride for more than 20 years, conservatives pounced on this newest promotion. In what was a worst-case scenario for Anheuser-Busch, calls ensued for a nationwide boycott of Bud Lite, causing the brewing company to lose $5 billion in market value.

Compelling messages, delivered consistently, will make your company and product stand out over time. Companies that ensure consistency and provide an easily repeatable and well-understood brand story are poised to make gains. 

Breakthrough PR: differentiated positioning is a must-have 

As a leading public relations agency, Bospar understands what’s required to be successful with the media. Differentiated positioning is critical. Companies must provide the media with an answer to the question, “Why should customers care?”

Customer prospects should easily understand your value. An agency partner can help companies unlock messages that influence how the brand is perceived, describe how it competes, and show audiences how the company (and its products and services) will grow and adapt in a dynamic marketplace. A capable PR team can help your firm refine what you say and how you say it – considering a deep understanding of how the media covers your market category. This includes an understanding of the press, industry and financial analysts, investors and a broad range of social media influencers.

Brazilian company Digibee needed help launching its PaaS solution for the modern enterprise in the U.S. After reviewing Digibee’s business goals, Bospar concluded that the company would need to reframe its messaging, leveraging its history and metrics of its work in the context of what it meant to the U.S. market. We understood how important it was to showcase the client’s U.S.-based customers and data specific to U.S. audiences to secure meaningful media coverage in the U.S. We also helped ensure that Digibee’s website and its social media handles clearly communicated a U.S. presence.

PR tactics boost integrated messaging

A multitude of PR initiatives support integrated messaging. Key tactics include:

• Elevating your brand and articulating its vision through thought leadership campaigns can include placing bylines and op-eds that illuminate company and executive. viewpoints and showcase company culture
• Wrapping your company’s messaging around current news and events, including using newsjacking techniques that insert your firm into the ever-changing news cycle.
• Leveraging data-driven examples of positive customer outcomes to provide credibility for your products or technology In contributed content, press releases and newsjacking.
• Enlisting third parties whose opinions sync with company messages. Favorable analyst and investor opinions are helpful, and a comprehensive analyst relations effort ensures that industry and segment thought leaders know about your company and how it provides value.
• Incorporating executive branding services, including media training and on-camera coaching, will prepare your company’s leaders to shine in prime-time video and public speaking engagements.
• Securing case studies and testimonials lets your prospects hear directly from your customers how your solution benefited them.
• Integrating audience analytics, SEO and paid advertising to deliver a consistent and compelling message that maximizes market impact and ROI from communications programs.
• Ensuring your image in the market is positive and impactful by employing reputation management – which can manage corporate reputation through audits, influencer relations, analyst relations and even crisis communications.
• Tapping into internal communications and culture initiatives to help build employee morale, increase trust and encourage high performance and productivity across the organization.

Building the foundation

Naming and positioning are foundational to a brand’s identity and strategy. Establishing and defending a strong, recognizable and enduring brand that resonates with customers and prospects is essential to standing out in crowded B2B and B2C markets. 

Global leaders like Nike and Apple understand the value of integrated naming, messaging and marketing campaigns. For results-driven marketing executives, integration is the answer. This includes ensuring the benefits of removing silos across marketing and sales to deliver consistent and repeatable messaging across key customer audiences.

Looking for integrated B2B and B2C marketing services that cater to your organization’s unique needs and goals? Look no further than Bospar.