In 1994, Bristol-Myers Squibb had a failing brand in their Herbal Essences haircare line. In one of the greatest turnaround campaigns in history, they took their failing brand and created an overnight sensation. Not by changing the product, but by re-branding the packaging and launching their now famous commercial series. The “Say Yes” campaign featured women getting, well, a LOT of pleasure from using their shampoo. Screaming out, “Yes, yes!” as they used the product along with their tagline, “Totally Organic,” helped cause one of the greatest brand transformations in America. The product was flying off the shelves and propelled the company forward.
So how is it that by 2001 the product was once again failing? Procter & Gamble purchased the brand when buying Clairol, and considered stopping production because inventory was sitting in stores for such long periods of time.
How does a brand go from being a national talking point and favorite product, to almost being discontinued? Standing still. What appealed to the masses in 1994 was tired and old only six years later. Many companies think that branding their business and their advertising is the same as picking the company name: a one time thing. Branding isn’t a one time thing, because the people you’re marketing to are constantly changing in age, taste, and opinion. If you’re targeting women in their 20’s, they aren’t going to stay in their 20’s (although I’m sure they’d love to). After 10 years, they’ve changed. They may have gone from being fresh out of high school, to putting their children in daycare. What matters to them then won’t necessarily matter to them forever. And although there are new people growing into their 20’s, they grew in a different time, with different tastes, styles, and marketing techniques. Since 2008, P&G has completely changed the branding yet again to try and save the label for the second time. With new slogans, bottle design and a popular new face for the brand.
Staying relevant is a game of constant change. You have to look at the generation that is growing up to become your target demographic and change by the time they get there. Coca-Cola was founded in 1886 and since that time, their logo has gone through one revision…one; however the massive marketing machine pushing that logo seems to change with every season. Their materials are ever changing and the identity of the brand is constantly evolving to capture new customers. People will often say, “Why does Coke even advertise?” which is a valid question. Why does this company not just enjoy the fact that they’ve won. When people in the south order a Sprite, they often say, “Can I have a Coke?” as though it’s the official name for any soft drink. The reason they advertise is because all the companies that rest in their share of the market, find themselves questioning why they don’t have any customers just a few, short years later.
Oculus Studios is a very young brand, but even in that time, the company has gone through several iterations of the logo, several changes in the look and feel of the company going out to customers. As you’re reading this now, you’re on a brand new website. The company was founded and launched with a website that lasted only a year, at which time it was completely rebuilt. The iPhone was only a year old and so the target of the site was computers. Five years later, mobile site traffic accounts for 50% of our total site traffic. So rather than resting and standing still, we adapted, we’ve evolved. Rebuilt, and reborn. The site has seen a top to bottom rebuild, as well as our entire company branding.
When it comes to logos in Lexington, Kentucky, standing still is almost common place. But if you ask companies like Hollywood Video or Blockbuster how standing still has worked for them, you can’t. They’re all closed. Branding in Kentucky is as important as anywhere in the nation because people are people. Fresh, new, and modern, given time, become stale, old, and passé. Innovating your company’s identity, finding the look for the next chapter of your business, is what sets you apart. Experience success in the marketplace with your branding doesn’t mean you’re done, it means you take what worked, and keep moving forward. Approach your brand like you do your work, constantly refining and improving.
So many companies are afraid to touch their branding, afraid to change their logo or even their colors. They tell us, “This is what people know, if we change it, how will people recognize us?” This always seems like any oddity to us. If people “recognize” you, but don’t do business with you already, what good is your identity? Will changing your brand cause you to lose your entire existing customer base? You still drink Starbucks don’t you? They have gone through major branding changes from their founding to today. What people should be more concerned about is not being noticed; Being bland, stale, invisible. Don’t let your old branding prevent you from capturing the next generation.
The most important element of your brand is determining how effective it is vs. how harmful it is. If you feel like the logo is outdated, misrepresents your company, or pales when compared to your competition, don’t be afraid of progress. With caution, careful planning, and quality creative, launching the next phase of your brand can help you reach new customers and new heights. If you read “Herbal Essences” and think of their 1994 commercial and not that shampoo currently in your shower, you’ll see how dangerous standing still can truly be.