A Changing BrandScape

Brand Integration means communicating a brand identity with a common look and feel, from message to message, medium to medium and device to device– consistently reflecting the brand.

Integrated Marketing is an approach which utilizes a variety of print, online and experiential or dimensional types of mediums. With so many different delivery vehicles, brands are challenged to apply consistency across all of their brand touch points. Seismic shifts in the advertising and media industry have given way to trends making brand integration a primary strategy for marketers.

Meshed Media

Brand Integration is multi-faceted. There are three components, when combined, contribute to the need for integration:

• Online delivery devices with multiple data choices such as computers, tablets and mobile.  Each with a different way in which a user experiences information.
• A variety of print communications which may take vastly different forms such as out-of-home, print advertising, packaging and collateral. All of which are static in nature.
• Dimensional and experiential communications such as events, video, animation, broadcast and social media– all very dynamic.

A brand strategy may employ a marketing mix of tangible and intangible communications. Brand Integration exists when content is created and is meshed with a variety of delivery form factors– what integrates the “meshed media” is consistency. By definition there are many interdependencies among the meshed media.

This dynamic may feel like brand chaos to an end user if a master integration plan is not employed. A blueprint will help ensure all aspects of a brand communications ecosystem work together and in particular how communications are personalized for each customer. What goes without saying here is that a commitment to fulfilling the brand promise with every customer brand touch point is paramount.

Does your marketing revolve around your brand?