THE MOLECULAR BRANDA BRAND MODEL FOR THE AGE OF CONVERSATION

BERLIN // DECEMBER 2009

TORSTEN HENNING HENSELPARTNER // CREATIVE CONSULTANT

NOUVÉ INTERPLAY

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WELCOME TO THE AGE OF CONVERSATION!SOCIAL MEDIA HAS GIVEN PEOPLE A VOICE – TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PASSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT INTERESTS AND DRIVES THEM. IT‘S A VOICE TO BE HEARD NOT ONLY BY OTHER PEOPLE BUT BY MARKETERS AS WELL. BECAUSE IT‘S A STRONG VOICE. A VOICE THAT CAN EVEN AFFECT THE FATE OF THEIR BRANDS...

IN WEB 2.0, IT‘S MORE AND MORE THE PEOPLE, THE CONSUMERS, THE BRAND'S FRIENDS AND FANS, WHO PILOT THE BRAND'S SUCCESS BY THE EXPERIENCES THEY SHARE AND THE STORIES THEY TELL ABOUT IT.

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TODAY, BRANDS ARE LESS ABOUT CORPORATE VOICE AND MORE ABOUT CUSTOMERS MAKING BRAND MUSIC WITH THEIR OWN VOICES.

BRANDS ARE REMIX, RECHARGE, RENEW.

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IN THIS RELATIVELY NEW COMMUNICATION ECOSYSTEM

BRANDS GET MORE AND MORE

IN A DILEMMA

ON THE ONE HAND

BRANDS NEED CONSISTENCYBECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GIVE ORIENTATION

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ON THE OTHER HAND,

THEY NEEDCONSTANT

RENEWAL AND EXCHANGETO FURTHER GROW

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BRAND IDENTITY PERPETUAL BETAVS.STATIC BRAND MODEL

DYNAMIC BRAND ENVIRONMENT

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THE PROBLEM:

BRAND IDENTITY MEANS THAT BRANDS HAVE AN

IDENTITY, NOT THAT THEY NEED TO BE

IDENTICAL ALL THE TIME, TO EVERY CUSTOMER,

EVERY DAY.

IDENTITY

IDENTICAL=

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BUT:

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IMHARA

BRANDS NEED MANY FACE(T)S TO CONNECT WITH THEIR AUDIENCES.

YOU COULD THINK BRANDS LIKE A CLOSET THAT CONTAINS

A DRESS FOR EACH OCCASION, BUT WHO WEARS IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

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THIS REQUIRES A NEW BRAND MODEL.

ONE THAT OPENS THE BRAND TO ITS DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS.

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ONE THAT ALLOWS SPACE FOR CO-CREATION AND PERSONAL INTERPRETATION.

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ONE THAT INTEGRATES THE CONTEXT OF THE BRAND, ITS COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA ENVIRONMENT, THE TRENDS AND

PREFERENCES OF THE CONSUMERS THAT IT ADDRESSES.

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A BRAND MODEL THAT PUTS THE BRAND‘S PROGRESSION AND TRANSFORMATION IN THE

CENTER OF THE CONCEPT.

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A STATIC BRAND MODEL IS NOT ABLE TO FULFILL ALL THESE (CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING) DEMANDS. THEREFORE, THE BRAND MODEL FOR

THE AGE OF CONVERSATION NEEDS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ABLE TO ADAPT THE VARIOUS CONTEXTS AND LEVELS THAT BRANDS ARE

FACING IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE.

THE MOLECULAR BRAND

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WWW.CLEARSPACESTUDIO.COM/IMAGES/OSCILLATION.JPG

Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states.

Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes is used to be synonymous with "oscillation." Oscillations occur not only in physical systems but also in biological systems and in human society.

BRANDS ARE OSCILLATINGMOLECULAR

AROUND THEIR CORE

MOLECULAR BRANDS ARE OSCILLATINGBETWEEN THE SELF AND THE OTHERTHE ORDERING POWER OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS REFERS LESS TO A STATIC IDENTITY, THAN IT STRUCTURES A PROCESSUAL CHANGE THAT HAS ITS OWN LOGIC OF DEVELOPMENT. THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THIS STRUCTURE OF ORDER IS THUS BASED IN THE REGULATION OF PROCESSES OF AN INTERIORIZATION OF THE OUTSIDE AND OF AN EXTERIORIZATION OF THE INSIDE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR IS CHARACTERIZED BY AN INTERPLAY OF THE APPROPRIATION OF THE FOREIGN AND OF STRUCTURAL SELF-CHANGE. THE IDENTITY OF SUCH AN ORDER CAN THUS BE UNDERSTOOD AS A SELF-REGULATING GROWTH PROCESS DRIVEN FORWARD BY A CONSTANT "OSCILLATION" BETWEEN POSITIONS OF SELFNESS AND FOREIGNNESS, OF "ASSIMILATION AND ACCOMMODATION". ORTFRIED SCHAEFFTER

MOLECULAR BRANDS USE MULTIPLE CONNECTORS TO ATTRACT PEOPLE

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BRANDS THAT REALLY WANT TO CONNECT WITH CUSTOMERS ON A DEEP AND MEANINGFUL LEVEL WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY COMMON GROUND AND AREAS OF SIMILARITY AND SYNERGY WITH THESE CUSTOMERS. THIS HAS TO BE GENUINE AND BASED ON THE REAL VALUES AND VISION OF THE BRAND. EFFORTS TO ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE AND MORE CUSTOMERS ARE BETTER ACCEPTED WHEN ALIGNED WITH THE BRAND SPIRIT AND DONE IN HARMONY WITH ITS CORE IDENTITY AND MAIN OFFERING. COMMON GROUNDS WILL BE THE SOIL WHERE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BRANDS AND CONSUMERS WILL GROW AND PROSPER. JEAN-CLAUDE SAADE

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SHARED VALUES PEACE, EQUALITY, LIBERTY…VALUES ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST BONDING FACTORS FOR PEOPLE IN GENERAL AND BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BRANDS. PEOPLE WHO SHARE AND CHERISH THE SAME VALUES TEND TO COME TOGETHER AND STAY UNITED IN THE NAME OF THESE VALUES.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED ROOTS RELIGION, ETHNICITY, LANGUAGE, CULTURE, CITIZENSHIP, EDUCATION, PROFESSION, GEOGRAPHY…THE SECRET ABOUT "SHARED ROOTS" IS THEIR ABILITY TO BYPASS THE LENGTHY PROCESS OF BUILDING FAMILIARITY. PEOPLE CONNECT MORE NATURALLY WITH BRANDS THAT SHARE THE SAME CULTURE, GEOGRAPHY, RELIGION OR BACKGROUND. THEY WILL NATURALLY FEEL ATTRACTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVER THAT THEY HAVE MANY THINGS IN COMMON, EVEN BEFORE STARTING THE RELATIONSHIP.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED FIGHTS POLITICS, ENVIRONMENT, WILDLIFE…SHARED FIGHTS AND CAUSES RALLY PEOPLE AND CONNECT THEM WITH ORGANIZATIONS, BRANDS AND BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THESE SAME FIGHT AND CAUSE. PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THE PRESERVATION OF A BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT OR THE PRESERVATION OF WILDLIFE AND ENDANGERED SPECIES WILL CONNECT WITH BRANDS WHO ARE SHARING THIS SAME FIGHT LIKE GREENPEACE AND THE WWE. THEY WILL ALSO CONNECT WITH AND SUPPORT BUSINESSES AND BRANDS THAT ARE TAKING GENUINE AND TANGIBLE MEASURES TO PRESERVE THE ENVIRONMENT OR TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED INTERESTS & BENEFITS WEALTH, POWER, INFORMATION, NOTORIETY…SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BENEFITS CAN LEAD PEOPLE TO FORM GROUPS OR INTERNET-BASED COMMUNITIES FOR SHARING IDEAS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES IN CERTAIN FIELDS. THESE GROUPS OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH PEERS FOR SHARING, NETWORKING, AND LOBBYING. BRANDS WHO SHARE THE SAME INTERESTS OR WHO CAN HELP IN REALIZING THE INTERESTS AND BENEFITS OF THESE GROUPS CAN ESTABLISH A SOLID AND CONTINUOUS CONNECTION WITH THEM.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED LIFESTYLE FASHION, HOUSING, RESTAURANTS, VACATIONS…SIMILAR LIFESTYLE PATTERNS CREATE NATURAL SYNERGIES BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BETWEEN PEOPLE AND BRANDS. ARMANI, HARLEY-DAVIDSON, STARBUCKS, NIKE, BOSS, ADIDAS, AND MANY OTHER LIFESTYLE BRANDS HAVE EARNED THE STATUS OF A "LIFESTYLE SYMBOL", WHICH GOES FAR BEYOND THE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE DELIVERY OF THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE THEY ARE SELLING. PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS USED THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH ICONIC BRANDS TO PROJECT CERTAIN LIFESTYLE MESSAGES TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED HOBBIES SPORTS, ARTS, GAMING, COLLECTING, TRAVELING…SHARED HOBBIES OF DIFFERENT NATURES CAN ALSO BRING PEOPLE CLOSER AND CONNECT THEM TO BRANDS THAT SHOW INTEREST IN THESE HOBBIES. BRANDS LIKE QUIKSILVER AND BILLABONG HAVE BEEN INVENTED FROM WITHIN THE HOBBY OF WAVE SURFING. THE ESSENCE OF THESE BRANDS IS STILL ANCHORED IN THE SURFING CULTURE AND THEIR KEY REASON-TO-BE IS SERVING THE SURFING COMMUNITY. REGARDLESS IF THESE BRANDS HAVE BECOME OVEREXTENDED NOWADAYS, ACTUAL AND ASPIRING SURFERS WILL CONTINUE TO CONNECT STRONGLY WITH THEM FUELED BY THE APPEAL OF SURFING AS A WAY OF LIFE.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

SHARED PREFERENCES FOOD, DRINKS, CARS, MUSIC, CLOTHING…PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME PREFERENCES WILL NATURALLY MANIFEST ELEMENTS OF SYNERGY AND SYMPATHY. THOSE WHO LIKE ITALIAN FOOD, SWISS CHOCOLATE, OR A NEW MINI WOULD FIND A COMMON GROUND FOR BONDING AND DIALOGUE. SHARED PREFERENCES CAN ALSO FAVOR THE FORMATION OF CERTAIN CONSUMER GROUPS WHO CAN FAVOR CERTAIN BRANDS OR MODELS AND PROMOTE THEM DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.

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SEVEN CONNECTORS

HOW COULD SUCH A BRAND MODEL LOOK LIKE?

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MOLECULAR BRANDS ARE BASED ON A

CONSTANT CORE

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AROUND THEIR CORE, THEY HAVE A

VARIABLE COATING

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TO CONNECT WITH THEIR FANS.

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AND WITH THEIR CRITICS.

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WITH THE MEDIA.

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AND WITH THE MEDIA 2.0.

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WITH THE EARLY ADOPTERS.

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AND WITH THE LAGGARDS.

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WITH THE CUSTOMERS.

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AND WITH THE STAFF.

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THIS MEANS:

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THIS MEANS:

CORE

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THIS MEANS:

+ AUDIENCE

CORE

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THIS MEANS:

+ AUDIENCE + CONNECTORS

CORE

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THIS MEANS:

+ AUDIENCE + CONNECTORS = BRAND

CORE

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... IN EVER CHANGING CONSTELLATIONS, PRODUCING INFINITEFRACTAL BRAND MOLECULES...

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THANK YOU!

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