By Udo Panenka, President, Esko –
I began my article on brand fragmentation due to disconnected marketing efforts, published recently in Branding Magazine, with the quote “Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity,” from Bruce Lee. Mr. Lee knew what he was talking about; it’s consistency that FMCG brands can use to knit their different channels and strategies back together again.
The intensity of digital branding teams or other groups that are channel-centric is admirable, but must be in tune with the overall brand. When every department is singing together, the customer hears the choir, not disconnected voices – regardless of where and how they engage with the brand.
Leaders I know estimate that about 60% of large FMCG companies are experiencing this brand fragmentation. But for those that are keeping their brands intact, I see some common practices. Here are a few:
Centralization and standardization through software is not a new concept, but one that does require discipline and a willingness to invest in technology and people. The software I’ve mentioned here is part and parcel of a larger goal many companies recognize: the transformation of the whole business into an integrated digital operation that encompasses every brand component, even the physical package.
If you’re interested in finding out how you can centralize and standardize your marketing efforts with software, please download “Packaging’s moment of truth: the integration of physical and digital.”