Why are occasions vital to building a brand?
As brands innovate faster, scale bigger, and act bolder, building from a strong base becomes vital to a brand’s long-term success. Many of our clients ask, ‘What does a strong base look like when evaluating a brand?
The short answer: A clear definition of what the brand value system is and the tone in which it speaks to its consumers.
The long answer is it depends. It depends on the story of how and the why of a brand’s beginnings. When the brand was created, what service did it provide to a person’s life? One of the most essential ingredients to building a great brand is truly understanding its purpose. Does your brand want to elevate a social cause? Will your brand teach kids a new way to learn during a pandemic? Can your brand help entrepreneurs better scale their products?
Occasions are a beautiful way to help better define the brand’s emotional and functional purpose. We typically define occasions as moments in which a consumer interacts with a brand or category based on their needs, motivations, and behaviors. A lot of this is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy and understanding deeper human needs in relationship to a brand. A few brands that do this very well are Nike, Michelob ULTRA, and Apple. Let us explain!
As you think about a brand like Michelob ULTRA, as a brand that thrives in the space of better-for-you in the world of beer, a lot of the physical attributes like being 2.6 grams of carbs and 96 calories support this identity. As we look to shape the emotional identity, we see the brand speak about going the extra mile or only being worth the outcome if you enjoy the pursuit. The brand speaks to the beer drinker that cares about what they drink, wants to enjoy a beer, and feel their extra effort in supported in the active lifestyle they pursue. The occasions in this realm may look like, activating at marathons post-race or being paired with a light dinner in the summer, and giving back to social causes connected to health and fitness. Branding is all about standing out to the right people, walking the talk, and placing the product in the right places to be enjoyed exactly as it’s intended.
Occasions are about consumer needs and behaviors, when a brand builds its foundation, understanding the deeper needs of the user's lifestyle is key.
