The Future of Advertising - Merging with Entertainment

Mike Toth
Toth Brand Imaging
CEO & Chief Creative Director

Establishing Brands

For a client to differentiate its product in the marketplace, one must begin with the vision of the brand. We call it brand DNA – the unique qualities or the essence of the brand. It must be determined in advance and relative to its position in the marketplace. Decide whether you want to play in a crowded field or distinguish yourself within that field. Those are strategic issues that are determined early on in a marketing relationship with the brand management team. The next step is understanding what makes the brand different. For example, distribution could be different – channels, pricing, quality, the way it’s delivered. You can use many variables to distinguish yourself from the competition, and it’s imperative you do so. After you look at the competitive landscape, realize the high ground – a position that’s defendable and a place you can create strategies to win.

With all the different media through which a message can be driven, having one consistent message is critical. It’s important to have consistency in all messages and all consumer touch points. Consistency, familiarity, reliability – these are the elements upon which a relationship of trust is built. Trust is created through consistency, through delivering on what’s expected. That doesn’t mean it can’t be fresh, and it doesn’t mean it has to be predictable. But it still has to be relevant, who you are, and consistently portrayed. When you think about your trust level with people, it comes out of really knowing them and having an idea of what to expect, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to say the same thing every day. They have the permission to explore the boundaries within who they are and maintain relevance throughout time. Never abandon who you are because of the lure of the sirens.

Advertising should portray the company’s vision. The horse is the vision of the organization and the buggy is the advertising, or maybe even one of the wheels. It’s not the whole thing. Advertising doesn’t drive an organization; the organization drives advertising.