In today’s world of User Generated Content, super segmented mediums of communication (Blogs, Podcasts, Videocasts, etc.) the brand manager has little executional control over the brand itself. What he or she drives is the strategy the road map to steer the brand towards the direction where we want the brand should go.
The consumer may hear about it from a friend, advisor, expert or may be she receives a sample from one of the same touch points or just watch hear an advertisement, print ad in a magazine or simply a flyer at the store; Mom is now curious about the product prompting her decision to try the product. She makes the trip to a store or a website to browse and make the purchase. Her purchase may involve interaction with fellow buyer (who knows may be someone who liked the product and praises the brand or someone who hated the brand/company dissuading her from buying the brand/company products) who provides her an opinion or an expert who influences her choice.
Once home she tries the product experiencing it holistically from opening the package, to reading dispensing, using, and repetition until the product/brand is ready for replenishment. If we convinced her about the efficacy of the brand and the benefits exceeded her price creating a value, we may even have an ambassador or even a zealot depending on how exciting the results turned out. On the other end if we failed her she is going to do everything within her capacity to talk about her failure. All this while the brand manager is tracking only aggregated data on market trends at a much higher level with the individual consumer in his or her blind spot.
The circle of the brand experience starts with awareness, research, browsing, purchase, usage, advocacy and repurchase. The brand manager is working out the grand plan for the brand, the message, the pricing, the placement, the promotions, the affiliations, the alliances, the endorsements and even the packaging with the intent to get to his or her prospect a fulfilling experience anytime and every time she interacts with the brand. As aggregate market data trickles in to the Brand manager any obvious deviations from expected outcome require retooling, taking aim and firing all over again, all this while Mom may be cooking up a whole new surprise.
Not too different from passenger who is reading the map and instructing the driver who may chose to follow the directions or simply ignore and do what they want.
