When a brand's real purpose intersects with its audience's true passions, you find an authentic connection to develop marketing positions, creative strategies and the building blocks of breakthrough campaigns.
Even though strategies are usually behind-the-scenes, without them what consumers see isn't engaging, relevant or meaningful. When done right, branding and creative strategies, direct teams forward and inspire all those working on the brand.
Here are a few examples of strategies and creative directives that led to powerful work and campaigns–for AEP, KFC Saucy, Cortero Racing, Evolv28 and COTA.
Guiding the repositioning of AEP in order to find a more powerful connection with audiences. As well as defining a purpose the brand can share with its customers. "Boundless Energy" showcased AEP's commitment and connection to its communities. It became the foundation for developing an entirely new brand position.
For KFC Saucy, the goal was to develop the creative voice behind the messaging. And give the creative team the kind of direction that would not only guide them, but inspire them forward.
For the Central Ohio Transit Authority, the goal was a transition from its "transit authority" past to a new future as a "mobility solutions provider." It meant changing the optics of the brand, providing a new voice and developing a new look. And then using the guide to reconnect with its ridership.
For Cortero Racing, it was about building a brand from the ground up. Starting with the development of the brand's marketing structure to establishing creative strategies and messaging platforms. The work allowed the brand and it's small marketing team to focus on the work at hand, while looking to Cortero's future voice.
After establishing the brand and its behaviors, it was time to develop a creative strategy and the storyline guiding everything forward.
With Evolv28, the strategic goal was taking an existing market position and give it an engaging creative foundation. To do that meant developing a variety of creative concepts, all based on a single strategy, and see which would produce the most meaningful, most connective platform for campaigns and content.
Overall, when it comes to branding and creative strategies, my goal is to bring marketing positions to life beyond the pages of internal documents. And then, to provide a creative foundation that not only inspires breakthrough work, but energizes the brand's messaging. When a brand weilds a powerfully engaging purpose and the creative has a strong platform for ideation, I believe great things can happen.
And, in my experience, they often do.