Does the Army Have A Good Brand?

After watching the US Army’s latest commercial I began to think, “How good is the US Army brand?” This is very hard to put your finger on. For many reasons, the idea of the US Army varies greatly in the minds of people across the world. In a recent debate on BrandChannel most people believe that improving the Army brand is almost impossible. Most people understand Marines as commandos, Navy as seamen, Air Force with pilots, and the Coast Guard protects our Coast, what about the Army? Most people probably think of the Army as the military in the most broad sense. The Army commercial talks about strong vs. Army Strong. This is not a very good brand in my opinion. The key elements of a good brand; value proposition and differentiation are missing. Here are a few tips in making the Army brand better.

Why Army?

The Army strong tagline is nice, I admit it even sounds cool, but does it get anywhere towards what the Army has to offer? The US Army is strong, just like the hundreds of other organizations out there, but strength is not the value of the Army. What does the Army do, that no other organization can? Keep America safe in every realm. Possibly the US Army should consider advertisements that are less “hero” and more realistic and in your face. I know some of the most powerful stuff I have seen have been through email forwards that show the everyday life of troops abroad with a message of peace and freedom. Unfortunately, the Army does not use its advertisements to build its brand.

Okay, we have seen this before

The Army has done very little to differentiate itself from other organizations. There is nothing that separates stands out in one’s mind about the Army. The Navy has boats. The Air Force has planes. The Marines have swords and cool uniforms. What about the Army? There is very little that separates this organization. They must begin to separate themselves. Instead of the cliché brand, what about something a little different. What about more imagery of identifiable Army veterans? How about more movies about Army groups such as the Special Forces or Airborne soldiers? By emphaizing its uniqueness, the Army can help improve its brand.

Solution

If the Pentagon knocked on my door tomorrow to head up a marketing campaign for the military, I would try connect with the people that would be most moved, Generation Y. Unlike the generations of the past, they are not as moved by heroes. To the young heroes are on the movie screen or football field. Army and heroes do not go hand in hand (unfortunately) like it has in times past. Today the Army must focus on tugging on the emotional strings with a more gritty, controversial campaign. It could even go as far to have its soldiers profiled more often in real situations. Consider the popularity of reality TV, why can’t this be duplicated and used by the Army? Reaching out to the youngest generation could start a wave that can reverse most people’s gut feeling about one of the oldest American organizations.

Check out what others have to say about the Army brand on BrandChannel.

Where Did Your Stimulus Check Go?

Nationwide millions of people are rejoicing over the “economic stimulus package” that is meant to boost our economy. While the jury is still out on whether or not the economy will recover from this shot in the arm, one thing is clear, people are spending money (in most cases) on things that they want.

Whether you are for or against this gimmick plan, one thing is clear money is going somewhere. If you are anything like me, you probably want to know what other people are purchasing with the money they received. There is a neat little blog called How I Spent My Stimulus that details what exactly Americans are spending their stimulus checks on. Some people invested, other got out of debt, and some just plain wasted it, but every story is interesting. I decided to join the movement and posted what I spent my stack of cash on as well. Go ahead, post your story and tell the world!

Just remember, spend wisely and have a smile or two at the cartoons below (-:

Is Your Brand Generic?

As consumers, we are forced on a daily basis to make a very difficult choice. Should you buy generic or brand name? Of course, the generic route usually means savings and more money in your pocket. Or does it?

I have always wondered why people continue to purchase brand names, when they could save money by purchasing generic products. The answer lies in the relationship each brand name can form with the consumer. For example, Cheerios has positioned itself based on its healthy benefit. In these health conscious times this alone, could drive the purchasing decision for many. On the other hand, Toasted Oats just offers a substitute for Cheerios, with no other clear value.

When it comes to your own personal brand, are you generic? There are thousands of people in the world who present themselves as seasoned professionals or driven-leaders, but does that truly separate them from other professionals? Most likely, these people are just a generic as the Toasted Oats brand. There is no clear value proposition or differentiation, just more of the same old stuff. In the end, this people hurt themselves when thinking about the next career move or promotion.

With a few simple steps, you can make yourself a name-brand and avoid the doldrums of the generic brand.

Develop your value proposition

What value do you offer? We all know that Starbucks offers premium coffee, IKEA will give you cheap furniture and Disney will offer fun for your family. These companies spend millions of dollars creating this value proposition, what about your brand? Are you are proven sales star with a knack for getting things done? Do you offer cost-saving strategies with innovation? My personal value proposition is Imaginative solutions for success®. I aim to provide my clients and employer with creative means at achieving goals. I encourage you to do the same for your personal brand.

What makes YOUnique?

You have heard this a thousand times, we are all unique. There are no two people, that are completely the same. Think about about bottled water. Most of us have consumed a certain type of bottled water in the last 12 months. Surprisingly enough, you probably purchased a “brand-name” water based on its uniqueness. Of course, you could have purchased the water that comes in the milk jug for cheaper, but you went for the Dasani because it was unique and different. Your personal brand will be successful based on your ability to differentiate your brand from others. Are you a new college grad or Generation Y expert? Are you an insurance professional or a person with a knack for driving profit? Being different will help power you to achieve your dreams.

Personal branding is very difficult, and takes time and commitment to get it right. At minimum, however, you should promote your value proposition and carefully differentiate yourself from others. This alone will help you separate yourself from 99% of other in the workforce.

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