The importance of Brand Reputation
by 28 February, 2019
“Reputation is an outcome; but it is also a valuable, strategic asset.”
― Andrew Griffin
Brand reputation acts as a form of status and testament of the way a brand establishes itself and engages the public. Brand reputation helps brands distinguish itself among other competitors, crafting a unique sense of identity that customers can identify with. Deriving from an organisation’s philosophy, it is not about what an organisation does but the underlying “why”, the primary reason which drives an organisation’s continuous effort in endeavouring what they aim to achieve.
The power of a well-curated brand
Behind every successful brand is a meticulously crafted synergy, manifested through the careful tailoring of an identity, an idea, an objective and most importantly a philosophy. Hence, brand reputation is strongly regarded as the face that showcases the synergy behind a brand’s true purpose. Maintaining a brand reputation requires strategic forethought and it can bring about the success of a solid brand image. Beyond recognition and looking good, brand reputation is credited for a plethora of advantages that serves towards the longevity of an organisation.
Trust
Would you trust someone you just knew? Brands that are unheard or lesser-known face such issues on an amplified level. Hence, prompting organisations to strategise for a recognisable image that is reputable and respected by all. Trust is built on maintaining a high level of transparency. Brands are able to elevate themselves as a reputable brand, through careful and transparent engagement with the public, that takes heed of a customer’s needs and wellbeing. Trusting a brand means believing in their capabilities as an organisation, believing that they will always be able to execute their purpose and materialise the satisfaction of their customers. However, trust takes a long time to build but it can be easily shaken, broken quickly through any inappropriateness in handling the discontent of customers.
Customer Loyalty
When trust is established, it creates a bond between the brand and the customer, resulting in a strong loyal customer relationship. With a strong loyal customer base, the chance of customers defecting to other brands is minimised, and this will boost a brand’s competitive edge over other similar brands in the market. A good loyal customer base enables an efficient and cost-effective marketing campaign when the brand launches its marketing tactics.
Word of Mouth Activation
A great leader presents a never-dying following. Loyal to the bones, a brand loyalist who had experienced good times with a brand, continues to tide through the bad together. A loyal following presents an opportunity for a brand to stand out against their competitors. When satisfaction is met, loyal customers would often act as a brand’s most unadulterated form of advertisement. Word-of-Mouth advertising forms through the direct referral of a customer from their social circle often acting as a positive reinforcement that integrates loyalty and the pursuit of new customers.
In January this year, Singapore-based snack brand Irvins Salted Egg, faced itself with a reputation crisis. A social media post that contained a photograph of a fried lizard found in a pack of Irvins Salted Egg snack went viral registering in nearly nine thousand shares and two thousand reactions. When the snack company got hold of the news, they reacted with a post that addressed the issue directly without any blame pushing, stating that newly developed measures will be instilled to prevent such incident from ever happening again. In addition, they were open to offering refunds to customers, who had purchased the snack. The brand also continued to update their audience of the various AVA’s hygiene checks to keep customers assured of its wish of hygiene standards. Unsurprisingly, the transparent and heartfelt post received mostly positive feedback from the public, with some even prompted to try the brand out of goodwill. This case study shows that even in a disastrous situation, there is always a way out with a good reputation, tactful response and high level of transparency. This incident has since propelled Irvins to a higher level of popularity and reputation.
Understanding brand reputation
In the age of accessible user-created content through social media, the importance of upholding brand reputation is imperative. It takes finesse and a deep understanding of the methods in strategic message curation, that not only serves to sell but also establishing a reputable image that would always be instilled in the mind of the consumers.
At Adwright, we understand the importance of having a reputable brand image. Partnering with clients from a wide variety of industries and organisation structures, we have the experience of helping brands build their reputation. Coupled with our expertise in branding and marketing, we are always equipped with the knowledge in providing branding solutions that work.
