By: Ashley
Layne
May 8, 2007
Table
of
Contents
·
Branding and Special libraries
“Make it real”
–Coke
Consider Coke. What comes to mind? This
one word
probably elicits any number of thoughts, feelings and automatic
responses.
Introduced in 1886, Coke represents the power of a strong brand that
has
withstood the test of time. Why has Coke prospered while others have
failed?
One might assume that it is the best tasting soft drink. Of course the
results
of many taste tests would suggest otherwise. So if not taste, then
what? Coke
has maintained a leadership position in the soft drink industry in part
due to
excellent branding strategies.
To best understand branding, the multi-dimensional
aspects of the process must be considered. Not to be confused with the
broader
category of marketing, branding is one important component of the
marketing
initiative. The brand is not simply the logo or trademark, the slogan,
and the
overall look of a product or service. While an important part of the
brand
process, these elements are representative of the physical presence of
the
brand. Beyond physical branding considerations are the emotional
responses to
the brand. How do consumers feel about a brand? Good brands go beyond
the
physical to evoke emotional responses from consumers. So while Coke may
not
actually be the best tasting soft drink on the market, this brand has
come to
mean more to consumers than just something to drink. The Coke brand has
succeeded in creating a positive brand relationship
with its customers.
Many definitions attempt to capture the essence of
branding. Some dictionaries may offer a flat, outdated sense of the
word. The American Heritage Dictionary defines
brand as “a trademark or distinctive name identifying a product or a
manufacturer.” (204) Others characterize the brand as the “top of the
mind”
reaction to products or services. (McCaughan, 179) While still others
suggest
that a brand is a person’s “gut feeling about a product, service, or
company.”
(Neumeier, 2) For a more comprehensive understanding of the brand,
consider
this definition offered in A New Brand
World:
A Brand
is the sum of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the off-strategy. It is
defined
by your best product as well as your worst product. It is defined by
award-winning advertising as well as by the god-awful ads that somehow
slipped
through the cracks, got approved, and, not surprisingly, sank into
oblivion. It
is defined by the accomplishments of your best employee—the shining
star in the
company who can do no wrong—as well as by the mishaps of the worst hire
that
you ever made. It is also defined by your receptionist and the music
your
customers are subjected to when placed on hold. For every grand and
finely
worded public statement by the CEO, the brand is also defined by
derisory
consumer comments overheard in the hallway or in a chat room on the
Internet.
Brands are sponges for content, for images, for fleeting feelings. They
become
psychological concepts held in the minds of the public, where they may
stay
forever. As such you can’t entirely control a brand. At best you only
guide and
influence it. (Bedbury, 15)
“Think
different” –Apple
Clearly branding is an
important concept for organizations participating
in the profit-centered marketplace where the bottom-line and company
viability
depend upon consumers purchasing a specific brand. Many libraries,
however,
operate in the non-profit sector free from the worries of bottom-line
expectations. Libraries enjoy the luxury of a non-competitive
environment
existing to serve a higher-purpose, assisting patrons in their
information
needs without the confines of for-profit realities. Think again! While
some
libraries are inherently valued as part of the community or
organization in
which they operate, the reality is that many libraries are facing
cutbacks and
some are even being closed because of bottom-line concerns. Published
by the
The business of information is unquestionably growing
increasingly competitive. Libraries face increasing competition in the
information marketplace. Many users perceive the internet as providing
everything they need online. Information brokers offer companies
information
services for a bargain. (Osif, 39) The perception exists in the mind of
many
consumers that information, whether quality information or not, may be
obtained
more affordably or more easily from other sources than the library. An
effective tool in recreating the library image in the mind of the
consumer can
be quality branding initiatives.
Branding
“Don’t leave
home without it”
–American Express
Much consideration has been given recently to branding as
it relates specifically to the special library. As the name
underscores,
special libraries are special or unique in some ways. Often, the
collections
and services provided by special libraries are smaller and highly
specialized
to match the needs of the parent organization. Managers in these parent
organizations often characterize the library as an overhead expense—a
cost
center which does not directly contribute to a profitable bottom-line.
Understandably, during economic downturns managers may feel that
cutting the
library budget or even closing the special library is a viable option.
According
to The Bottom Line—Determining and
Communicating the Value of the Special Library, “A 1990 survey of
senior
managers in large U.S. Corporations revealed that more than 60 percent
could
not give a specific value of the library in their organization.”
(Matthews,
xiv) This vague perception of the value of the library by these senior
managers
suggests an opportunity for special libraries to pursue branding
initiatives to
raise awareness and demonstrate the value of the library brand.
Of note, in July of 2003 the Special Libraries
Association (SLA) introduced an ongoing initiative to implement a new
branding
strategy for the organization. With more than 12,000 members, the
“Just do it”
–Nike
A first step in the branding process for a special
library is to determine the existing brand identity of the library.
What does
the library mean to its customers? (Dempsey, 32) What have customers
come to
expect from the library? Try seeing the library through the eyes of the
patron.
Start with the physical components of the library.
Consider the space itself and what the layout, design and cleanliness
reveal
about the brand. Next, view any tangible components representing the
library
such as stationery, flyers or other marketing pieces. Upon seeing a
library product,
customers should immediately recognize the source of the work—the
library. The
logo should be used consistently on all marketing pieces. The color and
design
of the work should also differentiate the piece as library material.
All of
these physical representations of the library should consistently
reinforce the
identity and brand of the library. (Fullner, 32)
Next, consider the intangible, the experiences of those
using the library. How does the atmosphere reinforce the identity of
the brand?
Do customers feel welcomed by staff? Do staff members provide customer
service
which goes beyond expectations? Are e-mails answered promptly with
quality
feedback? Every interaction should clearly indicate to the customer
that he is
important and the first priority of the library. While these details
may seem
straightforward and self-evident, a fresh look at the library through
the eyes
and experiences of a user may provide some surprising revelations about
the
true identity of the special library brand. (Fullner, 33)
“We try harder”
–Avis
In building powerful, effective brands, libraries must
think outside the box and consider what could be done for user groups
beyond
what has come to be expected. After realistically evaluating the true
nature of
the brand image of the library, the next step in the branding process
is to use
this information to determine the brand aspiration for the library—what
the
library brand could mean to the customers. (Dempsey, 32) Perhaps some
of the
results of the brand identification process were surprising or
disappointing.
One suggested approach for generating a visual component to compliment
the
process of understanding the current state of the brand, ongoing issues
with
the brand, and ways to improve the brand is to construct a SWOT matrix.
(Claggett, 15) By organizing the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and
Threats of the organization as determined in the brand identity
process,
librarians may then work to highlight the strengths of the organization
and
take advantage of opportunities while working to minimize the
weaknesses and
avoid potential pitfalls of suggested threats in the initial creation
of
strategies for creating a stronger, more valued library brand.
“Expect more,
pay less”
–Target
After determining the brand aspiration for the library,
the desired sense and meaning of the library for its users, a strategy
for
raising the value of the brand in the minds of the customer must be
considered.
In her analysis of the Target brand, Dempsey cites the effectiveness of
Target’s strategy in developing and maintaining brand excellence.
Target
strategically marketed to a unique niche
(upscale discount), introduced a valuable promise
to this niche (Expect more, pay less) and followed
through by focusing on that promise in every interaction with the
customer
(excellent customer service). (Dempsey, 33) Once again, the special
library may
look to effective business strategies for improving its own branding
initiatives.
Christine Olson, the coordinator for the branding
initiative for the
“Have it your
way” –Burger
King
After determining the special library niche, a
differential that makes the library unique, focus.
According to The Brand
Gap, the three most critical words to successful branding are:
“focus,
focus, focus.” (Neumeier, 44) Ironically, a primary danger to the brand
is
trying to do too much for too many. Examples of brands overextending
themselves
into areas outside their core roles illustrate the dangers of watering
down the
brand message. One example of note is Volvo. The Volvo brand of
functional,
boxy vehicles has always been known for its safety. More recently,
Volvo has
created a new line of more stylish, sleek vehicles. Although it is too
soon to
tell, these mixed messages may very well weaken the brand. (Neumeier,
45) By
staying focused on the special library niche, the library is better
able to
differentiate itself as an expert in that niche, and as such, prove a
valuable,
indispensable asset to the organization.
While focusing on the selected niche, the special library
necessarily must also focus on meeting the needs of the target market
for which
the niche was created. In a special library setting, perhaps the
R&D
department represents the 20% of the patron population using the
library
resources 80% of the time. The special library should focus market
research
initiatives into better understanding and accommodating the information
needs
of this group. According to The Brand Gap,
marketing initiatives should be focused on identifying the reasons
consumers
would want to buy a product or consumer centric marketing. (Neumeier,
38) To do this, special librarians must
know the
target audience, focus on and speak to their needs. By aligning library
services with the needs of an identified user base, special libraries
most
effectively focus resources for the most value-added outcomes for the
organization while presenting a clear picture of the library brand.
“Share a
moment, share a
life” –Kodak
When identifying powerful brands, often it is the
personality, the intangible something extra, that sets the best brands
apart.
The special library is in a perfect position to capitalize on the
personality
of the brand, librarians, to differentiate library products and
services and
maximize brand appeal. In “The Library’s Living Brand,” Fisher
indicates that
“the library staff could be thought of as a living brand because it is
our
personalized attention to information education that makes our service
unique.”
(Fisher, 16) In the face of so many other information options for users
including the internet and/or databases accommodating end-user
searching, the
competitive advantage offered by librarians is “a living human being
who has
dedicated his or her education and career to help them develop and
conduct
their research and other information needs.” (16) The living aspect of
the
special library’s brand can be a powerful component in the brand
initiative
which can help differentiate the library with its professional,
personalized,
and interactive information services.
“The ultimate
driving
machine” –BMW
According to law librarian Susan Fowler, a strong brand
must be “distinctive, relevant and consistent.” (Fowler, 11) While
various
aspects of distinction and consistency have been previously addressed,
of
interest is the concept of relevance. After identifying and developing
a valued
brand through brand identity, brand strategies, differentiating
factors, and
target market research, the brand must be maintained and nurtured to
stay
relevant. Several examples in the literature share initiatives aimed at
updating various library branding programs to remain relevant and
pertinent to
the communities or organizations served. The National Institutes of
Health
Library in
While these examples reflect some of the more visible
activities involved in strategically maintaining the brand, the
intangible
elements of the brand must receive ongoing consideration and be revised
accordingly. The personality and the relationship factor of consumer to
library
must always reflect the brand promise which itself will likely evolve
with the
changing information needs of the target demographic. New employees,
too, must
be immersed in the brand philosophy to insure that every encounter with
every
patron is a reflection of the special library brand.
“When you care
enough to send
the very best” –Hallmark
Whether the special library is purposely branding or not,
it is nonetheless branding. For better or worse, library users develop
lasting
perceptions of the library from the tangible impressions of the library
to the
intangible sense of the library and experiences within the library. Will the special library brand realistically
be perfectly represented on every level? No. To be a real entity, a
real living
brand, the library brand will be imperfect. “Let the brand live,
breathe, make
mistakes, be human. Instead of trying to present a Teflon-smooth
surface,
project a three-dimensional personality, inconsistencies and all.
Brands can
afford to be inconsistent—as long as they don’t abandon their defining
attributes.” (Neumeier,133) Most importantly, define the special
library
attributes, identify and live the brand.
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Leadership in the
21st Century.
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*Note—Advertising
slogans included were obtained from
http://www.adslogans.co.uk/hof/index.html.
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