Observing the reality around us, we often realize that in every area of life we have many choices. We have a wide range of services and products at our disposal.
Their popularity is determined by quality, innovation, level of customer service and, to a large extent, promotional activities that distinguish the company from its competitors.
How to effectively promote your business using simple and inexpensive methods? What makes a brand strong and popular?

These are questions that small, medium, and large entrepreneurs ask themselves.
According to Scott Cooper, Fritz Grutzner, and Brik Cooper, six key characteristics determine the strength of a brand. I've chosen four that I want to write about today. The authors of the book “Promoting a company - tips and warnings” put brand awareness in the first place.
For a company and its products/services to become popular, brand awareness must be consistently built in society through advertising activities. Clear and accessible information about the company, its actions, characters, and the benefits it provides to its customers is important.

In second place, the authors highlight brand progressiveness.
When entrepreneurs pay attention to social trends and behaviors, they can anticipate
and respond to customer needs well in advance, thus offering innovative products and technologies. This keeps the brand constantly on top.

In third place is brand originality.
For a product or service to gain a group of loyal customers, it should stand out from the competition. Contrary to appearances, it doesn't have to be perfect; it can have something as characteristic as the loud engine roar of a Harley-Davidson, which has become a kind of brand flavor. That's why it's so important not to be afraid of being different, but to show it to the market as one of the brand's assets.

As you probably guessed - the fourth characteristic is authenticity.
Just as in life, so too in promoting a company, products, and services, even the smallest lie will be noticed by people, and the brand then loses credibility. Conveying truthful messages, backed by actions, is an effective way of acquiring the right customers. Hence, companies that don't share information about their history, goals, and the idea behind their creation and operation are trusted less by the community. That's why it's easier for us, as potential customers, to connect with a brand whose development we've witnessed from the beginning, watched its ups and downs, and know its way of communication, rather than with one we know nothing about and which is impersonal to us.

Having all the above-mentioned characteristics will make it easier for us to communicate with customers, encourage interaction, talk about purchasing decisions, unleash positive energy, and reinforce good habits. The secret lies in using the right methods. Well-known brands effectively influence transformations in society's way of thinking. Nike motivates people to change their lifestyle to a healthier, more active one; Coca-Cola promotes a lifestyle among family and friends; PZU educates responsible drivers by sending the message: let's drive carefully on the roads for the sake of our loved ones, etc. Thus, big brands teach in their advertising messages how to live wisely and pleasantly.

It remains for us to construct the advertising message well. We should remember that it shouldn't be too obvious, and all the above-mentioned characteristics should not be directly expressed. Understatement is one of the most important features of good promotion and advertising. It leaves space for the audience to complete and pass on the brand's story.

As the authors of the book write: [ (...) when there's missing information in the brand story, we fill in that gap. Then we create our own stories. And since they've emerged in our minds, we become more emotionally attached to them. They become part of the brand's story.]

So how do we consistently tell the same story well without boring customers?
A collection of symbols and archetypes, known since the beginning of the world, comes to our aid. Each of them evokes specific emotions in the audience. For example, Leroy Merlin and Nike use the archetypes of a hero - a winner who excellently overcomes their problems and bravely faces difficulties. It's then easier to establish a close relationship with the brand.

For those who want to learn more about how to create an authentic brand story, I encourage you to read the book “Promoting a company - tips and warnings”.

And for those who already know us, I ask a question :).
What do you think - what common archetype is the basis of advertising communication for Jet Line and Fundacja Rejs Odkrywców?