How to Cut Through the Noise and Go Straight Into the Heart of the Consumer

Every single day, you and I are exposed to 5,000 brand messages. We only notice about 86 of them, and from those, just 12 make a lasting impression. It shows that every brand is fighting fiercely to come out on top. Most are merely adding to the noise. The big question is; how do you beat the other 4,999 other brands?

Over the years, working with hundreds of brands, we have found a simple yet highly effective formula to catch and engage the right consumers. We call it; Clarify & Amplify. 

It sounds simple, but it’s no easy job. As humans (and as companies), we have a lot on our minds. We want to tell the world about all the fantastic things we do. We get caught up in our work, product, brand and marketing. We fool ourselves into believing people have the time and energy to absorb everything we throw at them when the reality is quite the opposite.

Distilling the essence

Sharpening your brand message is about helping people to make easy decisions. Make it easier to navigate the shelves, locate your products, and get your message across. In the end, it’s all about selling products, of course.

Doing so requires some effort. You need to do two things: clarify and amplify. Let’s briefly touch upon how we do it at Everland.

First, we clarify. It involves a lot of stakeholders, and it often involves killing a lot of darlings.

We start by mapping all your brand messages. What do you want people to know about you? And more importantly, what do consumers expect from your brand? Once an analysis is in place, we create a hierarchy. What is the most essential brand message of all the messages?

The goal is to find the one that sets you apart from the competition. The one authentic message that you can claim because you are you. The message that makes you stand out and appeals to your target audience.

Now, you’re ready to amplify your message.

Turning up the volume.

Next, we amplify. We move from strategy to creative execution. Time to get loud.

This is the phase where designers translate strategy into shapes and colours. It’s no easy task to make the design fit the desired brand promise (and brand narrative) and tick all the boxes necessary to stand out. It’s taken into account the company, culture, category, and consumer.

It’s all about framing the design in the right context and making it relevant. When done right, the results are outstanding. Unlike other design tasks, where taste is subjective, we get to measure our work in your sales numbers. When it works, sales increase. If not, well… it’s back to the drawing board.

Make it POP!

Once your strategic position, brand message, and design are in place, it’s time to go live. Clarifying and amplifying your message will make your product POP on the supermarket shelves, in your hand while walking down the street, and when it’s standing on your kitchen table. The aim is rarely to do a fancy design catering only to a small, specific target group but to make something that becomes popular with a broader audience.

If you only take one thing away from this article, it should be this: On both the digital and physical shelves, your product is the ambassador of your brand. Brand and product create a strong, unified synergy when aligned. It means consistency, focus, and ultimately increased sales. We’ve already written an article on this particular matter, as brand/product is one of our founding principles and reasons for being. Enjoy.