With competition stepping in from every possible door marketing and communications today has become a big challenge. A challenge that is questioning the very existence of even popular established brands. Today the brands have much less space to breathe and very small or no road to walk ahead. Market need is stagnant and supply is ample. Where do the brands go from here on is a big question no one dares to answer.

Well it’s not at difficult. In fact it’s very simple. Go for the Kill!!! Yes. If there is no space create it. If there is no road build it. If there is competition kill it. Make way.

Kill? What is this word doing here in Branding and Marketing? It surely raises a brow when you think from the perspective of the serious brands that keep doing their work religiously and leave the brand equity to the experience its target group derives from its offerings. Killing is a criminal act and never a part of the dictionary to these established serious brands.

But on the other side it’s time to understand that to progress or even survive in this growing competition it is necessary to kill. To kill you need not poison or stab your competition. You only need to make them feel sick in their knees so that they forget to stand, leave alone leaping forward or winning over you.

Now this is where you need to create an aura, aligned with inner and external beauty that makes you stand miles ahead of the curve and differentiate you from competition in terms of class, style and deliveries. You need to concentrate on being an aspired brand rather than being a similar one in the clutter. This is challenging but certainly better than suffocating.

It’s here that you need to consider repositioning your brand. Repositioning traditionally will mean a new brand name or a new positioning line or a new look and feel for the brand, but repositioning in this new marketing world has a altogether different meaning and objective.

Today repositioning means aligning all concern, be it customers, employees, prospects or stakeholders to see the brand in new light that reflects the brand promise and reality to the larger world. By repositioning the brand reconnects with its current audience, and reaches out to new prospects. All others such as logo and marketing materials work together and provide a unified identity that the customer truly understands.

It is of utmost importance to establish an identity that has human attributes. Human attributes that are prominently present in legends or have made legends by their mere presence. Attributes who have made legends larger than life brands!

These Leaders, Legends or Brands must inculcate six human attributes that shall attract others to them, even though they have no authority over others. These attributes constitute a complete human being, one who typically becomes a role model. When brands want to influence customers as friends without overpowering them, they must possess these six human attributes. 

• The Brand needs to be physically strong:

A strong physically attractive person influences you better than others. A brand can become physically attractive with a well designed logo and well crafted tag line.  

• The Brand needs to be more intellectual:

Intellectual people are more innovative than others. As a brand it is very essential to showcase your intelligence by launching or upgrading products and services that shall be firsts in the industry.  

• The Brand needs to be more social:

A social person is more loved and possesses better verbal and non verbal communication skills. As a social brand you should engage in active conversations with the customers, listen to their needs, queries and solve them without time loss.  

• A Brand needs to be emotional:

People who connect emotionally with the society are more powerful influencers. Similarly a brand should connect with customers on an emotional level with inspirational messages.    

• A Brand needs to have personality:

A good personality is aware, conscious and willing to learn. He is self-confident & self-motivated.  A good personality brand should raise its standards, accept own flaws and be responsible for its actions. 

• A Brand needs to have morals:

A person with positive moral character has the courage to do the right thing and understand the difference between right and wrong. Brands with morals should be value driven and ensure appropriate ethical handlers comprise key part of all business decisions.  

That’s how brands will become Humans. A human-centric brand will be able to kill competition by adopting human qualities to attract customers.