Take "Outside The Box," for example. While our goal is to provide great information and advice to our readers, this monthly e-newsletter also serves as a strong tool in our branding arsenal. It consistently and unobtrusively gets my name and our company's name in front of our clients and prospects on a monthly basis. It is building "brand" and "name" recognition with the people most important to us.

I recently had two encounters that prove it.

As I walked up to the front desk of a prospect's office the other day, before I could say a word, the receptionist pointed at me and said, almost excitedly, "You're Joe Cerbo!" You guessed it -- she gets our e-newsletter every month. She went on to say how much she enjoys it and how happy she was to see that I actually do have hair (referring to the cropped picture of me up on the left).

Then, just last week, while visiting the International Toy Fair in New York, a woman came up to me and said, "I know I've never met you, but I know you from somewhere." After talking for a minute, she realized that she gets our e-newsletter and that she recognized me from the picture.

Since I joined PRICE last June, my intention has been to solidify and enhance our brand. We've worked hard to establish PRICE as an agency that is known for getting things done -- on time, within budget, and in the friendliest, most hassle-free way possible. I can proudly say that we live our brand!

This month we bring you two professionals at the top of their game.

Jerry Escobar, the director of worldwide branding and corporate identity for Logitech, gives us his opinion on why consumers purchase one brand over another, while Karen Post -- the Branding Diva -- lays out 13 key brand differentiators that will help you stand out in a sea of sameness.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue of "Outside The Box." I think it's a great one!

Until next time ...

Joe Cerbo
President
PRICE

Management guru Tom Peters says, "Be distinct or be extinct." Marketing vet Jack Trout proclaims, "Differentiate or die" to survive in our era of killer competition. I say, "Run like the rest and you, too, will be road kill."

The essence of a brand is the mental imprint we plant on the minds of our market. Like a Brain Tattoo, a brand creates feelings, emotions, and an affinity to our products, services, and companies. For years, large companies have devoted tremendous resources to the branding process. They know well-developed and executed brands create customer loyalty, block out competition, allow for greater profit margins, and instill confidence in stakeholders. They also know that, for buyers, brands simplify choice, reduce risk and purchasing anxiety, enhance self-image, and save time. This same branding formula can work for a small business or a nonprofit as well as develop a personal identity.

A strong brand is the bond to the buyer. It must be relevant, distinct, and memorable. In a society of so many choices, being different can be the determining factor in the decision-making process. Today, in all industries, there are many similar business models, products and services -- all paddling for survival in a sea of sameness. Cover the logo on an ad and you often have no idea what company placed it. The same thing happens with company names, brochures, and specialty items; many look like twins with the same focus on features, cookie-cutter language, and nothing that sets apart the brand. Yet many wonder: …

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Q: How important do you think a recognizable/trusted brand is to a consumer when they are faced with making a buying decision between two products of comparable quality and price?

A: Jerry Escobar, director, worldwide brand and corporate identity at Fremont, Calif.-based Logitech (manufacturer of such personal peripherals as mice, keyboards, and joysticks) responds: "It really depends on whether you’re talking about commodity products -- like clothespins or combs -- when quality and price are mostly the same. In that case, I don’t think brand matters as much. You grab one and you’re usually happy with it. But when it’s something that has a little more meaning in your life, the brand matters. You want to trust that the product will meet your needs and expectations for attributes that you can't assess just by picking up the package -- quality, reliability, compatibility, user-centered design, customer commitment. Two products may seem similar in terms of price and quality, but the other attributes will influence your purchase.

For example, if you previously owned, say, a DVD player made by one company and you had a great experience, the next time you’re in the market for, say, a receiver made by the same company, you’d tend to go with them -- if price and quality seem the same -- because you recognize that brand and you trust it.

We do brand awareness studies worldwide on a regular basis and we’ve typically found much higher sales in countries where the name Logitech is well-recognized.

When it comes to gaining trust with the consumer, it’s all about the product, which has to exceed the expectations of the customer. That’s number one. Other touch points include great customer support and having a user-friendly, informative Web site. They aren’t about the product directly, but they show that you care about your customers even after the purchase is made.

Similarly, you’ve got to have a great, integrated marketing strategy that includes packaging, advertising, point-of-sale, Web site, etc. This is about knowing who your customers are and what they want, knowing how your brand relates to that customer, and looking for the synergy. Your campaign needs to represent your brand and be consistent over time so that it creates instant recognition of your product. Consistency is the key."