Best in Brand & Innovation for November

Every month we bring you the best articles we find in brand, innovation, and creativity.

This month’s list offers, among other things, how to effectively use data in serving the customer, why Tesla has incredibly supportive brand supporters, and why being unsociable may be good for creativity.

How Brands Can Use Big Data Without Creeping People Out – The Week

Ad targeting could do more damage to your brand and product than good. In her article, Frances Katz says that brands should use big data to enhance–instead of drive–their advertising. Brands can use data to build relationships by figuring out how to serve the customer. When data is used for the company’s advantage, people are more likely to feel stalked and taken advantage of. Media experts agree that it’s best for brands to take a moment and figure out why they want to reach a demographic and then get creative to figure out if the method is effective, engaging and informative.
Frances Katz @francesk

Earcons And The Power Of Audio Branding – Ogilvy

“Earcons are the audio equivalent of icons; symbols which communicate meaning and function as prompts for a certain behaviour,” writes Philip Ellis. Earcons are played for a very short duration of time but creates an instant association, like the infamous Nokia ringtone which was heard 1.8 billion times a day. Musician, Joel Beckerman’s new book, The Sonic Boom: How Sound Transforms The Way We Think, Feel and Buy examines the psychology of sound. Beckerman writes, “Effective use of sound means building a strategy to pick and create the music that helps people understand the brand’s place in the world. With the right foundation, sound and music can help transform a business or a message by communicating a clear emotional story and helping people feel the brand.”
Philip Ellis @Philip_Ellis

What Tesla’s Valuation Says About The Power Of Branding – Forbes

Despite any of Tesla’s failures, such as the Model X’s reliability issues, Tesla has incredibly loyal brand supporters–even by those who don’t own their car. Part of the reason is because founder Elon Musk is so responsive to Tesla users who reach out to him and is known for working out any issues almost immediately. He even gave Tesla owners who were trying to escape Hurricane Irma extra range. Josh Ong writes, “Branding is all about consistency — consistency in the colors you use, the words you say and, most importantly, the experience users have with your product.” The public knows that Tesla is consistent with customer relations and improving user’s experience. “In other words,” writes Ong, “word of mouth has been a powerful driver of Tesla’s continued growth and popularity.”
Josh Ong @beijingdou

Survey Finds Advocacy Is Big Differentiator For Produce Brand Loyalty – High Plains Journal

Consumers want to support brands whose beliefs line up with there’s. According to the 2017 Meyocks Produce Branding Survey, almost half of consumers say they will pay more for a produce brand that advocates for something they believe in. And likewise, more than half won’t support a brand that doesn’t align with their beliefs and values. “One particular area produce brands may explore is mentor branding, which includes customer advocacy, inspiring customers and providing value-added information.” said Doug Jeske, President of Meyocks.

 Want To Be Innovative? Stop Chasing ‘The Next Big Thing’ And Think Inside The Box – NBCNews.com

Often, true creativity is associated with reinventing the wheel. Eliot Gattegno argues in this article that rediscovering old ideas and mastering topics is often more valuable and effective than “scattershot attempts to randomly discover the next big thing.” Writer and biochemist Isaac Asimov argued that what is old can often become new again when placed in a different context. “To that end, creation need not even be technically new,” writes Gattegno. He goes on: “Armed with insights gleaned from careful study, creativity often flows not from the pond of the future but instead from the watershed of the past.”
Eliot Gattegno @EliotGattegno

Collaboration Kills Creativity, According to Science – Inc.com

Collaboration, which is meant to spark creativity, can often result in mediocrity. According to a new study published in the Elselvier journal ScienceDirect.com, solitude is way more likely to result in creativity. In addition, a national survey of 15,000 respondents, which was published in The Washington Post, found that intelligent people are less happy the more they engage socially–even with their friends. Geoffrey James writes, “Put another way, being around other people keeps creative people from thinking new thoughts.”
Geoffrey James @Sales_Source

Is Being Unsociable The Secret To Creativity? – Medical News Today

New research published in the journal, Personality and Individual Differences, examines three kinds of social withdrawals: shyness, avoidance, and unsociability. In her research, Julie Bowker, an associate professor at the University of Buffalo’s Department of Psychology in New York, is finding that unsociable people tend to also be highly creative. However, the study also shows that those who are shy or avoidant are less likely they are to be creative. According to Bowker, “shy and avoidant individuals may be unable to use their solitude time happily and productively, maybe because they are distracted by their negative cognitions and fears.” Ana Sandoiu writes, “Over the years, unsociability has been characterized as a relatively benign form of social withdrawal. But, with the new findings linking it to creativity, we think unsociability may be better characterized as a potentially beneficial form of social withdrawal.”
Ana Sandoiu @MNT_AnaSandoiu