What's with the cut?

Posted by Lola on Thursday, June 16, 2016 in Memoirs of Honiilols, Opinions, What matters | 7 comments

France versus Albania - Euro 2016

Been wanting to show-off my brogues *-*

Home early, just in time for the face-off between France and Albania. I was happy to slouch on the couch ready to enjoy an evening watching the host nation slug it out with Albania in the group play. After the usual hand shaking and this time some sixty seconds silence observance in respect of a murdered French policeman with his wife, the line-up was shown. Before then, when the players and officials assumed the pose for the customary anthem, I remember looking them over. I remember making a snide remark about Nigeria's Super Eagles not being as cute. I remember recognizing Patrice Evra and feeling the sense of pride that I hadn't lost touch after all - been inconsistent with following football but I still know my people. Sadly, his was the only face that registered.

Then the line-up list of France flashed across my TV screen. Bacary Sagna's name jumped out! Of course I know Sagna (wella in fact) but I DID NOT SEE HIM DURING THE ANTHEM RECITAL!!! If I am naturally inclined to betting, at that moment I would have dropped my last million dollars arguing over Sagna's presence on the pitch. I mean where was his eye-catching trademark dreadlocks? What's with the cut Sagna?

Sagna was on the pitch alright only his unmistakable locs had suffered some terrible fate :(

One could argue he looks perfectly responsible sporting a low but this is not the 'Sagna-brand' I know. A total emotional disconnect. No face recall whatsoever. The change wasn't even subtle!

Now you'll probably understand why negative reactions trail companies' sudden decisions to change brand names/logos. It is a different thing when modification occurs with product packaging/content (all these still have their down sides) but a total name change or logo overhaul? Are you Google? Even Google, as strong as its gravitational pull is still put out a video to the public to explain and justify reasons for such logo redesign. Consumers are wary of change no doubt but where there is a shared thought process, negative reaction is quelled.

Re-branding is a very radical decision which signifies the end of a brand; like a full stop to what used to be. Equity will be lost and all prior investment gone. Making this sort of decision should be because the brand CANNOT continue as is because it probably has a negative equity. To re-brand would then mean to offer a completely re-engineered brand. It is more of a re-definition; a re-position or a re-start. Are there pointers that your brand needs an overhaul?  Is the branding outdated? Have your products or services changed? You are not reaching your target audience or you are simply preparing for growth?

I read an article by Mark Sommer who proposed four critical questions that should be asked and carefully weighed before going this route...

• Why are we proposing change? What are we looking to stop? What are we looking to start or gain? Critical brand decisions need to be underpinned by robust investigations of cause and effect.
• What should our customers look to us for – and can we deliver that, or improve on that, in our current form? This is about quantifying what is possible within the brand structure that you have and what lies outside/beyond the current core.
• What will we be able to do as a result of this change that we have never been able to do up until now – and how do we know that? It’s one thing to see the possibilities, it’s quite another to realize them. This is about making sure that the logistics of what you can deliver will marry with the brand changes you are proposing.
• If we took a more/less radical approach, what would we gain/lose – and would that be worth it?This is the trade-off for change discussion. It helps you determine the level of brand change that’s required and the differences that varying levels of investment will enable.

There is something called 'Brand Integrity'. You will do well to have few tweaks here and there in order to preserve that existing integrity. Don't lose us along the way...be guided!

P.S It would seem the hair shaving started last year, Honiilols just caught up on that ;)