Dorrit Bøilerehauge is, among other things, an online editor, media strategist, CEO and trends sociologist. We had the chance to ask her few things about her Brand Elegance, a must-have guide for those companies that still fail to engage audience and customers through the correct synergy between all the platforms.
1) What makes Brand Elegance a relevant book?
DB: Even though online branding is not new, a great number of companies fail to utilize even a minimum of the benefits and possibilities of the platforms. Far too many brands are stuck in their habits of pushing information to customers and trying to attract them by offers and discounts. They also seem to be unaware of differences between the platforms and how to create synergy between them.
In Brand Elegance, readers can learn how they design a brand, how they communicate it on all platforms and in retail spaces – and most importantly of all – how they involve their customers.
2) How do create customer involvement and why that is important?
DB: Customer involvement can be created by sensory appeal. It has to be part of the branding strategy and the execution of the strategy on all platforms. When people are sensorily affected, the brand experience becomes personalized. If the brand is then sufficiently professional, it will follow a strategic path towards dialogue and true involvement. In a highly competitive market, knowledge and skills in these areas are vital.
3) Is sensory appeal and customer involvement relevant for all industries?
DB: Yes. When designing brand strategies and utilizing the sensory possibilities of all platforms, the industry, products, and services do not make a difference. Naturally, you must know your market, its culture, and preferences. Research is indispensible. But the task at hand is to create a brand experience and establish customer relations. That is the central challenge for all brands.
4) But isn’t it just a question of story-telling then?
DB: The media have undergone great development during the last decade. Naturally, story-telling is still central. But as the possibilities for communicating have multiplied, so have the challenges. A brand must be designed so that it’s story communicates clearly on all platforms. And this also includes videos as a channel. It is not a question of simply repeating the same story, but rather communicating it in different ways as an invitation for the customers. That is all explained in Brand Elegance.
5) Why the title – Brand Elegance?
DB: Brand Elegance is both an approach to branding and a state for brands to reach. That makes the book equally relevant for older and newer brands; students and professionals. In the online version of the book there are video interviews with other international experts from BMW, City University of New York among others. Consequently, the book is intended to be both instructive in a concrete manner and inspirational. As should be the case for every brand, also Brand Elegance is an invitation for dialogue and involvement to its customers.
