Creating brand cool: brand distinction in the online marketplace

Introduction 1 Anyone Can Be an Amazon.com Social Media Allows a More Personal Brand Experience; Social Media Exposes the Brand Character; The Value of Ecommerce to Niche Markets; Customer Service Is the Center Core of the Brand; The Value of Online Advertising for Brand Awareness; The Value of Strategic Partnerships for Branding 2 The Website as Brand Central Where the Branding Process Begins; The Art and Science of Branding; The Experience Offered on the Website; Lifestyle Marketing; Technology in the Retail Environment: Omnichannel Retailing; Aspiration Is Cool; Cause Marketing Is Cool; Ecommerce and Brand Recognition; And Then There Is Everyone Else; Brand Awareness Provides Trust; Search: Keyword Marketing; Content Mapping; The Value of Design in Creating the Brand Experience; Graphic Presentation Personalizes the Product; Style and Design Enhanced with Partnerships; The Consumer Loves Stories; The Website as Flagship 3 Putting the Sensory Appeal into the Sell Consistency Is Key for Brand Distinction; The Necessity of Tailoring the Brand Voice; How Do We Get the Message to Our Audience?; Brand Symbols; Emails; Personal Means Respect the Recipient; Online Lifestyle Networks; Bundled Lifestyle Networks; Mobile Advertising Is All About Getting Personal Responsibly; The Value of Media and the Research We Have Access To; Lifestyle Marketing Is All About Getting Personal; Failure Is a Part of Success; The Return on Investment with Social Media Is Engagement 4 Research Is Your Sherpa Research Process; Methodologies: Qualitative; Quantitative; Primary vs. Secondary Data 5 Surround Sound Media for Online Branding Cloud Living and the Impact of Data; Research Directs the Media Efforts; Mass Media Gets Personal; And Then COVID-19…; The Websites of Traditional Media; The Best Messaging Traverses Channels; The Big Picture: Mass Marketing for Big Budgets and Building Trust; Bundled Multi-media Buys to Surround the Audience; Localizing the Media Buy; Direct Response + the Internet; Expanding Local Messaging; Live Events + Email; A Note about Landing Pages; Daily Communication; Collecting and Growing an Email List; Fashion and Music Partnerships; Influencers and Bloggers: New Partnerships for Lifestyle Cool; Apps; And Now: Back to Surround Sound Media 6 Strategic Partnerships for Lifestyle Marketing Co-Branding Partnerships; Sponsorship of and Product Placement in Entertainment; Magazines as Lifestyle Partners; Pooling of Resources; Creativity and Innovation Are Born Out of Diverse Cultures; Partnerships Are Service Tools for Your Customers; Walmart and Moosejaw 7 Entertaining the Sale; It’s All About the Story The Value of Original Content for Online Messaging; Entertaining the Sale; The Online Environment Demands Authenticity; Creativity Is the Magic Sauce for Brand Distinction 8 Merchandising an Ecommerce Website Visit Your Competitors and Stay Up to Date; Branding Partners Give Tide Detergent a Sense of Style; Personal Shopper Merchandising; Merchandising a State of Mind; How Does the Customer Travel Through Your Site?; Video Brings the Merchandise to Life 9 Customization Cutomized Products Enhance the Brand Image; Technology and Data Offer New Retail Concepts; The Social Channels Offer Customized Service; Personal Style Offers the Best Customization; Bundled Lifestyle Websites Customize the Placement of Online Banner Ads; Programmatic Mapping for Customizing Online Ad Buying; Promotions Give You Something to Talk About; The Distinction of a Once Great City for Brand Identity; Customized Products as Brand Distinction; Good Promotions Can Lead to a Great Job; Brand Building Themes; As a Style Maker Your Lifestyle Showcases Your Brand Identity; The Power of Social Media for Inside Access; Capsule Collections Are Today’s Norm: The Need for New Never Stops; Vintage Style 10 Cause Related Marketing and Sustainability for Brand Distinction Colin Kaepernick Takes a Knee; The Commitment Must Be Authentic; Attention to Detail with Cause Branding Is Essential; Young People Have the Ideas and the Accessibility; Micro Loans Change a Life; Corporate Branding That Gives Back; Sustainability; Going Forward Cause Marketing Will Play A Major Role in Defining a Brand 11 Localization and Globalization No Limits No Boundaries But Don’t Forget the Local Familiarity; Glocal Thinking; The Value of Pop-Up Shops; Personalize the Event; Merchandise into a Lifestyle Event; The Global Marketplace: Remember No Boundaries; Test Markets That Show Interest; Don’t Overlook an Interested Audience; It Takes a Global Village to Build a Sweater; Breaking Down the Barriers of Entry for Reaching the Global Market; Accommodating Local Customs; Ah… but the Lure of American Brands 12 Imagine the Possibilities; the Role of Virtual Reality in the Future of Retail Technology Will Create Our Greatest Fantasies Online and In-store; Disruptors That Create Change and Innovative Thinking; Too Many Stores; Reimagining the Mall to Address Modern Lifestyles; Social Media Is the Magic Bullet That Changed Everything; The Science of Online Marketing; Online Media Buying Simulations Are a Great Learning Tool; Today Everyone Has Access to Style; The Power of Influencers; New Communication Content Is Necessary for the Web; Testimonials; Merchandising the Experience; Optimization Makes Sure the Message Gets Through; Where Are We Going?; And the Future

In this intriguing blend of branding how-to and business memoir, an industry pioneer presents the thought process and tools to create a successful Ecommerce business by developing a distinct emotional attraction to a brand, beyond individual product offerings.

Leveraging her 26 years of experience in online marketing and branding, Joan Abraham reveals the thought process behind successfully addressing today’s marketing challenge: clearly defining the business’s brand essence using its owned social media channels to personalize the full character of the brand. Creating Brand Cool addresses the importance of developing a unique state of being that personally resonates with today’s consumer. Abraham energizes the creative and strategic thinking for attracting and maintaining brand loyalty when the competition is a click away.

Appealing to branding and social media marketing professionals, as well as students in these fields, this book is a primer for building an online community and distinguishing a brand from the competition. It is relevant to all types of business, from small businesses to globally recognized brands.