JESUS: A Case-Study in Brand Building
What is Branding?? Branding is the process by which one stands out from the crowd and projects visibility. “Branding operates on the principles of faith. It comes by hearing!”- Leke Alder
Billions of dollars each year are spent on marketing communities for economic, residential, business, and tourism development, yet 97% of that marketing is ineffective. Why? People are exposed to 5,000 marketing messages a day – far more than the mind can absorb – so they automatically filter out generic marketing messages and those that don’t appeal to their individual needs or desires. For instance, if you heard a commercial on the radio projecting an amazing product, and that was exactly what you have been looking for, your mind would instantly pay attention. However, if the product was of no interest to you, then your mind would ignore it. This is why phrases like “we have something for everyone” are simply ignored. They don’t trigger any receptors in the brain.
Welcome to the era of Brand – the Art of Differentiation
The mind has seven hidden triggers, and if you want your marketing – your brand – to stick, it must trigger one or more of these receptors: Passion, Magic, Prestige, Power, Rebellion, Alarm and Trust. Additionally, it has to be specific and useful. Generic marketing is no longer effective.
Do you know that Jesus was a brand guru; He used the process of branding to sell Salvation. He is a brand for himself. I will use the case study of Jesus to explain the whole branding process. To actually be a strong brand, there are processes to go through and actions to be taken. Welcome to the era of Brand – the Art of Differentiation.
Choose a Market Niche– To win you must find your niche; create new business opportunities within that niche. Our Lord Jesus chose to bring salvation to humanity, which was his space even when he was trained as a carpenter. He recognised his passion quick. Reading Luke 2:42-47 shows that at age 12, Jesus already chose a niche for himself. “He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
Brand name- Naming is one of the first processes of branding, what is a good name? A good name is one that RESONATES with the brand core idea; Differentiate from competition; Easily Remembered; Short and Memorable enough; Culturally Relevant; JESUS is a name that can never be forgotten and amazingly, the name JESUS CHRIST is the only name in the bible that is scarcely owned by anybody today.
Brand Message– The primary message used to express the brand promise. This reflects the desired position of the brand. Brand messaging refers to the underlying value proposition conveyed and language used in your content- Our Lord Jesus had just one message and it was stated in Matthew 4:17-From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” Your message is what makes buyers relate to your brand by inspiring them, persuading them, motivating them, and ultimately making them want to buy your product. The whole works of Jesus were just to project that message of REPENTANCE.
Here are a few examples of messaging you may recognise, in the form of slogans:
- Nike: Just do it.
- Coca-Cola: Taste the Feeling.
- Adidas: Impossible is nothing.
- Walmart: Save money. Live better.
- Apple: Think Differently
To be continued…
