Comfort in Consistency

I spent some time today working on a graphic standards manual for a new client. It's tedious work compared to the fun of creating new ads but establishing guidelines is critical at the launch of a new brand. Without base rules, the rush of creating all the collateral that a business needs can cause the designers to make lots of good looking products that just don't go together. The result is, at best, a subliminal message of low-budget itineracy. This business is here today but may be gone tomorrow.

Large chains (mostly) know the value of a consistent image. Loyal customers expect their dining experience in Houston to be the same as it was in Chicago. Loyal buyers of a clothing brand learn to expect a certain quality and look from any new purchase. Consistency in packaging and communications simply reinforces that expectation. A different logo or look throws up red flags that something's new and suddenly, even if the product hasn't changed, the perception is influenced by the expectation.

I ran across 2 brands that must have very different methods for maintaining their image. The first is Maggiano's Little Italy. The image below is a screen grab of a simple google image search. This search was actually the impetus for this post. Maybe there's more to this story than I realize but this brand is simply not helping their image with loose or missing graphic standards.

Contrast the same exercise done with the Pei Wei logo:

Pei Wei has different versions of logos for different uses but the overall look, the typeface and the mark are noticeably consistent. Even a search for just "Pei Wei" shows their attention to color as part of their brand. Look at the grouping below, pulled straight from Google image search. Red floors, red plates, red menus. What a great color cast to reenforce the spicy tastes and the hot woks used to prepare the food.

The takeaway is to take the time to put together a solid set of guidelines that can be distributed to your designers and creative vendors. Consistency goes a long way in reassuring loyal customers that your business is here to stay and your product will continue to please.

Exposing Your Human Side.

Every time someone dies or a tragedy strikes, some retailers get in hot water for their quick responses in social media. Jokes gone bad or disingenuous sentiments set next to a promoted product just result in bad PR and customer abandonment.

But, if you want to reveal a little personal feeling into an otherwise promotional stream of emails, it can be done with respect and show people that your company has a softer side. Take care, however, because the line between homage and opportunism is thin.

1. Avoid a sale. 

30% off everything in the store is NOT the way to remember the dead. Heck, it's barely a way to celebrate President's day, in my humble opinion.

2. Have a single message. 

Saks.com's well done remembrance of Oscar de la Renta is about as simple as it gets. Because they used their campaign template, there are links to the site but no promotions, tangental or otherwise.

3. Use the proper tone.

In the ODLR image above, the model is somber, the dress is without color, the background is dark. And yet, this is a designer who died an old, successful man, so the model has a hint of a smile, the background is blue instead of black and the quote is inspiring.  Extremely well done.

4. Be relevant.

Saks and Oscar de la Renta clearly have a close relationship. They simply couldn't have remembered Dale Earnhardt, for example, with the same sincerity.

5. Back the cause.

Houston designer Elaine Turner is very involved in the ongoing effort to cure breast cancer. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, some of her emails relate to that cause. Instead of offering a sale, the CTA is an offer to allow people to support a good cause when they shop. Is this encouraging sales? Sure but with 50% going to the charity, it comes across as more of a fundraising challenge than a promotion. ET is not just exploiting the cause, she has "skin in the game."

6. Tell a story.

This is good advice for every communication but when a corporate entity supports a cause, it falls very flat if they create a theme and leave it at that. Again, in this email, Elaine opens up to why she is behind this cause in a link to a video with her and her mother.

The takeaway: 

By pausing the promotion-of-the-day cycle to highlight a cause or give tribute, you can show your readers that your company is interested in the world outside the store, as long as it's tactful and sincere. Email allows the ability to send a CTA-free message without worrying about an ROI, so why not use your reach to benefit someone else for a change?