subject: It All Comes Down To The Branding [print this page] When a manufacturer launches a new product perhaps the most crucial aspect is to have the right brand name. Branding products has become a science and there are many companies that make their living just by assisting in brand names and the marketing of them.
If the business is failing after a period of time it is possible to rebrand and launch again but this is an expensive and risky business which is why it is so important to get the brand name right from the very beginning.
The two most recognised brands in the world relate to a fast food chain and a type of soft drink. Both brands are so well-known throughout the world that just the first letter and colour is enough to remind us of who they are and what they produce.
Shoes are no different from any other product in that every designer wants the brand on the lips of the potential customer and not just the word shoes.
Men in particular can get possessive about a make of car and often continue their loyalty by buying the newest model of the same manufacturer when the time has come to trade in. To their friends they do not say they are about to get a new car but instead will refer to the actual manufacturer. In some ways this is exactly what the manufacturer of all products is striving for; loyalty.
Not just loyalty will keep a manufacturer happy as he or she must also have growth and growth often comes by word of mouth. Word of mouth means the existing customer must be so happy with the product that he will sing the praises of it long enough to convert another.
Loyalty, advertising and word of mouth will still only equal success if the branding was right from the very beginning.
This is one of the reasons that makers of cars for instance, may take one of the production line and race it around the test track for a couple of thousand miles before sending it for scrap. In the old days they would let an employee buy it cheap but if as a result of that harsh racing treatment in which the car is raced to extremes there is a minor fault it is estimated that one rogue newish car can by word of mouth put off ten to twenty potential future customers.
Of course you cannot test drive shoes although perhaps the manufacturer does encourage the wearing of them by his workers to get their views before a new style is let loose on the fashion industry.
Jeffery West is just one example of a brand that attracts a loyal following. The full range covers a multitude of ever-changing designs that retain a high quality of workmanship and therefore repeat business and a growing number of ever faithful followers.
