What Brands can Learn from Hollywood: Interview with: Jonathan Sands, Chairman, Elmwood, a sponsor company at the marcus evans CMO Asia Summit 2013, on brand differentiation.

1. What Brands can Learn from Hollywood
Brands that have a difference are those What should marketers pay more
that have a story that engages people attention to?
emotionally.
Getting the story right from the start.
A few years ago I was working with an They tend to focus on the areas where
animation studio in the US and they most of their budget is spent such as
believed that brand owners do not the ad campaign or the sales
understand the art of storytelling or promotion, but the little details in the
engaging consumers, and that stories packaging, point of sale or the story at
are about embracing conflict. Typical the point of purchase are just as critical,
conflicts are the good guys against the indeed often more so. Get these aspects
bad guys, a love story or someone with wrong and they may miss the
an internal conflict. conversion to sale if they fail to
Interview with: Jonathan Sands, understand the trigger points of why
Chairman, Elmwood How could marketers be people make a purchase.
comfortable embracing conflicts, if
they may amplify negative features Any final words of advice?
“A brand that differs from the rest and of their brand?
has an emotional engagement with People are bound by the baggage of
customers transcends the rational A few years ago Skoda had a series of their own life learning, baggage which
reasons to purchase it,” says Jonathan TV ads where someone walking down a can restrict their ability to come up with
Sands, Chairman, Elmwood. “And the production line sees a beautiful car and new ideas. Sometimes they have to
key to engagement is compelling story is shocked to see the Skoda badge think about a product from a fresh
telling with the emphasis on the word being applied on it. Skoda was basically perspective, step into someone else’s
compelling but far too many brands do embracing the conflict that its cars were shoes, to create breakthrough
not understand the art of telling a good but that people had a negative innovation and be unique at what they
compelling story,” he adds. perception of the brand. By tackling the do.
conflict head on rather than skimming
Elmwood will attend the marcus evans over it they encouraged the consumer
CMO Asia Summit 2013, in Macao, to reappraise their product and look
China, 27 - 29 May, as a sponsor
company. Ahead of the event, Sands
again. Brands
talks about brand differentiation, the art This leads me to another point about
of storytelling and how Chief
Marketing Officers can master this art
how marketers can create a difference.
Anxiety has become a trend today,
that have a
to make their brands stick in the hearts amplified by the media. We are worried
and minds of consumers by making
them enthralling.
about terrorism, war, the economic
climate, global warming, the safety of
difference are
our children in schools, whether we will
Why do brands need to uncover
what is special and different about
have enough money in our old age, etc.
Brands that make us feel calmer, safer
those that
them? and happier by alleviating some of these
My favourite quote is by the business
anxieties will almost always be more
successful.
have a story
guru and musician Jerry Garcia, who
said, “It’s no longer good enough to be
the best of the best, you have to be the
The Fiat 500 looks like a car from the
1960s, reminding us of times when life
that engages
people
only people who do what you do.” That was safer, but it is designed in a
struck a chord with me. If you try to be contemporary way. The conflict is
the best, you are competing on a level contemporary nostalgia, but Fiat has
emotionally
playing field constantly looking to make also embraced the conflict by re-
your brand last longer, go faster or interpreting the brand. The same with
taste better. But to be the only one the old style training shoes we see by
doing what you do you have to have a several brands, which remind us of our
purpose beyond rational price or childhood and sporting greats of the
performance. past.

2. About the CMO Asia Summit 2013
The Marketing Network –
marcus evans Summits group This unique forum will take place at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, Macao,
delivers peer-to-peer information China, 27 - 29 May 2013. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or
on strategic matters, professional trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed marketing
trends and breakthrough professionals and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking
innovations. event. The Summit will include presentations on integrated cross-channel
communications, the evolving role of the Chief Marketing Officer and unleashing
innovation.
www.cmoasiasummit.com
Please note that the Summit is a Contact
closed business event and the
number of participants strictly Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian, Press Manager, marcus evans, Summits
limited. Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
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About Elmwood
Elmwood is the world’s most effective brand design consultancy, having won more Design Effectiveness Awards than anyone else in
the competition’s 20+ year history. These awards recognise the commercial success of design strategy.
Our expertise stretches from insight and innovation through to brand strategy, naming, design strategy, design rollout, writing and
creative services.
www.elmwood.com
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss
strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to
individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-to-one business meetings.
For more information, please visit: www.marcusevans.com
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To view the web version of this interview, please click here: www.cmoasiasummit.com/JonathanSands