1. Marketing Brand Over Product
Years of unparalleled success and unexpected failures have taught me one thing—what is good for the people is good for the brand. People do not get up in the morning to use a particular brand. If you are not relevant in their life, they will reject you despite your million-dollar marketing budgets.
2. Distracting Buyers
We often hear from brand custodians about the best-in-class products backed by research, but have you really understood what people want? Sometimes what people want may not be what they need, and ultimately the limited resources they have may not be spent on what they want.
3. Woke-Washing
Brands need to be responsible, and not just talk about responsibility. Today’s consumer can read a brand which is woke-washing. It is important for the brand to build real conversations, backed by measurable action, to build trust with the consumers. It is not about the ad, but the act. It is not about what you say as a brand but how you are creating a platform where both brand and consumers can contribute towards a shared purpose.
4. Ignoring Cultural Cues
With social media platforms, brands are busy thinking that they are competing with each other, but they might actually be competing with the consumer’s best friend who just went on a vacation and posted pictures on social media or a social media influencer talking about his/her new look. For this, the brand needs social listening. A brand today cannot be a preacher; it needs to be an influencer.
5. Self-Indulgence
Brands often get caught up in self-indulgent marketing. For example, we see brands working with celebrities who may not actually reflect their personality. But the starstruck brand team goes out of its way to force-fit the narrative. You may not see the repercussions immediately but this may be ill-fated for the brand in the long term.
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