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Brands are known to always suffer from a time of crisis. They simply may hit a rough spot. And as tempting as it gets to just patch the surface. However, the solution doesn’t lie in throwing in a rebrand or a new logo or even jumping on a TikTok trend.
Those are just band aids that you cover a bullet wound with. You will be able to see what the real issue is when you dive beneath the surface. Because believe me when I say that there is a full iceberg beneath rather than just that small tip on top.
Under the surface, you may find mismatched messaging, poor audience understanding, or even complete identity meltdowns. Think of Coca-Cola’s latest ad featuring yet again Mohamed Ramadan. Apart from the low views and engagement, the ad was just proof that supporting local products would still be a better option than watching a not-so-very creative ad featuring singing and dancing with no real message.
It didn’t leave much room to see whether or not Coca-Cola Egypt would be able to read the cultural vibe or simply not. So how do you know the core of your brand’s problems or gain that capability of sniffing the crisis miles apart? That is exactly what we will discuss today.
Listening to the Noise (Because It’s Usually Right)
If you want to recover from a brand’s crisis, you have to make sure that you listen to the noise. The noise in this scenario is what will help lead you. Take for example, the 2021 tweet made by Burger King on International Women Day. The tweet stated that “Women belong in the kitchen.” Wild, I know. And every woman was so offended that Burger King UK actually removed the tweet and apologized while explaining themselves.
Turns out, they saw a potential in creating women internships to become chefs because statistics back then proved that only 24% of chef positions were filled by women, while men dominated the rest of the stage. In their heads, it may have sounded like a good idea that wasn’t half as sexist as it sounded.
But after listening to the noise regarding their crisis situation, they set things straight with their explanation and stated that they would do better later on with their message deliveries. This takes us to how the backlash was not about the campaign’s intent but how poorly executed it was in a fragile frame. The moral of the story? Listen. Because the golden marketing rule here is context beats smart from every single aspect.
The Harm of the Noise: Deserved or Not?
The answer is a pure yes. As a matter of fact, the noise of opinions on ads, campaigns, brand intents, and more is what could lead you into crisis. Sunny Oil, a local Egyptian oil-producing company, thought less of their shock tactic when they spread billboards in Egypt that read in Arabic, “Are you a spinster?” Women were enraged. And again, it turns out this was only a shock tactic to grab attention in order to break gender stereotypes and erase from Egyptian dictionaries some sayings that oppress women and make them vulnerable.
Dig Deeper Than the Data
Data is all-important and everything; however, it tells you what happened but never why it did. Numbers alone will never be enough to fix your brand’s core problem. That is why digging deeper with a thorough investigation is needed. Ask yourself the following to see what first steps you should take:
- Who is your audience now, not five years ago?
- Has your brand voice aged well? Or does it sound like your uncle trying to use Gen Z terminology?
- Are you marketing values you actually live by?
- What’s the emotional truth your audience wants from you?
Reinvent With Purpose
Once you understand the core issue or problem with your brand, don’t panic. You can take Old Spice and Spiro Spathis as examples of brands that were kind of forgotten but with the strategic leveraging of the right time, both brands were able to reposition themselves as a nice market option.
Old Spice revived their brand through leveraging their legacy. Much as Lord did here in Egypt in the most creative ways. Spiro Spathis leveraged the boycotting movement and came back twice as strong with new rebranding, new flavors, and as a new yet old and loved alternative. And the result was a creative identity revival that spoke to new generations and resonated with them without the loss of their heritage.
Final Words
Understanding your brand’s problem means getting brutally honest with yourself using the analysis of your data, listening to your audience, and ignoring your ego. Don’t fear the crisis. Because this is your brand’s way of demanding evolution, growing, and innovating.
