Why have brands become weaker in the digital era?

Do you also have a feeling that the brands are more diffused and incoherent now compared to before the advent of the digital era 20 years ago? Is it more difficult to build brands in this new age when attention of consumers is at a premium? 

Most people will tend to agree that the above has come to pass. But have the marketers inadvertently added to the slow demise of brands? Probably. Look has what has happened to the thematic part of brand communication – it has come less important as the quick fix short term advertising has taken over, all put together in a day and forgotten the day after. Thematic advertising focussed on a human truth aligned to the brands unique proposition. This was months and sometimes years in the making and when it worked, resonated with the customers and built brands. What’s more, this theme would become one with the brand itself as it was used consistently with varied renditions. Think any great brand and you will find this is the underlying thread. Thematic communication builds a brand for the long term giving its parent company stability of income as it builds its core customers on a promise well delivered.

When lesser attention paid to the core idea, brands are adrift. They are looking to connect with short term trends, push deals or change communication every time there seems to be an opportunity. The last is probably the one that does the most damage. Customers have no idea what the brand is about, and what they cannot “get” quickly, they ignore. 

In conclusion, today’s brands especially the digital new age brands need to start building connects with the customer, beyond the transactional and also start looking at more robust brand building processes, irrespective of the media used.