BRANDS IN TRANSITION
THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS So where does PR fit into the mix?
Brand transitions are difficult and changes in philosophy or a brand promise usually don’t take hold overnight. Practically speaking, the introduction of a new product, service, brand promise or other core asset or function requires trial and uptake. A brand moving off of its former position almost invariably needs to rebuild – and most often with two sets of consumers: old ones it is hoping to retain and new ones it is hoping to develop. This is a brave new world for all parties and in response, communications strategies generally move from brand building, maintenance and investment to driving awareness and trial. This is where a double-edged sword begins to develop: the full range of former brand assets are no longer applicable and new brand assets need to be communicated. Awareness campaigns need to focus on a minimal number of intuitively understood components of the new offer (leaving some legacy attributes out of the equation), and the primary focus of new marketing efforts will be on promoting trial. So how do you effectively promote trial without losing the soul of your brand? What follows are two examples of what not to do and one example of how to get it right.
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