The emergence of Internet has become a big change in anyone’s
and on any company’s life. Nowadays internet is used for any purpose; school,
work, chat, cooking instructions, and anything one’s can think of. The availability
of the internet has also a big impact of marketing and brand management. Travis
Daryl in his article” Branding in The Digital Age” explains how the internet has
changed the process of branding.
Back in the days, keeping the good reputation of a company
and a brand name was easy. Things were going just one way. Daryl explains how
the companies or brands used to hide behind the public relations to keep a good
reputation for their names. They showed only what they wanted the consumers to
perceive. The author said that “in the twentieth century's mass communication
was that just about every man, woman, and child in America could recite the
mantras of the most popular brands as easily as their own names”.
Now came the internet, and “The Perils of Word of Mouse
Brands are now an open book for all to look into”, Daryl Travis. Most people
have computers or access to computers. The words of the manufacturers a not
taken for granted now. Everybody can go online and leave a feedback for a
product or give their impressions about a product. Consumers create discussion
blogs and have more power with just a click.
As on everything, the internet has both positive and
negative sides.
It helps the consumers and the manufacturers
- Keep the brand honest.
- Create demand for a brand.
- Give more details and information about a product.
- consumer explore their options and directly talk back.
- The manufacturer know exactly what consumers need.
- Brand Loyalty (the option of “customizing your own” makes the consumer like your brand).
The down sides
- The reputation of brands is in the hands of the consumers who can write whatever they like true or not about a product.
- “customers will go looking for a brand based on what they want rather than the brand doing all the work of making a connection” Daryl Travis.
- Increase competition.
Citations
Travis, Daryl. "Branding in The Digital Age." Journal of Business Strategy. 22.3 (2001): 14-18. Print.