Today’s marketing world is buzzing with the latest ways to reach people. To break through the clutter and message overload, new technologies are being utilized and consumer generated content and social networking sites are growing faster than anyone can keep up with.

So as marketing officers are rushing to stay relevant while trying to stay true to their inherited brand equity, they are forging ahead with a shiny new mandate to “revitalize, refresh and rebrand,” all while showing a better ROI and increased sales.

While all these new technologies are valuable tools for reaching consumers, marketers need to remember to continue to think about the brand – what differentiates it from the competition and what people are buying into.

New shiny ideas without a solid branding platform are only short-term spikes. Ask yourself if you have a true understanding of the most important branding questions, “What is the BIG IDEA for my brand?” What does it stand for in people’s minds? How does it make them feel?

For me, the answer lies firmly in creativity and information. Talk to those who love your brand and especially those who hate it to really understand a brand’s culture. Only then can you start to think creatively about the one idea that resonates throughout your brand.

Great brands, large or small, have a distinct culture and engage people in conversation. It strikes a chord with people based on truth about their lives, something they can relate to, and something they aspire toward or want to be a part of. They are true brand loyalists, who tell a friend, and they tell a friend and so it goes.

Do you know what is the one idea about your brand that truly resonates with people?

Identify and talk to the people who know your brand best, both good and bad. Look for the one thing that rings true among all the people you talk to and start from there. It is often so simple that you will kick yourself. The next step is simple, share your big brand idea with everyone that touches it, employees first, then customers and see the buzz that you create.

Has data mining come out of the dark recesses of IT and into the mainstream of marketing accepted practices? Today, Jingwei International Limited (“Jingwei”) was approved for listing on the NASDAQ. Jingwei International Limited is a leading provider of data mining, Interactive Marketing and Software Services in the fast growing Chinese market. Powered by advanced data mining technology and a proprietary database of over 400 million Chinese buyers, Jingwei enables leading Chinese companies as well as international brands to reach their target audiences with specific relevant messages. Jingwei is now marketing services similar to those being used by the NBA, Walmart, McDonalds and American Express to better target new customers and create brand loyalty with existing clients.

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