Branding in 2007 | Branding Predictions

What's in Store for 2007?

We're going to see more Web 2.0 companies emerging this year. And the iPhone will be revolutionary!

Fred George Williams, Branding Manager, BrandMeNow - January 26, 2007

Apple will soar with the iPhone, Qantas will crash as new private equity owners loose the plot, Microsoft will sink out of view with Vista, and Google will continue to grow.

Chris Riley, Consultant, PR Enterprises - January 26, 2007

Branding partnerships, we've seen it with Nike & iPod and Absolut and Ikea, there will be more. A TV brand will make an enormous first move into the YouTube space and reap the dividends. We will see the continued rise of the instabrand - let's remember most of your brands on your North American survey didn't even exist 10 years ago. Brands will leap into mass customization and consumer collaboration but will fall short of complete open-source culture.

Sean Moffitt, President, Agent Wildfire - January 27, 2007

Entertainment & gaming will reach a new dimension in 2007. Apple has just taken the lead with the iPhone & digitized TV entertainment. Surprisingly both entertainment & gaming were not in any continents list. One can expect brands like Pixar, Xbox, PS3, Universal, Disney in the list. A lot of behind the scene activities are going on and with digitization set to be the next revolution (that is if it already is not) I will not be surprised.

Amit Gadkari, Sr. Business Manager, Star Retail LLC UAE - January 28, 2007

We'll definetly see more brands taking advantage of the environmental trend. In USA, 251 000 hybrid vehicules have been sold, a growth of 22% compared to year 2005. We hear more and more everyday on global warming and the organic market has also experienced a major growth. A "green" positionning will represent a great opportunity in 2007.

Anabelle Dubois - January 28, 2007

Winning brands will manage to excite people while delivering technolgical and science advancements that fits into lifestyles. It is the speed, simplicity and relevance of application. I see Apple, Tom Tom or Innocent Drinks doing just that in 2007.

Martin Fejk, Marketing Manager, Tetra Pak Arabia - January 29, 2007

Tracking the Brands happenings, Motorola will not stand still in the Middle East / North Africa sectors and watch Nokia eat almost the entire pie. Motorolla started strong Branding activities in the Indian, Pakistani and Far East terrain...2007 should yield to Motorolla Branding case

Henwa Naguib, Sen. Acc. Director / NBD, Fortune Promoseven - January 29, 2007

Will Apple and Google become the XXI century microsoft?

Asier, Brand planner, AZK - January 29, 2007

2007 will be the year that SNS gets serious: member #'s will fall at MySpace, partly in response to its incessant commercialization, and we'll see services that already have a primary business purpose (like eBay and even cell phone networks) start acting more like social communities.

Jonathan Salem Baskin, President, Baskin Associates, Inc. - January 29, 2007

I believe this is the year for mobile in the US. Conventional social networking will plateau and revenue-shared models will grow.

Ram, Founder, Instantmint..com - January 29, 2007

1. Technology and branding will continue to overlap. We have been tempted for some time to issue our staff black turtlenecks outfitted with pocket protectors. Increasingly, branding and design considerations are overlapping with technological ones and there is more than ever a need for this improbable pairing of analytical and creative minds. It could be argued that at some point in the future, branding will be more a function of technology savvy than design sensibility. 2. The term "Spontaneous Brand Combustion" applies to the phenomenon that brands are increasingly happening organically, demanding ways of communicating that engage customers without overtly selling to them. Looking at social networking online, and the continued cultural obsession with “reality” entertainment, it’s clear that important brands will increasingly emerge from shared experience and proliferate in mimetic form, rather than being generated in laboratories (i.e., design shops and conference rooms) and then methodically launched in whole form upon the public through mass marketing campaigns.

Josh Kelly, Principal, FINE Design Group - January 29, 2007

Africa and its deep possibilities will draw more global attention: Nigeria and South Africa at the fore. We will turn more and more to newer and natural approaches such as co-created Branding to build relationships with unique audiences.

Tony Ajero, CEO, BRAND CSR - January 30, 2007

I have a strong feeling that new product development alone wont serve the purpose to cut the clutter, brands are not built in a day. The brand which embrace the route of alternate channels, relationship marketing and online branding will flourish high this year. Ambient media and after sale service is the battle field i predict for the future.

Branding is all about strengthening the bond between you and the target from the moment he walks out of the shop floor.

There would be a heavy recruitment in an area called Service officers recruited specifically for maintaining the after sale satisfaction and a regular knock among the TGs reminding about their presence.

Ravi Adhikari, Equus Red Cell - February 1, 2007

Brand marketers will become obsolete. Companies will no longer hire brand gurus to conjure up their brand, instead companies will need to be upfront and honest (now there’s a concept) about what they stand for. Companies like American Apparel have set the standard by being transparent about their manufacturing and HR practices as well as their use of sex as sales tool. They’re not hiding behind a huge ad budget and high-paid celebrity to promote their product. They’re photographing real men and women who buy and wear their clothes. The take or leave it attitude of American Apparel is a refreshing change, even if you don’t agree with their hyper sexed up photographs, at least they’re being real about it. This $300+ million business is doing something right. Companies like the Gap should take notice.

Lisa Golloher, Greenhouse Partners - February 5, 2007

If the Super Bowl is any indicator of brand superiority, then look to Coke's "love" ad. A la the "perfect harmony" campaign of the 1970s, Sunday's ads vividly expressed the message - "making a difference" through love and courtesy. The "game" video design and story portrayed life on the streets and the difference between making a difference and not. It’s the 2007 version of the 1970's campaign "I'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony." Brand researchers at UCLA tracked several viewers’ brain activity as they watched Super Bowl commercials. The response to most of the ads was fear and insecurity. Coke designed a visually inventive "good feeling" messages. In addition to the “love” ad, Coke introduced a series of “we have changed” ads. They featured African Americans watching the Super Bowl’s two, African American coaches. The enormity of this moment cannot perhaps be felt by whites, but the realization of just how much has changed gives rise to the belief we can keep on changing. Black History Month is a February celebration. Coke created an emotional environment underscoring the values of respect and change. Both the fear and love strategies can be highly effective. The decision to use one over the other is often dependent on the company's vision of itself and the consumer. Is Coke leaving behind the polar bears for the warm heart of humanity? Should it?

Annette Zumba, Brand Developer, Headroom Studios - February 5, 2007

I agreed with the brand debate regarding technology and branding. These two initiatives will continue to affect each other. Technology continues to develop at a rapid past and so brands must stay visible in this ever changing sea. Also, the branding of technology items themselves is continually changing. You must know the brand and the brand must be reliable as there is less and less time to research and be introduced to products. Brand recognition and loyalty will be processed in record time going forward and the foundation for this is being built now.

Anonymous, Student, RMU - February 5, 2007

We will be seeing rise of new underdogs like http://www.goodsearch.com that provides money to our favourite charities for every search we do on that site.

Ajith Sankar - February 7, 2007

2007 Watch List:
- Vista (you nailed that one)
- Connected Home Systems
- smart cars by Daimler
- Airbus
- Naked Juice

Jayson L. Truttmann, Director, Business Development, BLITZ - February 9, 2007

Product placement is going to be more prevelant in 2007. It is a better way of advertising and you can get more people to watch your "commercial" because you are not changing the channel or fast forwarding your DVR. I saw an episode of 30 Rock that spoofed this trend.

anonymous - February 10, 2007

In the Spanish FMCG industry we will be delighted with new brand extensions (!!) and brands will emphasise their functional benefits, again. Transparency will be a must. 1) Innovation will continue in the DAIRY products category, leaded by Danone, with the worldwide launch of a new cosmetic yogurt. 2) in the BEVERAGES category we will be seeing new product launching such as Coke Blak (Coke + Coffee), Hawai and Fioravanti (Emigrants target) and a new burning fat csd, among others. Spirits will decline and Beers like San Miguel will - brand extend - move to soft drinks offering beer + tea(!!??) We also expect to see some non-alcohol wines as the market shifts to alcohol free beer.

KF, Client Director - February 12, 2007

2007 will see a greater need for alternate advertising (ambush, viral, relationship marketing, product placement etc); increased audience fragmentation and greater convergence of communication delivery vehicles. We will probably see greater uncertainty in media planning as the old rules don't work anymore, and those brands that know how to function in the 'brave new world of advertising' will flourish, while others that don't know will not know what hit them.

Sana Bagersh, CEO, BrandMoxie - February 13, 2007

We will see more Chinese brands attept to go global this year. Some may stumble, but if they can thrive in their domestic market they will be tough competitors when they expand. And the government may push S.O.E.s into the spotlight.

Richard W. Coleman, Professor, TX A&M Univer.-Kingsville - February 15, 2007

Companies will realise the importance of B2E communications in creating internal brand alingnment and understand the importance of "Brand oriented employees" in the orgainisation.In some service industry "employee first" would be the manthra to boost customer satisfaction,as only a fullly satisfied employee would deliver the best service. Most of the companies will realise that Human Resource is an aset and not just an expense in the P&L.

Mohammed Abul Hassan, Managament Student, Indo German Chamber Of commerce - February 18, 2007

I am submitting a comment on your ad in the 2/16/07 issue of "Life, America's Weekend Magazine" which was enclosed in my daily newspaper. It is on the back page and is in such poor taste I simply had to give my opinion. It shows a woman -- supposedly naked -- who is unpleasantly overweight. I have always liked Dove products, but if this is your new way of advertising I will take my business elsewhere. I found it insulting.

anonymous - February 18, 2007

Once again, 2007 will be the year of Asia, especially China and India. While China will keep its pace towards olympics and world markets, India will be steady and head high inching closer to its neighbor competitor with growing confidence.

Kunal Relan, Student, Amity Business School, Noida - February 19, 2007

2007 brands to watch: Microsoft (Vista), Samsung (on the mobile front), BMW, Coke

2007 branding trends: Getting back to branding basics, branding for the environment, mobile-marketing, off-the-cuff brand partnerships

anonymous - February 21, 2007

watch LG in 2007 - things are heating up in the mobile sector in desig and usability - especially with their first launch touch screen and award winning PRADA phone in light of Apple's iPhone - and their Chocolate branding is very very successful...

a.berglund, executive creative director, www.interone.de - February 25, 2007

Green branding -- kissing up to mother nature
Brand metrics -- CEOs are screaming for accountability
Customer-driven branding -- With customer-created ads, who needs agencies?
Brand insurgents -- consumer guerrillas who seek to take down brands

Nick Wreden, Author, FusionBrand - February 26, 2007

Small service providers like mortgage brokers, chiropractors and financial planners will need to brand themselves with more vigor and inspiration. Where will they turn for help?

Martin Jelsema, CEO, Signature Strategies - February 27, 2007

Year 2007 will see new brands evolving themselves as leaders in their category. The brands who enjouy the glory of consumer-pull need to work harder to remain at the place and position they are.

Jathavedan, Executive, Ripple Fragrances Pvt. Ltd - March 1, 2007

I am inspired seeing JobStreet.com being listed in 2005 and continue to rise in ranks in 2006. I predict the rise of JobStreet.com within the Asia Pacific ranking....very word of mouth company. Spends very much less than the jaggernauts in the ranks of companies but the branding is truly exciting.

Jessica Moo - March 1, 2007

Brands should not be category related anymore. Brands are concepts, social icons, communication tools for people in the social context, Brands project “branders” social values. If Google doesn’t have users but googlers, apple has applers, Skype has Skypers, IKEA has Ikeaers, YouTube has YouTubers, etc.

Which CellPhone Brand Would Paris Hilton prefer to “wear”: Sony, LG, Nokia, Iphone-Apple, or CHANEL?

If Paris Hilton would be willing to pay USD 3000 for a CHANEL CellPhone, therefore does Diesel has an opportunity to compete with Ipod or Nokia? Or could Apple make a joint venture to use its great brand franchise to enter to clothing or any other relevant category for its dieselers.

Matias Gaviria, Marketing Manager Meet & Frozen Food, Grupo Nacional de Cholotates - March 1, 2007

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