Bootstrap Marketing

In brand communication theory, the key points that are focussed on are 1. Attention capture 2. Brand centric communication 3. Image creation

Here, while attention capture is something that each and every piece of communication needs to deliver on, we can classify communication into two broad classes.
1. Communication which targets brand recall. This kind of communication has its primary objective as making the brand visible. This is not to say that the communication does not need to have an image creation objective. It must confirm to the imagery that the brand requires, but having said so, the main objective is to make the brand visible and reinforce it in the consumer's mind.
2. Communication which targets imagery creation. Here the primary objective is to create the imagery of the brand.

Communication of class 1 would target a much wider reach in terms of eye balls and the media strategy would be deviced accordingly. Class 2 communication would be much more communicative and the media used needs to provide for that.

Now if we want to launch a niche brand with below the line marketing, this model of looking at brand communication becomes very powerful. All communication budgets need to be divided into two parts. One part devoted to creating scale visibility for the brand. The other for a much more focused imagery creation excercise for the core target group.

Drilling one level down still, if the marketing is bootstrapped, without extravagant budgets to start off, below the line methods for brand communication need to be devised. In such a scenario, for scale visibility, a powerful symbol or logo taken across a variety of diplay mechanics would be very effective. For creating brand imagery, the most powerful way would be to create sticky content, both online and offline.

A sample of the first point on a powerful logo or visual. Its a marketeers dream.

http://adage.com/shared/includes/spotwin.html?vid=bonjovi-niceday05.asf&type=sow%2527,%2527SpotReview%2527,578,500,0,0,%2527scrollbars%2527

A sample on sticky content, both online and offline

http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/interesting_facts.asp
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/onthisday.asp

Kash