Brand strategist Jennifer Zimmerman argues that early-stage master branding should sit at a higher conceptual altitude than technical product mechanics.
Opinion
Zimmerman: VC firms are undifferentiated parity products like laundry detergent
“Really began to develop an appreciation for how spectacular the business is, but frankly, undifferentiated firms are from one another. And it, I worked in a lot of parity categories, including laundry detergent and credit cards and everything in between. And I…”
Opinion
Zimmerman: Innovative startup founders lack appetite for marketing innovation
“Ironically, for founders that are driving innovation in their own categories so magnificently, there's very little innovation appetite in the marketing formula, largely because it's not their purview. And because the folks, they don't have the sort of that the…”
Insight
Zimmerman: Relying on a founder as sole brand spokesperson is less successful
“I would rarely advocate for any one individual to become the sole spokesperson for a brand because, you know, the world changes and the world grows. And I think finding, and sometimes it's about taking the founder's values and making those values work. Resolen…”
Insight
Zimmerman: Early-stage startup founders lack creative capability to build brands
“Began to realize there was a pretty significant opportunity gap for many of those early stage founders who have a need to tell their story and build some foundational assets, but have none of that capability or acts of that capability. In their company or in t…”
Insight
Zimmerman: Brand marketing defines the core proposition while product marketing handles specs
“There's a big difference in, from my perspective, between product marketing, how are you going to sell a product, to whom, what cycle, and what elements, what price point, what specs. And brand marketing, which is really about what's the larger proposition her…”
Insight
Zimmerman: A strong brand point of view acts as a moat
“Having that point of view, that larger idea or ideal, is often a really powerful moat To defend against the inevitable parodization of categories, and it's a really valuable guide to inspire next generation innovation around what your product wants to be next,…”