Re-consider Internet’s Impact: Online Branding vs. Online Brand

Before starting discussion, let us review the latest commercial campaign of Burberry online. Coordinated with the internet magnate Google, the British luxury brand has provided new form of consumer engagement, Burberry Kisses—-a visually immersive and interactive experience that allows users to send letters sealed with a virtual kiss to friends and loved ones across the globe (Swinton, 2013).

How do you feel about the campaign? Does it enhance overall brand value? Particularly, what is your comment on internet’s role incorporated in the whole commercial campaign?

Digital innovation: Burberry is beginning to live-stream their catwalk shows. Photograph: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

In fact, Burberry is among other luxury brands who have harnessed digital channels as a way of delivering unique experiences. Aiming at creating emotional connection with millennial consumers, this campaign is designed in a romantic tone through the lens of beauty products. Burberry is after all one of the most successful examples of a luxury brand that largely deploys online branding strategy. From Live-streamed catwalk shows, viral social media campaigns to online communities, Burberry’s case has illustrated the integration of digital into the luxury goods sector with £2bn revenue in the year of 2012.

Despite the significance of internet and online media campaign, what should be noticed is the limitation of internet and other digital media in branding promotions.

In the past few weeks, we have discussed a lot on the benefits that integrated marketing strategy can bring to us. We have examined various forms of online activities that a company may use to generate public attentions and user-led contents. Additionally, we have been aware of how social media can be used to create buzz and maintain good relationships with consumers.

However, when considering branding constructions, the imperfection of online channels should be equally addressed. Borrowing from Dao (2013), the idea is that although internet can be effectively used to facilitate online branding of luxuries, it will never be capable of being used to create a high status online brand. To explain, he lists 2 inherent defects of internet.    

• An exceptional and unique user experience—-there is not much that an online brand can do to differentiate itself from others, because online properties are all limited to interfacing through a screen and keyboard. For example, while Burberry can attract people by immersive experience with high-touch human service and attention in physical store, its partner Google has great difficulty to beat competitors, such as Yahoo, by intangible products.

• Displaying the mark as a status symbol—- Online brands have zero “flaunt” value. Nobody will consider having a @gmail.com address as superior and cool…

Google’s official campaign
http://www.google.com/think/campaigns/burberry-kisses.html

Perhaps, you want to challenge Dao (2013)’s notion on branding. But for me, his argument is instructive, because he helps people notice the different impacts of internet towards Online Branding and Online Brand. At least, internet as an important component of integrated marketing strategy should be considered inseparably with other media channels in dealing with either Online Branding or Online Brand issues.

Reference

Dao, F. (2013) Why online brands don’t have lasting value

Retrieved from http://pandodaily.com/2013/09/26/why-online-brands-dont-have-lasting-value/

 Swinton, J.(2013) How Burberry’s digital strategy is boosting brand value

Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/partner-zone-brand-union/burberry-digital-strategy-brand