Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. In addition to the costumes and the bowlfuls of candy, Halloween is the official start of the holiday season. Yes, in the months following All Hallows Eve, we run the gamut of emotions from Halloween fright and Thanksgiving gratitude to Christmas joy and New Year optimism.
Although I experience a myriad of emotions every day, these feelings are amplified during the holiday season since they come complete with costumes, decorations, music, parties, cocktails, and culinary feasts. With Halloween on my mind, I’ve prepared a list of scary brand failures that may be haunting your brand.
Zombies
Businesses that operate without a marketing plan which would provide a defined goal and clear plan to get there. Instead, they wander aimlessly changing direction only when they hit an obstacle or get distracted by a shiny object.
The Invisible Man
A business whose website has not been optimized for search might as well be invisible since no one will ever see it. Although visible, a website without responsive web design can be equally stomach-turning when viewed on a mobile device.
Haunted House
If social media pages could collect dust, some businesses’ social media pages would resemble Miss Havisham’s parlor (Google it). An unattended social media page is as inviting as a decaying haunted house.
Frankenstein’s Monster
To save money, some businesses piece together marketing materials composed of bits and pieces of previous marketing pieces. The results are often worthy of the pitchfork and torch wielding reception they receive.
Jack-o-Lanterns
Clients can be all smiles at your presentation, only to turn rotten, squishy and a little smelly when it comes time to execute your cutting-edge idea. Fear of looking different than the competition can be terrifying to some businesses.
The Grim Reaper
Unlike the Jack-o-Lantern, the Grim Reaper is negative from the get-go. At least you know what you are dealing with from the beginning, a nay-sayer who is adverse to change with “That’s the way we‘ve always done it” cross stitched on his sofa pillows.
Does your marketing need an exorcist? Contact the branding professionals at Electrum Branding.