To stand out within a competitive sales landscape, it is no secret that differentiation is key. If your brand has a unique value proposition validated by customers or “Purple Cow,” as Seth Godin taught us, rest assured you are differentiated. But is your business leveraging this in the best way possible? This is where a Branded Program might be a solution.
A Branded Program can be described as a marketing initiative created to meet a business objective (sales, impressions, leads, etc.) that is purposefully and inherently tied to your brand’s key differentiators.
We know differentiators may manifest themselves in different areas such as your visual branding, core offering, partnerships and alliances, brand values, level of knowledge or expertise, and even physical location. Through branded programs, marketers can harness these elements to create unique offers and experiences that can result in repeat visits, higher ticket prices, or increased loyalty.
The Case of JungleBird
JungleBird, a hot leisure cocktail bar offering the best of the island experience, saw an opportunity to leverage the following main differentiators among their competition:
- Product and industry knowledge
- Accessibility to a variety of products
- Brand relationships to leverage
- Notoriety
With these 4 differentiators identified and growth objectives set, the first program was born:
Behind the Bar
A year-long program gave attendants nine on-premise experiences through which they would learn about a different spirit, taste it and prepare cocktails with. Spirits ranged from vodka (Absolut) to Gin (Plymouth) and Rum (DonQ) to Champagne (Perrier-Jouet) and even beer (Goose Island). This program was done in collaboration with local startup Urban Vittles, which at the time sought to bring unique and off-the-beaten-path culinary experiences to their customers.
JungleBird Rum Club
A year-long program that was the founders’ dream for some time. Having seen success and learned from the Behind the Bar program, a Rum Club was established through which subscribers would be able to assist in private tasting sessions from some of the world’s most renowned Rum ambassadors and brands. Partners included Angostura, DonQ, Foursquare Rum, and Clement Rum.
Whisky Women
Partnering with local industry leader Alexandra Rivera, a branded program was jointly created to provide a whisky experience catering to an identified audience segment interested in learning more about this particular spirit. Two sessions were held at JungleBird, and since then, the program has continued to thrive under Alexandra’s supervision.
In conclusion, through branded programs, marketers can leverage elements such as your visual branding, core offering, partnerships and alliances, and brand values. The level of knowledge or expertise and even your physical location create unique offers and experiences that can result in repeat visits, higher ticket prices, or increased loyalty.
This blog post was written by Héctor Ortiz, Marketing Advisor at DuartePino. Want to learn more about implementing branded programs into your business marketing and growth plans? Contact our Marketing Advisors at DuartePino, who are here to assess your business’ unique offerings to leverage. Contact us.