“In the digital age, everything is visible so everything counts. And what that means is that there’s no use in brands spending lots of money on marketing communications—however smart however beautiful and digital and everything else—if they are not as good on the inside as they are on the outside. People are going to find out and they are going to find out really really quickly with a scale and a speed that will take your breath away.” – Rita Clifton
How has brand building changed in the new digital reality? According to Rita Clifton, a leading authority in brand building regarded as a “brand guru” by the Financial Times and “the doyenne of branding” by Campaign magazine, rather than redefining the how strong brands are built, the new digital reality has emphasized the importance of a foundational principle: the need for a clear core purpose. In her expert opinion, the heightened transparency and accountability afforded by the internet requires brands to be more honest about who their brand is and to better communicate what their brand stands for to consumers.
This coming July 25, Rita will deliver the keynote address at Brand Boot Camp 2018 where she’ll further discuss the importance of brand purpose in today’s marketing landscape. She’ll explain why, despite the proliferation of digital and changing consumer behavior, a clear brand purpose remains to be the most critical factor to brand building and successful marketing communications. In doing so, she’ll bring light to why the meaningful engagement of consumers through digital channels hinges on brands truly understanding what’s at their core rather than merely pursuing flashy digital executions.
Rita’s insight offers a unique perspective on brand building anchored in decades of experience working for top international firms. In her career, she has served as Chairman of BrandCap, Former London CEO and Chairman of Interbrand, and Former Vice Chairman and Strategy Director of Saatchi & Saatchi. She is also a published author of multiple works on branding including The Future of Brands: 25 Visions of the Future of Branding and two editions of The Economist’s Brands and Branding.
Rita’s keynote will set the tone for Brand Boot Camp 2018, a single-day conference centered on the theme “Evolve: Brand Building in the Digital Reality,” and kick off a day of presentations from international marketing leaders. Following her keynote, the conference’s line-up features talks by big data expert Jojo Ines, Executive Vice President at Opera Solutions, shopper marketing guru Mike Anthony, CEO and founder of Engage Consultants, and seasoned marketer and strategist Pauline Fermin, Managing Director of Acumen Strategy Consultants.
To learn more about Brand Boot Camp 2018 and register, visit www.brandbootcamp.com.
