I’ve made some refinements to the original issue, which I previously posted as a plug for a podcast idea (see the updated written version below). If you’re wondering, yes, I still want to start a marketing podcast. I’m still exploring ideas on how to execute all of this. Likely, it will be a monthly contribution, again, following relevant topics around ‘A Marketing Communication for Businesses’.
This serves as inspiration and is also creative fuel for my passion project—Blox. Communications, a marketing consultancy and a project I’m building alongside my professional career as a Marketing Manager. It’s a service-based platform designed to support mid-sized businesses across sectors, including but not limited to manufacturing, distribution, and tech, with bold (a.k.a. creative), strategy-driven marketing solutions that connect, differentiate, and drive results.
If you have a project in mind that sparks your interest or if you’re struggling to find direction for your marketing department, let’s discuss and create a plan tailored to your needs!
The website is being developed, but so far you can take a look here.
And if you’re curious, it has been a long time since I’ve posted. Life has been uber busy, and while I know that is the lamest excuse, believe me, I remain dedicated and committed to my art, writing, and design! Posts to come – promise!
For now, enjoy reading The Intersection, and as always, I am open to hearing your feedback or suggestions. Talk soon.
When the magic happens, You’re making change happen.
Identity stamped to perfection.
Understanding:
style, thinking, love, goals and aspirations.
There are always ways to re-imagine.
Be who you are. Strive to be better.
*This is a new day, a new era. My new personal brand stamp marks each letter as if to say, “Hi there!” We need to have a conversation about creativity and art and art and creativity and that relationship specifically.
It’s been a slice since I’ve been on here. It’s because I have recently (well, about five months ago now) started a new job! I’m so excited. It has been the opportunity of a lifetime, and I am learning so much about a new industry and finding myself passionate about the projects I’ve been undertaking. Who is the new company? Delta Water Products! The head office is locally based in Chilliwack and has 14 branches across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been hired as the new Marketing Manager, and my very first task was to take on the company’s rebranding as it became the parent name to several sub-brands, which required a complete revitalization of the brand.
Now, it’s essential to remember that rebranding is not a mere cosmetic change like a new logo or catchy tagline; it’s a strategic initiative that can redefine a company’s identity, reposition it in the market, and set the stage for long-term success. As businesses evolve, rebranding can be crucial in aligning a company’s image with its vision, values, and the market’s ever-changing demands. Understanding this strategic nature of rebranding can empower those involved to make informed decisions about their company’s future. Let’s delve in to understand better what a rebrand is.
What is Rebranding?
Rebranding is the process of changing an organization’s corporate image. It involves updating or completely overhauling the brand’s name, logo, visual identity, messaging, and sometimes its core values and mission. The goal is to create a new identity that resonates with customers, differentiates the company from its competitors, and reflects its current or future ambitions.
For many companies, rebranding becomes necessary after mergers or acquisitions, market shifts, changes in customer preferences, or a desire to enter new markets. It’s a way of breathing new life into a brand and ensuring it remains relevant and competitive.
What Makes a Successful Rebrand?
A successful rebrand is one that not only captures the essence of what a company stands for but also resonates with its target audience. Here are some key elements that contribute to a successful rebrand:
Clear Purpose and Vision: A rebrand should be driven by clearly understanding the company’s goals. Whether it’s to attract a new customer base, reflect a merger, or reposition the brand in the market, the purpose behind the rebrand should guide every decision.
Consistency Across All Touchpoints: Rebranding isn’t just about changing a logo. It’s about creating a consistent brand experience across all customer touchpoints—from the website and social media to packaging and customer service. Consistency helps build trust and recognition among customers.
Stakeholder Involvement: A rebrand should involve input from critical stakeholders, including employees, customers, and partners. Their insights can provide valuable perspectives on what the brand represents and how it should evolve.
Authenticity: The new brand identity should reflect the company’s values and heritage. A successful rebrand doesn’t mean abandoning what made the brand strong in the first place; it’s about building on that foundation.
Effective Communication: It is crucial to communicate the reasons behind the rebrand and what it means for customers. Transparency helps in gaining customer buy-in and ensures a smooth transition.
Rebranding for Sustainability and Longevity
A well-executed rebrand can significantly contribute to the sustainability and longevity of a company. Here’s how:
Adapting to Market Changes: As markets evolve, so do customer needs and expectations. Rebranding allows a company to adapt to these changes, ensuring it remains relevant and competitive.
Expanding Market Reach: Through rebranding, a company can reposition itself to attract new customer segments or enter new markets. This expansion can lead to increased market share and growth.
Strengthening Brand Equity: A robust and consistent brand builds equity over time. Rebranding can refresh and reinvigorate a brand, increasing its perceived value and enhancing customer loyalty.
Reflecting Growth and Evolution: Companies grow, and their brands should evolve to reflect that growth. Rebranding allows a company to communicate its progress, innovations, and future direction.
Building a Unified Brand Identity: In the case of mergers or acquisitions, rebranding can unify different entities under a single, cohesive brand. This simplifies the brand architecture and helps create a more substantial, recognizable presence in the market.
This rebrand was not just about a name change. It was about unifying these brands’ strengths and unique abilities to offer a broader range of expertise, products, and services. By becoming Delta Water Products Group, the company has expanded its geographic coverage across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest and diversified its product segments, including Irrigation (Turnkey agriculture irrigation solutions and products), Pumps & Motors (Groundwater, industrial, commercial, HVAC, agriculture systems), Waterworks (Civil and municipal waterworks, wastewater, and drainage), Wildfire Response (Rapid action to supply big water for structure protection and heli teams), and HD Conduit (Cable conduit, fibre optics, and communication boxes).
This rebranding effort underscores Delta Water Products Group’s commitment to sustainability and longevity. By consolidating under a single, cohesive brand, the company has strengthened its market position, making it more agile and better equipped to meet the needs of its customers today and in the future.
I hope this all makes sense to you! Just keep in mind – rebranding is a powerful tool that, when executed thoughtfully, can increase a company’s relevance, market share, and longevity. It’s more than just a visual overhaul; it’s about aligning the brand with the company’s current and future goals. For companies like mine, rebranding has provided a renewed sense of purpose, a more robust market presence, and a clear path forward in an ever-evolving industry.
We took many steps to execute the rebrand, including building a new landing page, updating email signatures, and releasing brand announcement letters. My next big project is building one unified website to consolidate the brands and represent our group. I’ve shared a couple of different brand announcements I made below so you can understand my approach and the new branding. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime!
In a world where businesses fight for attention, inception marketing can cut the noise. This unconventional technique aims to implant desire into your buyer’s mind, subconsciously intriguing them to make decisions.
But how would you approach this?
As per due course, identifying and understanding your target audience is fundamental. Perhaps serendipitously, knowing who your ‘people’ are is riff with classification – demographic, psychographic, and so on. But how do you distinguish character? Dreams? Accomplishments?
Wear their shoes!
Imagine what it’s like to be a member of your target audience. Consider their daily routines, challenges, aspirations, and sources of joy. Empathize with their experiences, and you can gain valuable insights into what motivates them and how your product or service can address their needs.
I’m not saying it’s going to be easy work. It will take time, bottomless curiosity, and creativity to craft compelling buyer personas that will make a difference in your pursuit of growth. You might even have to look the opposite way. Envision your competitor knocking at your door. How would you understand them? What questions would you ask? Then, alas, you can ask the grand question – what message and associations do you want to embed in your target audience’s psyche?
Your answers should create a deep, emotional connection and tap into their subconscious desires, beliefs, and aspirations.
Remember, storytelling is the key.
Evoke sentiment and eagerness and delve into universal themes that address the human experience.
And sometimes broad is better. Subtle and indirect. The goal is to make a long-lasting impact, build brand affinity, and, most importantly, influence their attitude toward your brand in the long term.
Marketing is an environment defined by complexity and constant change.
For example, AI has automated and streamlined processes such as social media management and content creation. Similarly, over the past five years, the world of SEO has shifted away from simply keyword tactics to a more holistic approach involving the rigorous understanding of user intent and experience.
A recent McKinsey study found that 77% of CMOs believe their role has increased in complexity over the past five years, while other research consistently highlights the importance of integrated, customer-centric approaches for increased growth and revenue.
Amidst this frenzy of marketing metamorphosis, we can now say that leaders need more than campaigns. They need systems. They need ways to leverage digital ecosystems while maintaining a hyper-vigilant approach to customer needs and overall growth. That’s where the 9-Point Channel Strategy comes in.
Delving, Developing, and Deducing
This complexity was not theoretical for me – it showed up daily during my Longboard days, when I was part of a small yet mighty team.
A few months into my role, I began to dream about creating a strategy that could answer some of the challenges our team was experiencing – a lack of organization due to poor project management skills, limited human resources to handle social media and email marketing tasks, and most importantly, misalignment and miscommunication with leadership, as well as missed opportunities to collaborate with cross-functional departments.
I wrote a business case and presented it to the CEO.
In my study, I explored all the potential projects and campaigns we could launch if only we were more organized and had more structure to our efforts. It was also the catalyst for doubling our team’s size. After a quick presentation of my findings, my request was quickly approved. I finally had the go-ahead to develop the strategy that had been rattling about in my brain.
A Holistic View
The lack of a holistic view is one significant challenge that spurred the need to develop the 9-Point Channel Strategy.
In holistic marketing, departments and the strategy work together to accomplish shared goals and support an overarching purpose. A holistic stance paired with a transparent purpose is pivotal to scaling efforts and driving incremental volume and revenue.
It allows you to step back and review your work, gaining a deeper and clearer understanding of how inputs influence outcomes. With this perspective, you’ll be better prepared to make thoughtful, proactive decisions. Once you develop a holistic view, you can begin shaping content and messaging that resonates across physical, emotional, social, and even spiritual dimensions. At its core, this unification can lead to outcomes that stand out and make a lasting impact.
The 9-Point Strategy
The 9-Point Channel Strategy is an integrated approach to channel marketing where the primary goal is to understand your market segments and audience so you can deliver campaigns and projects that will produce results, all while driving your mission and vision forward.
By organizing each channel according to activity and assigning roles and responsibilities to the team (RACI chart), you can plan your delivery and create an inspiring experience that results in alignment between identity, delivery, and experience. This framework provides marketing teams with a structured, repeatable approach to align business goals, customer engagement, and brand growth across traditional and digital channels.
The 9-Point Channel Strategy model resembles a rotary phone because every channel (digit) must be dialled deliberately, in a sequence, and through a central hub (budget + analytics) to connect the organization to its customer outcomes (the call).
Why Structure Matters in Marketing
Most marketing teams suffer from one of two extremes: ad hoc creativity with little consistency, or rigid planning that fails to adapt to market shifts. Neither delivers sustainable growth.
The 9-Point Channel Strategy strikes a balance.
At its core, it emphasizes organization, planning, and resource allocation. These are not administrative details; they are the foundations of scaling. A Harvard Business Review study found that companies that link project management discipline with strategy execution are 70% more likely to outperform their peers.
By organizing around nine integrated channels – SEO/PPC, Content, Swag & Signage, Communications and Relationship Management, Tradeshows & Events, PR & Media, Website & Apps, Email Marketing, and Social Media – companies create a roadmap that both grounds their brand and gives teams the agility to respond to change.
From Brand Awareness to Measurable Revenue
Marketing is not just about visibility. Done right, it drives the business. Done wrong, it can degrade the brand and dislodge the customer journey.
So, it’s vital to understand how each channel works singularly and in groups (Channel Groups). Research by Nielsen shows that brands with strong integrated campaigns achieve 31% more effectiveness than those using single-channel approaches.
The 9-Point Channel Strategy is designed to move organizations along this path. It improves:
Brand Awareness: By consistently activating channels that reinforce identity and voice.
Customer Engagement: Through storytelling, dialogue, and relationship management across touchpoints.
Sales Impact: By aligning marketing activity with measurable outcomes such as lead quality, conversion rates, and pipeline growth.
For example, when I applied this framework in past roles, companies saw up to 600% growth in engagement and $25M in new business pipeline opportunities.
It’s critical to understand that this doesn’t just happen out of sheer application – it’s the targeted execution that matters most. It’s like a causeway. You can allocate resources to support your teams, all while understanding your business needs more accurately.
Furthermore, the 9-Point Channel Strategy guides the creation of marketing and sales materials, the development of strategic regional campaigns, and the collection of valuable data using the software and tools you have in place. By investing more time into understanding the potential of your market and the journey your clients take, you can influence product development, boost brand recognition, and more.
You will also improve your breadth of knowledge and meet changing client requirements more quickly and effectively. Client satisfaction will rise, as will your future revenue and profitability. Your reputation will grow as you raise awareness for your company and industry.
The Agile Imperative
No framework survives long if it can’t adapt. The 9-Point Channel Strategy incorporates principles from the Agile Marketing Manifesto, which emphasizes experimentation, cross-functional collaboration, and responsiveness to change.
Five rules serve as guiding pillars:
Focus on client value and business outcomes over activity and outputs.
Deliver value early and often, rather than waiting for perfection.
Learn through experiments and data, rather than opinions and conventions.
Collaborate across functions, not just within silos or hierarchy.
Respond to change by following a static plan.
This isn’t just philosophy. According to AgileSherpas, 42% of marketers now practice some form of Agile marketing, and those teams are twice as likely to report success as their non-Agile counterparts.
To put agility into practice, leaders need guiding principles that balance flexibility with discipline.
Principles for Execution
To embed agility within structure, leaders must:
Align closely with internal and external stakeholders through transparency and trust.
Encourage diverse perspectives to fuel creativity and innovation.
Operate at a sustainable pace, balancing urgency with long-term growth.
Empower small, cross-functional teams who are motivated and trusted.
Continuously refine brand and channel fundamentals—because agility alone is not enough.
The best marketing programs are not built on one-off bursts of inspiration but on disciplined iteration. As Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder, once put it: “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”
The Call to Leaders
The 9-Point Channel Strategy is more than a checklist – it is a system for growth in an unpredictable market. By combining structure with agility, organizations can achieve clarity, consistency, and measurable outcomes while staying aligned with their mission, vision, and values.
In an era when customer attention is fragmented and competition is fierce, the companies that win will not be those who do more, but those who do better. Integrated and agile marketing is no longer optional – it is a prerequisite for sustainable success. The 9-Point Channel Strategy offers a path to do just that – driving clarity, consistency, and sustainable growth.
If you’d like to explore how this strategy can work for your business, feel free to reach out to me anytime – info@chonafecanlas.com.
Thanks for reading,
Blox.
PS – Below is an example of a preliminary exploration I did for a company. Let me know if you’d like to chat more about it!
Revelation. I’ve taken up something I’m sure a million (or more) of you do. I’m back to listening to ebooks while driving to work. Haha – and you thought it would be something more complicated! I did it before but found I was getting bored of it. I’m unsure if it’s the drone of narration or my susceptibility to zoning in and out. Probably a mixture of both. Alas, as part of my year of sharing insights, I thought it would make sense to dedicate myself to it again.
So, today, I want to talk about reciprocity in marketing. From a psychological standpoint, this rule is simple. What you give is what you get. We tend to feel obligated to return a favour or gesture after receiving something from someone else. If I come back from the cafe with a donut for you, you will likely buy me a baked good the next time you’re picking up a coffee. 😉
In marketing, this sense of indebtedness in our actions, or more specifically, messaging, can steer our audience to feel more motivated or compelled to make a decision that will impact their buying trajectory. For example, as part of our ABM strategy, I put together a booklet and sample kit for prospective customers. The act of sending and receiving the package in the mail is not only thoughtful but leverages something of value, something tactile and beautiful, something helpful and intriguing that, in turn, can help the receiving party better understand where our brand comes from and ultimately, our passion and intention of supporting the design and construction community through not only inspiring architecture but inspiration, in and of itself!
Creating this cycle of giving and receiving strengthens social connections and encourages cooperative behaviour among individuals and groups within communities, small and big. I see it as small steps of action becoming big sips of gratitude and many more meaningful opportunities in the future!
Have you taken a reciprocal step? In what way did it change the trajectory of your day? Your goals? Your journey as a marketer?
Not done yet! Reciprocity has even been known to foster creativity and innovation, such as this Adobe example in a short Medium article – https://bit.ly/48McaDl
I want to make 2024 the year to share some insights. I have time! You have time! We all have time! While perfecting pour-overs, tackling big hills on runs, or when driving into work – these are all great opportunities to listen and learn something valuable, even if just one small concept, it could turn into a big change-maker!
First up is the Cube of Creativity by marketing strategist Andrew Davis. This framework can help marketers leverage their creative process to promote innovation and encourage better outcomes.
To apply this shift in mindset, we need to be open to embracing constraints, defined by the four sides of a cube –
1 – Eliminate the Unnecessary 2 – Define a Single, Measurable Outcome 3 – Add Unreasonable Creative Constraints 4 – Raise the Stakes
A fighter brand is when a company introduces a new, lower-priced product or brand to compete directly with its own existing products or with those of its competitors.
The purpose of a fighter brand is to target price-sensitive consumers who may otherwise choose a competitor’s cheaper alternatives, thereby protecting the company’s market share and overall brand image.
Pros
Market Segmentation: A fighter brand allows you to target different market segments simultaneously. It enables you to cater to both price-conscious consumers and those who are willing to pay a premium for your main brand, thus widening the client base.
Competitive Advantage: By offering a lower-priced option, you can directly challenge your competitors on price. It can capture clients who prioritize cost savings without undermining the reputation or sales of your higher-priced main brand.
Risk Mitigation: In the face of tough economic conditions or fluctuations in consumer preferences, the fighter brand can act as a buffer for your overall performance. If consumers tighten their budgets, they may switch to the more affordable fighter brand, maintaining sales for you.
Brand Loyalty: Clients who begin their journey with the fighter brand may eventually move up to your main brand if they have a positive experience. It can create brand loyalty within the client base, potentially increasing long-term client retention.
Cons
Cannibalization: One of the significant risks associated with fighter brands is the potential for cannibalization of sales. If the fighter brand draws clients away from your main brand without attracting new clients, overall revenue could suffer.
Brand Dilution: Introducing a lower-priced brand may lead to a perception of reduced product quality or brand dilution. If not managed carefully, it can negatively impact the image of your main brand, especially if clients associate the fighter brand with inferiority.
Marketing Costs: Successfully launching and maintaining a fighter brand requires investment in marketing and advertising. If the returns on this investment are not significant, it could strain your financial resources.
Logistical Complexity: Operating multiple brands can add complexity to your supply chain, distribution, and inventory management processes. It requires careful coordination and management.
Impact on a Growing Company:
For a growing company, introducing a fighter brand could have several implications:
Competitive Edge: In a competitive market, launching a fighter brand could help you gain a competitive edge by offering a more affordable alternative to your existing products and those of your competitors. This could attract budget-conscious clients and win market share.
Revenue Stability: Economic downturns or fluctuations in any industry can affect purchasing behavior. The fighter brand could help maintain revenue stability during challenging times by capturing price-sensitive clients.
Customer Acquisition and Loyalty: The fighter brand can act as a stepping stone for clients who are initially hesitant to invest in your main brand’s premium products. If they have a positive experience with the fighter brand, they may become loyal clients and eventually upgrade to the main brand.
Product Diversification: Introducing a fighter brand allows you to diversify your product portfolio and address the needs of a broader client base. This diversification can reduce reliance on a single product line and expand market reach.
Challenges in Brand Management: You must carefully manage your marketing and positioning of the fighter brand to avoid brand dilution and cannibalization. Clear differentiation between the fighter brand and the main brand is essential to maintain their distinct identities.
Operational Considerations: The introduction of a new brand may require adjustments to your processes, supply chain, and distribution channels. Proper planning is necessary to handle the increased logistical complexity.
In summary, a fighter brand can be a valuable strategy for a growing company. One main benefit of developing a fighter brand is that clients who initially purchase from the fighter brand might be enticed to upgrade entirely to or add-on different products and services as their needs and budgets evolve. This can foster long-term client loyalty (a longer term marketing strategy). To solidify a fighter brand’s market position, you would need to develop a clear communication strategy to explain the relationship between the main brand and the fighter brand to avoid confusion among clients.
I’m going to share more explorations on brand types in coming posts, so stay tuned!
Member A – Marketing is a constantly evolving landscape.
Member B – Ideas ignite and fizzle away.
Member C – A structured and creative ebb and flow transpires.
Member D – New campaigns take flight.
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Evolution.
We seek out different and diverse points of view, embrace and respond to change, and plan only to a level sufficient to ensure effective prioritization and execution. We find ourselves encountering a phenomenon called—CRITICAL MASS.
Akin to when celestial planets align, critical mass is that single yet multifarious moment when our efforts transcend the ordinary and catapult into the extraordinary. It’s a transformative point when our brand’s message resonates with such force that it achieves unstoppable momentum, similar to a cascading waterfall or an awe-inspiring avalanche.
Achieving critical mass can ignite a spark in the collective consciousness of a team, sparking a wildfire of enthusiasm that spreads contagiously through diligent becomings – social networks, word-of-mouth, and media channels. One clever idea can transform into an iconic cultural touchstone, etching your brand’s identity into the minds of engaged onlookers everywhere.
When an idea reaches critical mass, it propels forward and impacts a team’s ability to meet goals.
Here are some ways your team can make that impact based on some common marketing objectives –
Boost Brand Awareness
As your name, products, and services become more recognized, brand awareness will naturally increase. When your brand reaches a certain level of visibility, popularity, or adoption, it triggers a self-sustaining momentum (critical mass), fostering a positive feedback loop that fuels growth and solidifies your brand’s position in the market.
Obtain New Clients
Your team can focus on targeted campaigns to showcase your USP (unique selling proposition) and differentiators while also highlighting your clients’ success stories and effectively communicating the value of your product to attract a steady stream of interest (demand generation), then ultimately converting that interest into actual sales and new clients (client acquisition).
Strengthen Relationships with Existing Clients
You can contribute to this effort by implementing a preferred client program, personalizing your internal and external communication via channels like social media, email, and content, and creating a detailed plan and strategy around launching new products that address client challenges, needs and pain points.
Increase Sales
As your market presence and brand awareness expand, so does sales potential. A larger customer base combined with the effective execution of a strategy will lead to more opportunities. Your marketing team can collaborate closely with your sales team to generate and nurture high-quality leads, provide sales enablement materials, and optimize the customer journey to convert prospects into loyal clients.
So, what do you think?
Critical mass is a powerful catalyst for any growing team. By reaching this point of substantial growth and influence, your team’s efforts – recognizing ‘critical mass’ as it occurs and creating models to emulate its course – become pivotal in driving continued success.
Inspiration can be a behemoth, and it is waiting for y’all!
Blox. is a Creative & Technical Marketer 