BRAND NAME CREATION AND CUSTOMERCENTRICITY

Why is "Ewa Agonyi" and "Agege Bread" called what they are ?

I enjoy eating bread and beans.  I enjoy Ewa Agonyi and Agege bread better.  Beans cannot just be beans, and bread cannot just be bread. 

One day,  I asked a friend who makes bread in Oshodi why their bread is not branded and he gave me a serious schooling on the dangers of branding generic businesses if one is targeting the numbers. 

People who like Agege Bread and Ewa Agonyi do not want to experience any mental agony before getting it.  Their brain has been so programmed to be comfortable with its 'natural' state.  Any special branding, as a result,   is a business risk! 

About 2 years ago,  a lady contacted me wanting to develop a brand.  She was so  sure what she wanted  to call her company and she had colors she liked,  a name,  an animal she liked and wanted to reflect in her corporate identity. 

She pretty much had all she wanted fixed in her head and for a while too.  Having carried the idea and identity in her head for many years,  she was not going to let go easily. I understood that bit well.

So we had a meeting and I just listened allthrough the meeting taking notes.  She had everything about her COMPANY  and how she wanted the business to be seen but nothing in consideration of the  CUSTOMER.

It took quite a lot of work and patience to convince her that her way was not the way to go,  but that we will both analyse her market,  the customer and the peculiar story the brand. 

After the process,  she gave up her ways and allowed her customer's way.  Today,  she is happy she did. 

This business creation habit is all too common and very likely the reason that more businesses fail to go beyond 2-5 years from creation. 

This is also because a lot of businesses don't start with clear problems they want to provide solutions for, and as such,  go on to create a company first without thinking about the characters and the  problem they face, as well as how to present the brand as the solution provider without "outshining" the hero (The Customer).

Most people create their companies before taking on the problem.  The first thing to actually understand the problem and the characters  before creating the company.

Once a problem is identified,  one can then identify the characters that those problems are peculiar to and target them with  business solutions.

Once you identify target with the problems (niche) ,  you must learn to understand the story peculiar to the characters and begin,  as a company,  to prepare a plan to get them out of that problem (your impact and reward). 

In the plan exists your brand name,  core values,  mission,  vision and success.  Don't take any action with brand implications without understanding the dynamics.  When we say that the customer is the hero,  it is the fact. 
Just like any movie you see out there,  there is usually a hero and a villain.  Once you understand and identify the hero and the villain,  you move on to delineate the problem on 3 levels. 

1. Internal Problems
2. External Problems
3. Philosophical problems

The 3 Problems explained-

Internal Problems exists in the life or the customer,  either as an individual or corporate.  Internal Problems makes the hero uncomfortable and treating survival or happiness. 

External problems exist outside of the brand and it is that problem that once a brand solves,  is on the way to winning.  No brand can solve a problem effectively and efficiently where they playing roles that conflict internal and external. 

Phosophical problems has to do with what a society considers ideologically wrong.  In communicating or inviting heroes into their own stories,  the philosophical problem must be addressed in a way that helps the hero become a winner and experience a happy ending. 

Brands that are customercentric focus on what the customer wants and needs, and develop products and services around that. Brands that are committed to customer centricity focus on building relationships designed to maximize the customer's product and service experience.

Brands that a really customercentric  ensures that their brand is communicated at a deeply philosophical level that elevates the experience of the Hero (customer).

3 Things to consider when creating a brand.  

1. YOUR CUSTOMER
2. YOUR SOLUTION
3. YOUR ENVIRONMENT. 

Okay,  so who knows why Agege Bread and Ewa Agonyi are so called? 

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