Why It’s In Your Favor To Market Like A Rookie Brand

Why It’s In Your Favor To Market Like A Rookie Brand

Why your customer wants your rookie marketing.

You have a lot to prove when you’re a rookie brand.

The feelings are very similar to walking into a new high school as the new kid in town — you’re either seen as fresh meat, a threat, or the new face everyone is going to crush on. People want to know if you’re cool, what’s unique about you, and what your personality is like. As a rookie brand, you’re valued for your fresh energy, voice, and any innovation you bring to the table.

When you’re a veteran brand, you’re valued for your wisdom, and the consistency you deliver through the tried and trusted products you have to offer. Your market likes you because you’re reliable and they know what to expect — this gives you the benefit of having a more laid-back marketing plan because you’ve built a reputation.

Brands like Coca-Cola, Louis Vuitton, and Apple are great examples of this — when you want a refreshing soda, a luxury handbag, or a new laptop, people immediately think of these brands — their reputation precedes them and also sells their products for them.

When you’re a rookie brand, you can’t stroll around like a veteran because 1) your market doesn’t know who you are 2) you haven’t built a reputation 3) you haven’t established a stake in the market (no one’s actively saying that you’re their go-to favorite for sodas or laptops).

This is why you can’t look to the marketing plays of veteran brands and expect them to work for your rookie brand. This is a big misstep I see — rookie brands marketing like veteran brands.

As a rookie brand, you can’t promote like a veteran brand. These veteran plays are big no no’s for rookie brands:

  • Post laid-back content with captions void of personality or perspective.

  • Buy out digital ads with just your product name and image and expect people to remember, or care to try your product.

  • Send out email newsletters only for announcement purposes (sales, new product releases, & other announcements).

When you’re a veteran brand that has been building reputation, favoritism, and market stake for decades — your marketing plays can be a bit more laid back. 

When you’re a rookie brand that borrows these veteran plays, you end up boring your customers. Because you haven’t established why people should care about what you have to say, this laid-back style of marketing falls extremely short.

When you’re a rookie brand, you have to promote your brand to establish reputation, favoritism, and market stake through:

  • Personality-forward marketing that shows your audience who you are and what you’re about.

  • Clear conversations about what makes you unique, innovations you bring to the table, and what’s memorable about you.

  • Relationship-building marketing that nurtures and starts conversations with your community.

If you’re a rookie brand, promote yourself like one, you’ll end up with a stronger reputation for it.

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Sophia Sunwoo