In this day and age, few brands truly grasp what “branding” entails, much less how to solidify a branding identity that resonates with its targeted audience. TRUFF Hot Sauce exemplifies a mastery of branding that goes beyond logos and product features which is precisely what inspired me to write this blog (along with my life-long dedication of collecting hot sauce from around the world!) – Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way though I’ll gladly take a lifetime supply of TRUFF hot sauce! At the end of this blog post, you’ll see how TRUFF’s marketing and remarketing strategy prompted a steady “reaction-change” in me until I eventually was prepared $15 for a bottle of hot sauce – a lesson to be learnt for all eCommerce and service brands. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, Da Brand Lab, for more on branding!

Subscribe Now

Gather ten creative minds, and you’ll likely hear ten different interpretations of branding The answers will vary from logos and visual identity to the product offering and features. Are any of these true? Errrr, how about…NAH! While many focus on logos and visual identity, true branding encompasses far more. Your spectacular product or unique process might not be as distinctive as you think. Chances are, someone nearby is doing something similar—they’re just presenting it differently. Controversial Take: Beyond Visual Identity We often get so bogged down with the logo and the colors wanting the brand’s visual identity to look absolutely “perfect”. Don’t get me wrong, of course I’m not saying the visual identity of a brand does not matter – that would be counter-intuitive considering Kaze is a branding and design agency! All I’m saying is that you should be prioritizing more than just your visual identity. The way the brand communicate and how it makes the audience feel are equally important. With that said, we can only answer these questions if we know who exactly our audience is

– and for the love of fried chicken do not say, “our product is for everyone”. You target everyone, you get NOTHING! Need help unraveling your targeted buyer personas ?

Book a Free 60-Min Strategy Sesh

However, none of these things above actually define branding. The ‘Godfather of Branding’ (as I like to call him), Marty Neumeier, sums it up perfectly in his book, “The Brand Gap”: “Your brand ISN’T what you say it is, it’s what THEY say it is!” If you think you can influence your brand, you’ve made the prime mistake of thinking the way your brand is perceived lies with you – it does not. Your audience and targeted buyers are who decide what your brand embodies. You can certainly influence branding (see image below), but you cannot control it.

Fun fact: TRUFF began as a content brand influenced by hip-hop culture, initially named “@sauce”. After amassing a significant following, the founders decided on a strategic rebranding to appeal more directly to millennial and immigrant foodies, introducing a novel type of “luxury” flavor. Before changing their name from @sauce, co-founders, Nick Guillen and Nick Aljuni (let’s call ‘em Nick²) identified that they wanted to appeal to millennial and immigrant foodies with the objective of introducing a new type of “luxury” flavor. Remember, how I said above “you target everyone, you get nothing”? Well, Nick² did the complete opposite and niched all the way down!

Let’s Pause and Dissect…

All of the sharpshooters at Kaze are SO big on testing the market, especially when it comes to new ideas and concepts. When it comes to paid media, this is fundamental before you double down on the ‘winning ad creative’.

Having trouble with your paid media conversions? 60-min free strategy sesh on us!

Book Now

When executed properly, market testing not only safeguards against risk but also provides unique insights into buyer habits and preferences. The fact is, many brands are eager to get going and just “dive in” based on assumptions. Ah, the ugly the “a” word – never assume, always test. Assuming often equates to a disconnect that’s created between the brand and the consumers. For Truff, market research paid dividends as it enabled Nick² to unravel insights and specialize in the luxury hot sauce market for millennials and immigrants (A niche within a niche!)

Effective brand positioning requires intention. Positioning yourself as the “go to” for a particular sliver of the market will supercharge brand awareness and form a loyal target base which leaves your competitors in the dust. Nick² didn’t just nail their positioning but they supplemented that with an incredible product which further reinforced “luxury”, namely:

• Truffle as a key ingredient. Any true foodie knows that “TRUFFle” on anything adds luxury so throwing that in as a key ingredient was genius, and very unique.
• Clear font with a simplistic design that imitates a “gem-like” cap further showcases the notion that “TRUFF is luxury”. Conversely, look at Cholula which adopts an extremely different approach (no shade to Cholula – that’s my fav affordable hot sauce!)

Crafting a brand positioning statement requires intention. We lead branding workshops for clients all the time and usually asking the ‘right’ questions will lead to messaging that will not only supercharge brand awareness, but inevitably drive conversions.

Curious about what a branding workshop entails? Book a 15-min No-Pressure Call

Let’s Do It

In the opening of this blog, I mentioned that I’d disclose how TRUFF got me on board. It largely revolved around their effective social media and paid media strategy. Specifically, their retargeting is what made me eventually make the purchase and there’s a lesson for eCommerce brands here. My buyer journey went a little something like this:

1. My initial reaction to the first ad: “Flamin ‘eck, $15 for hot sauce?! No chance!”
2. Ads #2 – 3: “Still no chance!!!”
3. Ad #4: “$15 for hot sauce..hmm”
4. FFW to Ad #8: “$15 for those ingredients seems kinda worth it…still not buying it though!”
5. My reaction when I saw TRUFF in Whole Foods’ hot sauce aisle: “TRUFF? In store?! Ok fine, take my money!”

And this amigos, is the power of a thoughtful remarketing strategy!

TRUFF knew that they wanted to provide their “foodie” customers with a refreshingly new luxury hot sauce experience. After the formation of their vision which targeted millennial and immigrant foodies, they tested it further by surveying their ideal audience. Their willingness to specialize and test allowed them to market their product accordingly, ultimately sending them into the stratosphere. You can apply these principles too but you have to be willing to specialize and alienate some areas of the market along the way. But this can only be done if you’re clear on who your buyer is, and what they actually want. And remember, “your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what they say it is” Unlock Your Brand’s Roadmap with a Vision Mapping Session Today! Free 60-Min Strategy Session

Count Me In

Do you have a favorite brand that remarketed the heck outta you until making that purchase?! Comment below and share the story!