When tasked to unpack a brand’s unique elements and themes a few months ago for a brand study, it only made sense that I pick one of my memorable childhood brands.
I haven’t been alive for as long as the brand has been in existence, but I know without a doubt that there are several key components that make this brand what it is today. The chosen one had to be Steers – home of the flame-grilled burgers. A brand that has become famous in many households for it’s amazing chips and the Wacky-Wednesday.
Now, the original brand study was a little too long for a ‘blog read’… so I broke it down into a 3 part series. Let’s unpack a few elements that make the brand…
Being memorable is a key part of brand awareness and Steers gets this right through their brand communication, the catchy phrases in their campaigns[i], as well as their slogan[ii] – “Flame grilled. It just tastes better.” The Steers brand promise[iii] aids in bridge the brand gap – you’re promised a flame-grilled burger and that is exactly what you will get, be it beef, chicken or rib…
When we talk about the brand being meaningful, the elements that stand out are the flame icon, the colors and the slogan. These three elements stand separately yet also make sense together – the flame representing the “flame-grilled” in the slogan while also visually showing how the food is prepared (a delight to see if you’re lucky enough to catch the flame in-store). The slogan is not only catchy and memorable, it is also persuasive in cementing the taste factor; and the other being the colors that come across as a strategic visual representation of the flame element, just carried out in different hues. Talk about taking your look as serious as you do your talk…
Through their fun and visually appealing brand image over the years, Steers has managed to maintain its brand likability[iv] by adapting with the times[v] and culture. Aligning the rebranding of the brand’s personality with the current climate of its target market.
Another win for the brand is the alignment of value systems, with the aim of growing and strengthening the brand relationship and equity with the consumers. The brand does this well through their acts of giving back[vi] and through various sponsorship initiatives[vii] and presence at social events[viii].
When it comes to transferability, it’s rather a little tricky for a brand like Steers. Although the product ranges from more than just a flame-grilled burger (thanks to its restaurant space), the slogan doesn’t really give a strong sense of transferability and does very little for risk reduction, at first glance, as it speaks to the way in which the food is prepared.
The organisation of the brand’s overall corporate identity position, as well as the brand experience [ix]it offers consumers, make it the recognisable brand that it is today. Undoubtedly!