The Elongating Tail of Brand Communication: An Approach to Brand-Building Incorporating Long Tail Economics

Abstract:     
The central thesis of the paper is that media proliferation and fragmentation aren't just offering advertising practitioners more media choices - they are changing the very fundamentals of marketing and brand-building.

Using Chris Anderson's Long Tail theory, the paper presents the case why the single-minded brand proposition is an anachronism and will fall out of favour in the future. An outcome of the "long tail" thinking outlined in the paper is the answer to holy grail quest of advertising and marketing - how to build complex, layered and engaging brands through simple advertising.

The paper also details out 8 ways marketers and advertising agencies can harness the power of the Long Tail of brand communication.

The paper won the Atticus Award 2006 in the Branding and Identity category. The Atticus Awards are handed out by WPP - the world's largest communications group - and are contested globally.

Keywords: advertising, marketing, brand-building, long tail, brands, marketing, brand communication, single-minded brand proposition

JEL Classifications: M31, M37

Working Paper Series