Express Yourself with Sharpie

A critical part of good marketing is uncovering the emotional benefit of your brand. Every category and every brand can have an emotional benefit, even the most functional of products.

Take pens for example. On the surface, it would seem like there couldn't possibly be an emotional benefit to a ball point pen -- it's all functional.

Take Uniball. The brand claims to help prevent identity theft, because the ink is specially formulated to prevent check washing. Security and safety is the emotional benefit.

Sharpie. Its new advertising campaign, timed perfectly for back-to-school, has a tagline that reads "uncap what's inside." The emotional benefit of the brand? Self expression that can only be conveyed by the colors and styles of the Sharpie line of markers. A true emotional benefit.

Who knew a pen could bring out so many emotions? Also, check out the new Sharpie liquid pencil: "No breaking lead, no breaking your flow." Really good uncovering of an emotional benefit for what might otherwise seem pretty standard fare.

BTW, full disclosure here: I love using Sharpies. They are fun and truly expressive.

What's your experience? Jim.