An Interview With Brand Momentum Author Tony Lewis
We catch up with Tony Lewis, founder and Managing Director of strategic market research consultancy Vision One, about his new business guide Brand Momentum, which looks set to transform the field of effective brand marketing.
Q. So, Tony It’s been a while since we last spoke. You have a new book out, ‘Brand Momentum’… Tell us all about it…
A. For the last 30 years I have been studying brands and consumers, and my research has led to one conclusion: that a single metric is at the heart of success and the key to building strong brands. Brand Momentum is a straight-talking book for business leaders and marketers who want to understand a bit more about the consumer psychology of how brands grow. It’s a metric we call Brand Velocity Score (or BVS for short), which will help brands create success.
Q. Where did you first find the insight to formulate the strategy for Brand Momentum?
A. Brand Momentum is a culmination of many things, and now feels like the right time to share it.
My idea was to develop a model, a way of thinking, that will help brands grow and build on everything we know about brands and how they work. I also knew it had to be something people could understand and relate to—so it also needed to be simple and effective.
I looked at what research and science tell us about how brands grow and quickly realised the most logical next step was to identify what would be the optimum predictor of growth. My conclusion was that the perception of growth among prospective buyers (the Brand Velocity Score) has all the answers a business needs, you just have to dig under the surface.
In a nutshell, a brand’s strength can be summarised by its size and the speed and direction it is heading. In the real world, this is Momentum (mass x velocity), and this is the thinking behind Brand Momentum.
Q. What are the most integral parts of a strategic marketing plan?
A. Obviously, any strategic marketing plan should be aligned with the overarching goals and objectives of the business. A strategy is a plan designed to achieve specific outcomes, so it must be closely aligned with the broader vision and goals. In most instances, the goal is to grow the business or brand, and this is where Brand Momentum comes into its own. The fundamental requirement of any strategy is that it is based on sound research and knowledge that helps ensure a high probability of working.
Q. What are the common mistakes small businesses make when formulating a marketing plan?
A. I think one thing young brands do is fail to exploit their newness and differences. They are so keen to be like every other brand that they lose sight of their USP, which is that they are different, fresh, and new. This is their key strength. And if you don’t think you are any different, then you need to rethink and find a new angle that people can believe in. You might want to speak to a research agency if you don’t know how to do this!
Q. What did you find the most challenging part of writing the book?
A. Writing a book was a lot more involved than I had imagined, but the most challenging part was making it accessible and understandable. Momentum theory itself is straightforward, but the ideas on how to grow and why it works are more complex to convey. I hope my readers feel I have done a good job at this, as I believe this simplicity in the messaging is critical for Brand Momentum to become the number one growth metric for every boardroom.
Q. What made you want to write this book now?
A. This little-known metric—the Brand Velocity Score—has escaped attention for far too long. Nobody has really written or said much about it. It’s a complicated story that needed a book to do it justice. So, given that no one else was prepared to, I just felt compelled to give it some attention before I hang up my boots and retire.
Q. How did you find inspiration when writing?
A. Inspiration wasn’t too hard to come by, as we’ve done a good deal of research in the past, and while writing the book, so that was helpful. However, the more I investigated it, the more new connections I made, and the more new elements I had to write about. To be honest, I think a follow-up book may be required—although my wife Wendy isn’t that keen on the idea, as it did take up six months of my life!
Q. How can the concepts of Brand Momentum apply to a small business?
A. Small businesses need to be mindful of the momentum theory. Even though the money isn’t there for small businesses, there are ways of generating excitement and energy. A genuinely great product or service is always going to help build Brand Momentum.
Q. Did you ever think that you’d be a published author?
A. Definitely not—I never intended to write a book or expected to. I’m not a great reader—mainly because I feel I don’t have the time, although while I was writing the book, I never read so much! I really enjoyed the process, though, and if I can find time, I would love to write a sequel. If I were very brave, I would consider a fiction book, but I will save that until retirement!
Q. What are the key takeaways from the book?
A. There’s plenty to choose from but I believe these four takeaways stress the importance of forward-thinking and adaptability to ensure brands don’t just survive but thrive in the long run:
- Brand Velocity Score (BVS): The central concept of the book, BVS measures a brand’s growth momentum over time. It encourages businesses to focus on more than just current performance, instead prioritising the long-term trajectory and adaptability of their brands.
- Continuous Innovation and Adaptation: Brands must stay dynamic, consistently innovating and adapting to market trends to maintain momentum. The book emphasises that stagnation is a major risk, and brands need to evolve to stay relevant.
- Customer-Centric Growth: The book highlights the importance of understanding and addressing the evolving needs and preferences of customers. Building deeper relationships and delivering exceptional value is critical for sustained Brand Momentum.
Strategic Investment in Brand Equity: Successful brands invest strategically in building and maintaining brand equity through consistent messaging, customer experience, and long-term planning. The right investments help prevent a brand from losing momentum, even in competitive markets.
Q. Who would you say are the most inspirational figures in your life?
A. I think the people who inspire me the most are those around me, at work and at home—they make it worthwhile getting out of bed each morning. I think the ones I look up to are those who appear to have made it in their specialist field— those who are dedicated and passionate about something. I’m a big fan of Michel Arteta – not so much for his results (which are great, to be fair), but rather the sheer passion he has, which I believe is the secret to his success (and dedication). I’ve not met him but hope to one day! So, I’m trying to learn from him and whilst on the subject of football…I actually found Ted Lasso inspirational for the gentler side of life!
Q. How is Vision One, your strategic marketing company, going? Anything new on that side?
A. Vision One is a full-service strategic insight agency—we do market research on behalf of our clients to help them understand their markets, competitors and the opportunities for their business. We have lots of exciting new products coming out—partly on the back of the book but also new technologies which are changing the market research landscape.
Q. What with running a successful business and launching a book, you must be incredibly busy; how are you managing with it all?
A. It is hard at times, and I’m very grateful to everyone around me who has helped me on either a professional or personal level. Switching off is probably the hardest thing, and living in the country is a great place for this—although the British weather this year has been the worst I can remember for sunshine.
Q. Which organisation out there would you most like to apply the concepts of Brand Momentum and why?
A. Momentum can help most brands but I think helping turn brands around is a great achievement and something that is very rewarding. So, I like the idea of working with any company that is struggling to achieve growth, as I know we’d get results.
Q. Lastly, where can we pick up a copy of your fantastic book?
A. It’s now available online at Amazon and most good bookstores worldwide as an eBook, paperback and hardback. I hope to do an audiobook at some point, and if it does well, then perhaps offer it in other languages, but I’m probably running away with myself at this stage!
Tony Lewis is the founder and Managing Director of strategic market research consultancy Vision One. His new book Brand Momentum is out now, priced £24.99 in hardback, £14.99 in paperback, and £9.99 as an eBook. For more information, visit www.tonylewis.me