PREDUBEZHDAI brand communitcation analysis

PREDUBEZHDAI is a Russian brand that operates in the perfumery industry. The main product line of the company consists of Eau de Parfum variations and perfumed personal care products. Brand also provides lines of items for the house (e.g. candles, incenses, soaps) and non-scented products, such as everyday accessories: jewelries, trinkets, pendants ETC

Core identity of the brand revolves around childhood memories and self-awareness. Such positioning makes it easy for the brand to evoke feelings and emotions associated with the most experience sensitive part of one`s life.

Such evocation of childhood memories resonate with the target audience of the brand. As it mainly consists of millennial (20-35 y.o.) women, who live in the central part of Russia.

Core TA of the brand has grown up spending summertime in villages and rural areas of Russia, thus romanticization of the childhood and common attributes of it: the village, childhood black and white photos, items associated with the late soviet times, is a prevailing trait of this specific demographic group (this can be said in general about gen Y in post-Soviet Russia).

Brand is mainly present in Instagram* and Telegram. Their communication heavily relies on reels, while general posts range in themes, not only advertising products but producing information for the customers on the topics relatable for TA.

For example about first Eric Bulatov posthumous exhibiton

*деятельность организации запрещена на территории РФ

We have decided to use the dialogic theory of public relations to analyze «PREDUBEZHDAI» brand communication (theory discussed in week 7 of our online course). This theory is suitable for evaluating two-way communication because it considers PR as a process of building relationships between an organization and its public. As our observed brand is heavily relying on creating a long-lasting bond with its customers, such theory can show how well does the brand succeed in the fundamental basis of their strategy and positioning.

Dialogic theory is explained as an approach through which PR practitioners should ethically build quality relationships with the audience through dialogue. [1] Dialogue is understood here as a negotiated exchange of ideas and opinions — an exchange of ideas and opinions in which both sides can be heard. [2]

Dialogic communicators are committed to engaging in challenging and meaningful interaction and need to receive training in dialogic theory and technique in order to use dialogue effectively. [1] Meaning that a regular practice should be present «in the genuine, communicative, interpersonal sense, that is not manipulative or self-serving, but mutually satisfying». [1]

The important point of this theory is that the brand should not address the audience as a passive recipient of the message. [1] The audience becomes a full-fledged participant in communication. Therefore, the analysis should look at how the brand responds, how it maintains contact, how it makes communication convenient and brings the user back to itself.

Theory describes five features of dialogue: [2]

1. Mutuality — recognition of the relationship between the organization and the audience. A brand should show that its audience is not just a consumer, but a participant in a relationship.

2. Propinquity — relevance and timeliness of interaction. Communication should take place «here and now», and not after the decision has already been made.

3. Empathy — an atmosphere of support and trust. The brand must recognize the interests of the audience and create a space where the user can speak out.

4. Risk — willingness to interact with the audience on its terms. Dialogue always carries a risk: the user may criticize, ask uncomfortable questions, or express disagreement.

5. Commitment — a real commitment to dialogue. A brand should not just imitate openness, but be ready to talk, interpret, and understand the audience’s position.

Five practical principles are identified in theory for the analysis of online communication: [2]

1. Dialogic loop. A website or social network should allow the audience to ask questions and the organization to answer them. This is the main criterion for two-way communication.

2. Usefulness of information. A brand should provide information that is useful to the audience: philosophy, mission, product descriptions, contacts, purchase rules, and communication methods. Information should be not only beautiful, but also transparent.

3. Generation of return visits. Communication should create reasons to return: updates, new topics, Q&A, special categories, events, new publications.

4. Intuitiveness. It should be easy for the user to navigate the brand’s communication environment: the website, social networks, menus, navigation, links, and interface should be clear.

5. Conservation of visitors. A brand should keep the user inside its communication system: not lose them after the first contact, but lead them on to the site, product, question, subscription, purchase, or repeat interaction.

As a result, dialogic theory allows us to assess how PREDUBEZHDAI really builds two-way communication with customers, how it translates its message and how well does the brand follow its tone of voice and identity.

The first criterion is the Dialogic loop. Theoretically, two-way communication appears only when the audience can not only see the brand’s message, but also get in touch with it: ask a question, leave a reaction, get an answer, influence further communication.

It is important for PREDUBEZHDAI to check how the brand works with comments, reviews and questions. Customes asking questions about products, flavors, availability, delivery, or personal experiences under posts or in reviews and responses from the brand show that the dialogic loop is working. In this case, communication becomes «the brand and the audience exchange meanings». [1]

This is especially important for PREDUBEZHDAI because the brand works with emotional and personal themes. Perfumes and cosmetics are associated with physicality, memory, taste, and individual experience. Therefore, the audience may need not only a beautiful visual message, but also a lively response: help with the choice, reaction to the review, explanation of the product concept.

PREDUBEZHDAI’s dialogic loop can be considered strong, as the brand regularly responds to the audience and supports the conversation.

The second criterion is the Usefulness of information. According to dialogic theory, information should be useful and transparent. This means that the user should understand what the brand offers, how the product works, how to buy it, and how to contact the organization.

In PREDUBEZHDAI communication, it is necessary to look at how the website, product cards and social networks provide the audience not only with an atmosphere, but also with specific information. How flexible and efficient product description, composition, opportunity to ask a question, information about the brand’s philosophy are; how easy it is for consumers to find methods of use, price, volume, availability, delivery, contacts.

Communication of PREDUBEZHDAI works more through emotional benefits. The product description may explain the experience without going into technical depths. From the point of view of dialogic theory, this is important: the brand helps the audience relate the product to personal experience and makes communication more engaging.

However, if the description of the product leans too far into atmospheric formulations and does not provide enough specifics, the usefulness of information decreases. The user may feel the aesthetics of the brand, but not understand how to choose a product, how the flavors differ, where to ask a question or how to get advice.

The PREDUBEZHDAI website follows a modern minimalist approach: hiding technical information while displaying flavoured message of the brand at the front.

The third criterion is the generation of return visits. It shows whether the audience has a reason to return to the brand for further communication. In dialogic theory, this is an important indicator of a relationship: if a brand regularly updates content and creates new reasons for contact, the user does not disappear after one viewing.

For PREDUBEZHDAI, such occasions include new collections, new fragrances, visual campaigns, seasonal products, stories, offline events, and collections. The main one being the diverse range of types of content posted by the brand.

They offer listings of places to visit, talk about local craftsmen and describe other themes tangential to the main narrative of childhood, nature, village, ETC

This criterion works especially well for a brand with a strong aesthetic. The user returns not only for the atmosphere: to watch new shoots, learn about new products, read the text about the collection, and see the visual language of the brand. Then communication turns not just into advertising, but into constant contact with the world of the brand.

PREDUBEZHDAI can retain an audience through new products and stories, with interactive, exploring formats being the core of the second stage communication for it.

The fourth criterion is intuitiveness. It is related to the convenience of the communication environment. The customer must quickly understand where they are, where to click, how to navigate to the product, where to find information, and how to contact the brand.

From the point of view of dialogic theory, aesthetics should not interfere with dialogue. If a user wants to ask a question, find contacts, go to a catalog, or figure out how to buy a product, they should do it effortlessly. The easier the navigation, the higher the chance that a person will not just watch beautiful content, but will interact with the brand.

From the brand`s perspective, clear visuals help to establish a direct link between the viewer and the idea that a particular product conveys, so if the technical container of the information is simple, minimalistic and straightforward, if nothing obscures the viewer from the message, then the peculiar storytelling of PREDUBEZHDAI works the best.

The fifth criterion is conservation of visitors. It shows whether the brand keeps the user inside its communication system. It is important that after the first contact, the user can easily continue the path: from the post to the site, from the site to the product, from the product to the purchase, from the purchase to the review or repeat contact.

For PREDUBEZHDAI, this works through a combination: social networks → website → specific product → purchase → review → re-return to the brand. The brand effectively holds the audience’s attention, because this chain is kept clear.

The brand connects its social media to the product itself, as in most of the posts there are links directly to the products, that incentivises the customer to go along the conversion path.

PREDUBEZHDAI does build a dialogue through many points of interaction with its audience, this creates a strong connection between the customers and the brand. This bond bears an impact on the position and public image of the brand.

Social media, packaging (both primary and secondary), website and storytelling — everything surrounding the brand follows one function: to create an image that follows the ideology and ideas. With these means PREDUBEZHDAI builds a whole mythology around itself, and this approach to the creation of the image of the brand is one of the key stones that form the success of the brand.

However, such approach may sometimes lead to the system of the brand being positioned in two separate states: first one being a flashed out minimalistic brand with clear visual system which can be seen as a corporate image, while some of the brand`s products are being positioned as a niche almost handcrafted product. Such a divorce between positioning can be both a harm and a benefit. As we described in the previous chapter, a split between a clear positioning and the product may benefit the readability of the idea, nonetheless the same separation may lead to the delamination being seen as a brand trying to lean into several different niches.

Overall, PREDUBEZHDAI has a very strong and emotionally attractive basis for their language, and they are using it in an efficient and customer centered way.