Brand Makeovers: Andrew Titus Of Fully Promoted On The 5 Things You Should Do To Upgrade and Re-Energize Your Brand and Image

Get the whole team on board. Without your team on board, a change in brand is impossible. You need buy in from your key employees and customers.

As a part of our series about “Brand Makeovers” we had the pleasure to interview Andrew Titus.

Andrew Titus is President of Fully Promoted, the world’s largest branded products franchise, which helps businesses all over the globe attract, retain, and engage with their clients through the use of branded apparel, promotional products, and marketing services.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Frankly, the franchising and marketing industries have always been a part of my life. My father, Ray Titus, founded United Franchise Group™ (UFG) in 1986 which has grown to include several affiliated brands, including Fully Promoted® which he started 23 years ago. Fully Promoted has become the largest international promotional product customization, embroidery and screen printing service franchise, helping businesses all over the globe attract, retain, and engage with their clients by providing branded apparel, promotional products, and marketing services.

I grew up in the franchising industry and my family’s business. My first job was power cleaning the UFG office building before I began working part-time as a Franchise Development Representative. Over the course of many years, I have fallen more and more in love with the industry because I have seen firsthand how it has impacted so many lives and businesses for the better.

Can you share a story about the funniest marketing or branding mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Originally, my goal in life was to be an actor. I was very comfortable and confident on stage. Given that, my father called on me to recite the United Franchise Group mission statement in front of the company. I proceeded to mess it up 5–6 times in a row which led to my father kicking me off the stage. Now I will NEVER forget the Mission Statement: “We have one customer, our franchisee. When they are successful, we are successful.”

Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Is there a takeaway or lesson that others can learn from that?

The “tipping point” for me was when I was a Regional Vice President with United Franchise Group. At times I can be extremely competitive so being in a sales role like that was incentivizing to me. The drive to be the best helped me understand the importance of what I do and has led me to desire to grow our family business to the next level. I was able to win MVP of the entire sales team that year, the youngest in the 35-year history of the company to do so.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Currently we are working on a new website which will make it easier for our franchise owners to do business. We are also working on developing a sales program to make it easier for our franchise owners to sell product.

What advice would you give to other marketers to thrive and avoid burnout?

Live your brand. If you live it, marketing it won’t seem like a job. It will just be what you do and love!

Ok, let’s now jump to the core part of our interview. In a nutshell, how would you define the difference between brand marketing (branding) and product marketing (advertising)?

Brand marketing is all about the message. What is the content that you are putting on a specific product. Brand marketing needs to be the core of what your company is and wants to represent. Product marketing is the product that you are putting your brand marketing on. Product marketing needs to be a representation of the quality and ability of your company. For example, someone could have a great message, but it could be delivered the wrong way. That would be having great brand marketing but a lack of product marketing. At Fully Promoted, we act as an extension of our client companies and help them build their brand through promotional products and strategic marketing solutions.

Can you explain to our readers why it is important to invest resources and energy into building a brand, in addition to the general marketing and advertising efforts?

Having a brand helps to solve a lot of little problems. A good brand can compensate for a lot of things. Good brands sell themselves if they are marketed correctly. For example, look at the company Liquid Death. It is literally water… However, they have a really popular brand that has led it to being extremely successful. Their product is just water… The brand compensates for the product.

Let’s now talk about rebranding. What are a few reasons why a company would consider rebranding?

A few reasons come to mind. The first could be a shift in mindset is needed from the consumer. The second could be a drop in sales. Lastly, some companies rebrand because they are offering new products!

Fully Promoted, for example, underwent a rebranding a few years ago. The company was originally called EmbroidMe and it specialized in custom-branded apparel items. However, as the company grew, we expanded our offerings and the name EmbroidMe was no longer relevant. It didn’t convey the vast array of services we offer our client companies. We rebranded to Fully Promoted as it better represented who we are and what we offer today, including extensive branding and marketing services for businesses and organizations. This can still include embroidery, but it encompasses so much more.

Are there downsides of rebranding? Are there companies that you would advise against doing a “Brand Makeover”? Why?

Yes. People generally do not like change. My opinion for anyone looking to rebrand is get buy in from the key players. Get people’s opinions before rebranding. Agree as a group. As the leader, do not make the decision yourself.

Ok, here is the main question of our discussion. Can you share 5 strategies that a company can do to upgrade and re-energize their brand and image”?

1. Find your target market. See who your customer is.

2. Identify what your market wants. This can be done through the use of surveys and data analysis.

3. See what your market can relate to and get feedback from current users on the brand. Do market research on products and messages that are relatable to what your market wants.

4. Create a new image that aligns with what your target market is, what is wants, and what it relates to. Use strategies 1, 2, 3 and then be creative!

5. Get the whole team on board. Without your team on board, a change in brand is impossible. You need buy in from your key employees and customers.

One of our franchise locations rebranded their business from an EmbroidMe to a Fully Promoted, then had their best year ever and was inducted into our Circle of Excellence of top-performing franchise owners who have surpassed sales milestones.

In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job doing a “Brand Makeover”. What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?

I love the job that Delta has done over the years. They wanted to be the “Best Value” airline. They invested money into lounges, upgraded planes, customer service, etc. all while keeping their price generally affordable.

Investing in enhanced marketing can take a brand a long way and it doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul. However, partnering with a specialist who has the expertise and capabilities to help you develop and execute strategies is key. A good company will offer customizable campaigns, so they are tailored to your brand and cater to your specific needs. This is what we do at Fully Promoted through our suite of products and services. We want our client companies to maximize their investment and achieve the highest ROI possible.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would love to see more people support local business owners. As the Amazons, Apples, and Microsoft’s of the world get bigger and bigger, consumers need to make a conscious effort to support the middle class which is the backbone of America.

This is why I’m so passionate about the franchise model and Fully Promoted as a business. What most people don’t know is that our franchise owners are local owners and operators. So, when you walk into a Fully Promoted, you’re met with someone who lives in the local community. They are truly local experts and provide a level of service you simply can’t get from a massive corporation.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Ancora Imparo, which is Latin for “I still learn.” My grandfather used to say this before he passed away. He was one of the smartest men I ever knew. Yet, he would still learn. It reminds me to never think that I know everything, to continue to search, and to continue to listen.

How can our readers follow you online?

I can be found on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-titus.

Thank you so much for these excellent insights! We wish you continued success in your work.