| The key to creative and effective branding of | | | | |
| any program, product, service or institution | | | | The brand steward, usually senior executive |
| is finding the right positioning-to drive the | | | | from the parent company, must protect and |
| advertising and other marketing tools. It | | | | cultivate the immutable core of the brand |
| doesn't have to be complicated or weird. In | | | | (about 50%) in order to ensure that the brand |
| fact, if it's good and effective, it's simple | | | | remains strong. The steward manages the part |
| and will follow this "Rule of consumers"-"You | | | | of the brand that must remain fluid (the |
| are what you appear to be." This position, | | | | remaining 50%) in order to keep the brand |
| or 'brand' is really an identity (not in your | | | | relevant and exciting. Typically we see a |
| mind but in your audience's)-a way people can | | | | freshness and evolution in the brand's |
| sort through all the confusing information | | | | advertising and packaging, that's the part of |
| and summarize what they think about | | | | the brand that is constantly evolving. The |
| something. | | | | steward is responsible for overseeing the |
| | | | advertising agency's efforts to promote the |
| What do you get with a brand identity? | | | | brand, to develop brand segmentation |
| | | | internally (that is, the sub-brands) and to |
| Over the last 25 years we have come to learn | | | | direct the packaging of branded products. The |
| that the development of a brand identity is | | | | overall responsibility of the brand steward |
| much more than a mere benchmark denoting | | | | is to keep the brand on course and |
| successful arrival in business, or its | | | | profitable. |
| evolution and growth. A clearly defined and | | | | |
| easily recognized identity has, in fact, | | | | Companies that have broad, strong brand |
| become a critical success factor in today's | | | | recognition can diversify through their |
| highly competitive business environment. | | | | sub-brands more than narrowly focused |
| | | | companies. For instance, Brit Richard |
| Just to lay some "groundwork", here are ten | | | | Branson, a courageous babyboomer, started his |
| reasons why doing so can have a strategically | | | | first business in 1968 at the age of sixteen |
| important effect on your bottom line. | | | | and has cultivated companies in the |
| | | | entertainment area ever since under the |
| - It's easier to know who you are, which | | | | umbrella, Virgin Group ( First came Virgin |
| means: | | | | Records. Ten years later Branson branched out |
| | | | to form Virgin Atlantic Airways, then a year |
| - It's easier to know what you do. (Helps | | | | later added Virgin Holidays. Two years after |
| develop goals) | | | | that Virgin expanded to include Virgin |
| | | | Airship & Balloon Company, Virgin Publishing |
| - It's easier to know how to do it. (Helps | | | | and Virgin Hotels, among others. Branson, a |
| with implementation) | | | | highly visible and consistently strong |
| | | | leader, is the very essence of pioneer spirit |
| - Less energy is expended overall. (Creates | | | | and innovation. Consumers 'get' virgin's |
| efficiency in communications) | | | | abstract brand identity because Virgin's |
| | | | broad target audience identifies with Branson |
| - Team building occurs naturally when staff | | | | and all he stands for: unencumbered global |
| can identify with a common symbol, common | | | | vision and maverick style. He is a |
| language and therefore common goals. (Sports | | | | self-proclaimed Virgin for life. |
| uniforms are a good example. Every player | | | | |
| feels like a part of the group.) | | | | Durbrow offers this wisdom, "There is no |
| | | | long-term advantage to having a brand image |
| - You can match your image to your clients | | | | that is greater or lesser than the brand |
| needs or view of his business. (A simple | | | | really is. If the image is greater than the |
| matter of "give'em what they want.") | | | | reality, people will be disappointed whenever |
| | | | they encounter the brand. If the image is |
| - With a clearly defined identity you | | | | less than the reality, the company will never |
| communicate more efficiently with your | | | | benefit from all its hard work, i.e., the |
| customers, and they remember you more easily. | | | | brand won't command a premium or create a |
| (Memorability is easier when everybody | | | | preference for the company's branded |
| clearly knows who you are.) | | | | products." |
| | | | |
| - Enhancements in the overall quality of your | | | | The Brand As Asset |
| product or service. (Consistency always | | | | |
| counts.) | | | | When included on the balance sheet, the |
| | | | brand's equity is an intangible asset like |
| - Benefits and unique qualities of your | | | | good will. Its value brightens the parent |
| business are communicated more clearly to | | | | company's fiscal picture: this is one big |
| your clients thereby increasing sales. | | | | reason why companies are eager to develop |
| (Marketing tool) | | | | strong brands. An enhanced financial picture |
| | | | allows the parent company to generate |
| - Helps set identifiable standards of quality | | | | revenue, grow and expand. The brand, which is |
| in your product or service. Helps with a | | | | structured to be easily separated from the |
| sense of reliability by developing a "brand | | | | parent company, may be sold. The brand may be |
| identity." (Brand names are trusted.) | | | | segmented to increase the market by creating |
| | | | sub-brands which appeal to more specific |
| So, what is a brand anyway? | | | | consumer needs, further increasing the value |
| | | | of the brand. |
| As we begin the process of making | | | | |
| recommendations for developing a brand | | | | In the long term, it's the brand's core |
| identity let's talk about what we really mean | | | | message that must be honored. All the strong |
| by "brand." What is it, why does it work, how | | | | brands-CocaCola, Nike, Calvin Klein, to name |
| does it work and who makes it work. | | | | a few-give the impression of unswerving |
| | | | confidence, through their billion dollar |
| Philip Durbrow, vice chairman of the | | | | advertising campaigns. This is exactly the |
| international design firm of Frankfurt | | | | kind of motivational leadership our |
| Balkind Partners, recalls, "When I first | | | | emotionally charged culture craves. "The |
| started working in branding, it became | | | | branding statement has to be honest, |
| obvious that there were no clear universal | | | | relevant. For example, the Coke brand is the |
| definitions of key words like marketing, | | | | value of constancy. The contour bottle and |
| strategy, identity, image and brand. I've | | | | Spencerian script are promises that the Coke |
| developed specific definitions so that we are | | | | you'll have in Thailand is the same as the |
| clear on what we are talking about. Fuzzy | | | | Coke you'll have in Oakland. The challenge |
| words yield fuzzy thinking and fuzzy brands." | | | | for us is always to find ways to make |
| | | | something change and stay the same." People |
| Some Definitions | | | | have a strong emotional attachment to |
| | | | CocaCola-it's something they grew up with. |
| There is very little consistency in people's | | | | Coke is a part of the history of America. |
| understanding, or usage, of brand | | | | Waterbury adds, "The CocaCola headquarters |
| terminology. For clarity, we offer the | | | | and museum in Atlanta are a testament to |
| following definitions: | | | | excellent management of a global brand: A |
| | | | brand that makes a personal connection for |
| A Product: is something that is produced to | | | | almost everyone." |
| function and exists in reality. | | | | |
| | | | How Brand is Different from Product |
| A Brand: has meaning beyond functionality and | | | | |
| exists in peoples minds. | | | | Many organizations use the term "Product |
| | | | Manager" interchangeably with "Brand |
| Product Quality: has major influence on Brand | | | | Manager." While most of us could think |
| Qualities. | | | | through the semantic difference between a |
| | | | "product" and a "brand," it seems that (with |
| Brand Qualities: are the thoughts, feelings, | | | | a few exceptions) the two concepts become |
| associations and expectations created by a | | | | indistinguishable when it comes to their |
| Brand Identity. | | | | management. This confusion may explain in |
| | | | part why there are so few brands and so many |
| Brand Identity: is the way in which a brand | | | | products. |
| is expressed visually and verbally. | | | | |
| | | | The product is defined by its form and |
| Branding: is viewing every customer related | | | | function, what it is and what it does. The |
| activity as part of the branding process and | | | | product is physical attributes, such as |
| managing it accordingly. Everything a company | | | | price, performance, ease of use, design and |
| does that affects its customer, affects the | | | | style. What a product is can be relatively |
| value of its brand. | | | | easily communicated, rapidly changed and |
| | | | effected in the short term using a number of |
| Marketing: means making it easy and | | | | tools: just add a new ingredient or change |
| motivating people to buy your product-through | | | | the shape of the packaging and you have a new |
| product design, pricing, packaging, | | | | product or, at least, a different one. A good |
| distribution, advertising, etc. | | | | product/ marketing strategist is one who can |
| | | | distill a large amount of data about the |
| Brand Marketing: is pushing beyond product | | | | consumer, the market, his competition, |
| benefits to fulfill a strategic core promise. | | | | distribution, and boil it down to the few |
| It means looking past the tangible to the | | | | essential premises that will form the |
| intangible, accommodating buyers' practical | | | | backbone of a focused marketing plan. He |
| needs while resonating with their deeper | | | | should be able to distill these premises even |
| feelings. | | | | further to write an effective communication |
| | | | strategy which, as any honest advertising |
| Brand Strategy: means deciding which brands | | | | person will tell you, must be based on a |
| are going to be used to deliver which | | | | single minded selling proposition. This |
| products and services to which customers. | | | | ability to distill facts down to their simple |
| (This may involve usage of global brands, | | | | essence presupposes an excellent knowledge |
| umbrella brands, megabrands, subbrands, | | | | and understanding of the product's consumer |
| flanker brands, brand extensions and brand | | | | or end-user and buyer. |
| families.) | | | | |
| | | | The brand is almost the opposite on all |
| Brand Equity: is the present value of the | | | | points. Whereas the product has a form, the |
| future combined purchases that are a result | | | | brand does not have a physical embodiment: It |
| of the preference created, or the premium | | | | is merely a promise, a covenant with the |
| paid, for a brand's products. | | | | customer. Some say that the "logo is the |
| | | | brand"... but this isn't so. A logo is |
| Why do we want a brand? | | | | meaningless if it does not communicate the |
| | | | brand's covenant with the consumer. And, |
| All brands start by speaking to the needs and | | | | whereas communication of a product's physical |
| aspirations of an audience. The aspiration is | | | | attributes is straightforward and fast, |
| the brand identity: that's a projection of | | | | communication of brand values is inherently |
| how the brand wishes to be perceived by its | | | | circuitous and slow. Like the character of an |
| target audience (as opposed to the brand | | | | individual, brand character is most difficult |
| image, which is the way the brand is, | | | | to communicate proactively: The individual |
| currently perceived). | | | | cannot tell what his character is; the |
| | | | observer must figure it out for himself... an |
| Knowledge and appreciation of this core | | | | indirect communications process which |
| concept will allow the steward of the brand | | | | requires time and absolute consistency. And, |
| to develop the mission, build and nurture the | | | | contrary to product communication which is |
| market, maintain the brand philosophy, | | | | best based on one single minded forceful |
| strategy, overall look and feel of the brand | | | | proposition, brand character, like the |
| and, of course, the logo. What is the | | | | character of a person, becomes better defined |
| audience going to be satisfied with or | | | | as it gains in complexity. Lastly, whereas |
| disappointed by with the message coming from | | | | the product manager must gain a superior |
| the brand? What is going to help build a | | | | knowledge of his consumer to be effective, |
| strong brand identity (what would weaken it)? | | | | the brand manager's success is in great part |
| How can the aspirations for the brand | | | | based on a thorough knowledge of the |
| identity be reached? | | | | idiosyncrasies and the values professed by |
| | | | his company and its long term corporate |
| Who's Minding the Store? | | | | players, i.e., its top management. |