WHAT IS BRANDING

HOW DID IT ALL START?

YOURE THE GUILTY ONE!

The earliest known form of Branding was a mark burned onto the skin with a hot iron, used to punish and identify criminals. Used from the middle ages right through to the 15th and 16th centuries.

I OWN IT.. ITS MINE!

Later it was a mark burned on to the hide of an animal, or an item of value to show who owned it, e.g. branding or burning of an owners mark on to the hide of cattle. Branding in history was an attempt to use a logo, mark or symbol to : Show ownership Differentiate one from another Demonstrate wealth Project power/influence

 It was simple, powerful, and effortlessly distinguished one from another. Other forms of early Branding was the use of a personal seal whose image was imprinted on hot sealing wax for documents, important letters, agreements etc.

BRANDING TODAY

DEFINITION OF BRANDING
Branding is the art and science of of creating an individual identity for a product or service, to differentiate it from all its competitors.

It involves the study and development of a Brands functional and intangible aspects that can be used to build a Brand personality which creates an emotional bond between consumers and the Brand.

SO WHAT IS A BRAND?

 A BRAND is represented by a name, a logo and graphic presentation of what it stands for. A BRAND must evoke associations, performances, expectations and preferences.. If its is just a brand name, then it fails as a brand.

 A Brand is made up these key elements:

Features : specifications, physical performance, often referred to as Brand attributes Benefits : the needs and wants the Brand will satisfy for those who use it. E.g. whiter teeth with Clean & White toothpaste, more moisturizing with the Dove bar, cleanser etc.

 Values : often also called Brand personality traits. They are not tangible, but they are the associations consumers have about a Brand, e.g. fun, optimism, etc. A Brands values are the key differentiator of Brands in a generic, crowded marketplace.

A BRAND IS AN ASSOCIATION OF EXPERIENCES

A BRAND IS AN ASSOCIATION OF EXPERIENCES

BRAND EXPERIENCE
Consumers experience a Brand through its various touch points:
Product quality After-sales service Communications Retail/merchandising Distribution - Counter service - Sales & marketing - Phone enquiries

EACH TOUCH POINT DELIVERS A BRAND EXPERIENCE

Phone

Sales & Marketing

BRAND

Communications

WHAT IS NOT BRANDING

Any ONE of the Brands Touch Points developed in an individual manner is NOT Branding. The following examples do NOT constitute Branding :
A new Corporate Identity Exercise A Brand Communication Plan A Marketing Plan A Promotions Proposal etc.

WHAT IS A STRONG BRAND

A strong brand has measurable qualities which set it apart:
Positive Attributes Tangible Benefits Company values Unique Personality Traits Typical Users Brand Equity

POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES
A strong Brand should trigger in the consumers mind certain attributes, i.e. qualities of the Brand.

Mercedes Benz as a Brand of car triggers a picture of a well engineered car that is durable, rugged, well designed, refined and expensive. These are the positive attributes of Mercedes Benz as a strong Brand.

TANGIBLE BENEFITS
A strong Brand should suggest benefits, not just functional brand features. Benefits are what the consumer will enjoy from using the Brand. Mercedes Benz triggers the benefits of a well performing car that is enjoyable to drive and prestigious to own.

COMPANY VALUES
A strong Brand should reflect values which the company holds dear. Mercedes Benz is proud of its quality engineers, engineering innovations and the efficiency of its operations. Every car reflects these qualities

UNIQUE PERSONALITY TRAITS

A strong Brand should exhibit personality traits like that of a person. If Mercedes Benz were a person it would be over 35, serious, well organized, driven, somewhat authoritative, discerning, perfectionist.

If it were an animal, it would be likened to a lion and its implied personality.

TYPICAL BUYERS
A strong Brand should suggest the kinds of people who would buy it. Mercedes Benz would draw buyers who are older, successful professionals and businessmen, who are affluent.

BRAND EQUITY
A strong Brand has Brand Equity which is a set of assets owned by the Brand that adds to its value:
Brand name awareness e.g. Nike, Nokia, Apple, Federal Express, Virgin. Brand loyalty, when consumers make a conscious effort to choose a brand and will search the market for it, e.g. a consumers attachment to his brand of cigarettes

 Perceived quality, i.e. customers believe that McDonalds burgers are fresh, tasty and are served up really fast. Brand associations, where consumers can associate emotional benefits to a brand, e.g. SIA = friendly, helpful flight attendants (inflight service), Nike = empowerment to win (through its association with sports champions)

CONSUMERS AND THEIR BRANDS

WHY CONSUMERS CHOOSE A BRAND

Consumers choose a Brand for its functional benefits (logical) and its symbolic meanings (emotional).

Functional benefits are what the brand offers the consumer when it is used, e.g. Dynamo liquid washing detergent removes stubborn stains, making the clothes cleaner and fresher.

Symbolic meanings are the meanings attached to a Brand that project the users desired traits and personal image, e.g. Female users of Dynamo liquid detergent see themselves as modern, more progressive and up-todate women.

BRAND CHOICE IS EMOTIVE

People make judgments about products and companies in emotive terms. "I don't like that company is not friendly." "I feel uneasy when I go into that branch." My gut feel tells me that the salesman is not telling the truth. "That offer doesn't sound right to me."

BRAND CHOICE IS LIKE COURTSHIP

Love
Know You More

Friendship
Liking

Awareness

WHO WOULD YOU PREFER?

Company A Sophisticated Efficient Arrogant Self-Centered Distant Disinterested Company B Easy Going Modest Helpful Caring Approachable Interested

 areANSWER perfectly normal. So did B 95% of other IF You YOUR IS COMPANY respondents. The brand image of Company B will be much better than that of Company A. Consumers tend to like brands that fit in with their self-concept. They tend to like personalities similar to theirs, or choose those they admire. Hence, the closer the brand personality to the consumer, the greater the willingness to buy the brand and the stronger the brand loyalty.

BRANDING JARGON DE-MYSTIFIED

Brand Essence

Brand Positioning

Brand Core Brand Values Brand Personality

WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

BRAND ESSENCE & CORE

Often used inter-changeably, they express in one, or very few words, what the Brand stands for, to its stakeholders. It always tells you,

What the Brand is all about

rather than just What a Brand does.

BRAND
REVLON ORANGE

BRAND CORE/ ESSENCE

HOPE OPTIMISM

WHAT IT DOES
Cosmetics

Mobile telephony provider Sports equipment

NIKE

EMPOWERMENT

NOKIA

COMMUNICATION

Mobile phones Automobiles

VOLVO

SAFETY

BRAND ESSENCE IS ESSENTIAL Every successful brand with a well developed brand architecture carries its Brand Core/Essence through in EVERY Brand Touch Point. Each one of a consumers Brand experiences whether it is through the products quality, aftersales service, counter service etc, will be dictated by the Brand Core /Essence

SO HOW DOES THIS HELP THE BRAND?

Only with a clearly articulated Brand Essence can a Brand hope for some form of: differentiation and distinction in a crowded, cluttered market. This leads to:
Brand loyalty : a want factor, a push enabler
Brand affinity : a like factor, a pull driver Brand Relationships :a wow factor, the ultimate pull driver

BRAND PERSONALITY /VALUES

A set of intangible characteristics, reflecting age, socio-economic class and human personality traits which are both rational and emotional. Often also known as Brand Values

Brand Personality is distinctive and enduring, much like a persons personality traits.

 Defining a Brands Personality Traits is extremely important to the whole Branding process because consumers interact with brands as if they were people.
Sometimes I think my car breaks down just to irritate me

Brand Personality Traits are human attributes difficult to copy unlike technology.

BRAND

PERSONALITY

EXAMPLES OF BRAND PERSONALITY

Levis 501 Romantic Sexually Attractive Rebellious Physical Prowess Resourceful Independent Likes Being Admired

Marlboro Strength Independence

Raffles Hotel Rich Aristocratic Aloof

BRAND POSITIONING
Some definitions: arranging for a brand to occupy a clear, distinctive and desirable place in the market and the mind of the consumer. the art and science of setting your brand apart distinctively in the mind of the consumer, relative to its competitors.

 The Position of a Brand is its :

Distinctive, differentiating perception among its target consumers, reflecting the essence/spirit of the brand, in terms of functional and emotional attributes, relative to competing Brands

In the automobile market

Mercedes Benz most prestigious position. BMW best driving performance position. Volvo safest position

END