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IJCOMA
17,1/2
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Dilip Roy
Department of Business Administration, The University of Burdwan,
Burdwan, India, and
Saikat Banerjee
Downloaded by UNIVERSITAS CIPUTRA At 04:52 03 August 2016 (PT)
1. Introduction
Brand planners of the present era of discrete changes are facing a complex and
confusing situation in their operating field. Significant alterations are taking place in
every part of their marketing environment. Ever-increasing consumer demand,
complex competitive dynamics, and easy media accessibility have made it difficult for
a marketer to formulate a full proof branding strategy for performing profitably in the
long run. This difficulty has certainly long-term impact on the existing and the future
players of any product field. In todays competitive world, the lady luck smiles upon
those marketers who can befittingly cater to the need of the ever-demanding
consumers.
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physical benefits and psychological benefits. So far as the physical benefits are
concerned, let us work back to see how these benefits are being offered to make the
customers believe in them. The obvious approach is to present the product features as
the supporting base of the claim. Product features can be easily interlinked with the
physical benefits. Thus, the need of the feature side of the identity pentagon is directed
towards the benefit side of the identity pentagon. In case the customers, because of the
market reputation of the company and of the related and unrelated parent brand
images, believe the claims of the benefit-set, the need for a pronounced feature-side
diminishes.
Similarly, the concept of differentiation has its root in the benefit-set in the sense
that the realm of differentiation is by nature either physical or psychological or both
and the uniqueness that leads to differentiation must be a part of the benefit-set.
A critical analysis reveals that a benefit-set is made of two sub-sets one is a
homogeneous type of benefits and the other is a heterogeneous type of benefits.
Homogeneity gives the base of operation and heterogeneity gives the edge over the
competitors. Thus, in the identity pentagon, the differentiation-side is originating from
the benefit-side. In case the customers, because of the nature of an industry, remain
restricted to the homogeneous part of the benefit-set the need for differentiation
diminishes.
The idea of value, the value for money in the form of functions and esteems, is
having its center of origin in the benefit-set. Basically, esteem value is the cumulative
effects of the high benefits offered by the brand over years. Functional value or the use
value is derived from the actual benefits or the anticipated benefits. Hence, the support
of the value-side of the identity pentagon is none other than the benefit-side of the
same. In case the esteem value is originating from the corporate image and or the brand
images of the related and unrelated parent brands, it may be viewed as the effects of
the benefit-set in some form or other.
The personality-side of the brand is again an after effect of the brand
communication and positioning based on the benefits to be enjoyed by the
consumers. Positive personality of a brand is none other than a brand with a set of
desired benefits. A marketer projects different traits of a brand according to its degree
of contribution to cater to different levels of consumer needs. A positive personality
creates a strong brand identity by creating a markedly differentiated value-set.
However, creation of a firm brand personality is a time consuming task. It is the
resultant effect of a continuous trial and retrial process throughout the major phases of
the brand life cycle. However, in the initial phase of brand introduction, only a desired
set of benefits works as the ingredient for creating a concrete brand identity and over
the time it creates a human face of a brand to nurture the brand identity.
Thus, the set of benefits gives rise to a scope for differentiation, differentiation
provides with unique value to customers, and values shape the human face of the offer.
Hence, the starting point of integration of brand identity with brand image should
desirably be initiated from the benefit side of the identity pentagon.
Let us now examine the brand image pentagon made of five sides of prime
importance as life style, expectation, experience, disposition, and differentiation. Life
style gives rise to expectation, expectation leads to an experience, experience converges
to disposition and disposition ends up with differentiation. The set of benefits offered
by the marketer and its competitors gets screened through the life style of a consumer
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Integration process
Feed back
Brand Identity
*Benefits
Physical
Psychological
Brand Image
*Expectancy
Physical
Psychological
*Experience
Figure 1.
A verbal model for brand
integration
BRAND DERBY MATRIX AND CARE-ing STRATEGY
It may be noted from the Figure 2 that we consider the brand to be a lame horse if the
brand image is poor and brand identity is weak. This lame horse will meet a failure in
the market. Under excellent brand image and weak brand identity, the brand becomes
a dark horse in the brand race. It has acceptance and potentiality about which
competitors remain in the dark. In case of a poor brand image but a strong brand
identity, the brand behaves like a blind horse. Problem lies in its positioning. We
consider a brand to be a jackpot if the brand image is excellent and brand identity is
strong. It is the dream brand that comes out as the winner.
According to a brands position in the brand derby matrix, let us now develop the
Credibility-Alteration-Relationship-Expansion (CARE-ing) strategy to take care of any
brand management problem. The Figure 3 shows in a nut shell the strategic choices for
a brand planner.
CARE-ing
strategy for
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145
Blind horse
Jackpot
Lame horse
Dark horse
Brand
Identity
Weak
Poor
Excellent
Brand
Figure 2.
Brand derby matrix
Image
CARE-ing strategy
Strong
Credibility building
Expansion
Alteration
Relationship building
Brand
Identity
Weak
Poor
Excellent
Brand
Image
Figure 3.
CARE-ing strategy
IJCOMA
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during breakfast. As a result, even after a decade of their presence in the Indian
market, they are unable to change the taste buds of the Indian consumers in their favor.
This problem of poor brand image has virtually robbed them of their direction and
resulted in considerable cumulative loss.
McDonald, on the other hand, has never been a premium eating place in USA. Their
USP is to deliver consistent quality at a cheap rate. But, in India, visit to a
well-decorated restaurant is a matter of prestige. McDonald has exploited this
perception of the Indian consumers and till date, frequenting a McDonalds outlet
carries high status among the upper and upper-middle class families. They have
further enhanced their credibility by introducing culturally compatible dishes like
Mc-Aloo, Mc-Tikka in place of original beef-based burger as beef is a taboo in India. In
this way, this multinational company is doing roaring business in the metropolitan
cities of India.
4.2 Lame horse Alteration is the mantra for success
When the brand identity is weak and the brand image is poor, marketer should look
back for a possible turn around by creating alternatives in respect of both identity and
image. Else, they have to retreat from the product field. In support of our view, let us
quote Akais debacle and Henkos coming out with flying colors.
Akai, from Japan, started with high waves in the Indian market by redefining the
price of a television brand. Initial success was mouth-watering. But, after the initial
success, their brand started experiencing lack of trust from the consumers end due to
poor product quality. Their initial value for money became no longer acceptable to
ever demanding quality conscious Indian consumers. As a result, within a short time
frame they ended up with a poor brand image. Akai brand is at present nowhere in the
consumers purchase lists in India.
On the other hand, Henko, a German-based company, could rejuvenate their brand
in the washing powder segment. In the initial stage of introduction, they could not rub
off its position as a me-too brand in the Indian washing-powder market. They
depended on the generic part of the benefit-set. But, after a continuous struggle over
the last few years, they have adopted a unique branding strategy through alteration of
their brand identity to a superb quality product with a power to take care of delicate
clothes. In this process, they have been able to develop a strong brand image with the
much-desired success in the market place.
4.3 Dark horse the need for a Relationship strategy
Under this category of excellent brand image but weak brand identity, a brand needs
extensive communication with the consumers to exploit their high image to get rid of
their week identity. Here, the basic task is to cement the relationship-gap with the
consumers. It is like telling about oneself both effectively and loudly. To support our
claim, let us consider the cases of Batas slipping on and 7Ups rising high in the Indian
market.
Bata, an age-old shoe brand, is fast loosing its ground in the Indian shoe market over
the last couple of years. They have an excellent brand image due to consistent adherence
to high quality. But, they are unable to convert their strong image into high-market
share. The root of the problem lies in their poorly designed benefit-set in respect
of variety, look and range. As a result, brand-user relationship has never taken off,
which is encouraging brand trials and brand switching in favor of the new entrants and
moderately strong existing players.
In contrast, 7Up capitalized on their excellent brand image in a right direction by
developing a clear communication in respect of benefit-set with their Indian consumers.
Overcoming the initial hurdle of me-too identity, they have been able to develop a
positive brand identity through their popular brand mascot, product packaging and
advertisement message. And the obvious result is the impressive look of their current
profit curve. Presently, leading brands are seriously considering 7Up as a major
competitor.
4.4 Jackpot the need for Expansion strategy
Under this category, the brand identity is strong and brand image is excellent. As a
result, the brand is the forerunner in its industry. But, creation of new benefits and
conversion of those in the form of new expectations, and or creation of new brands are
must for remaining successful over a long period. Dynamicity in the market place is the
key to a radiant mastery. A static jackpot brand, on the other hand, may loose its
foothold when the close chasers mimic the benefit-set. Let us explain the usefulness of
such a strategy through an example.
In the post-liberalization period in India, LG, a multinational company, introduced
their wide range of electronic products in the highly competitive Indian market. They
created a clear identity for their brands by categorically announcing their benefit-sets,
highlighting their respective uniqueness in the concerned product field. They could hit
the expectation level of their customers at the right point of time with wide variations
in the offer. For example, they introduced the Golden Eye concept in their televisions
and thereby expanded their benefit-set to get the edge over their competitors. Owing to
their right integration of the brand identity with the brand image, they have
successfully gone for conglomerate diversification by entering into the Indian markets
for oral care, hair care, etc. under the FMCG category.
5. Concluding remarks
Strategic success in this never-ending brand war is no longer a result of mere intuition.
A constructive step towards identification of the present approach and present position
of a brand and proper integration of its identity with its image can play vital roles in
ensuring success in the market. Brand Derby Matrix in conjunction with the CARE-ing
strategy can be of immense use to brand planners for identification of the problem and
hitting the bulls eye.
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Kapferer, J.N. (1992), Strategic Brand Management, The Free Press, New York, NY.
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