What is Brand Strategy?

A brand strategy is simply a plan for developing a coherent brand. It provides the means for systematically creating differentiation and consumer appeal by empowering better brand decisions across the organization.

An effective brand
strategy influences the total operation of a business to ensure consistent brand experiences for the customer.

...ideally, the brand will make black and white decisions not just at the top of the house, but also all the way down the line.
David F. DAllesandro, Brand Warfare: 10 Rules for Building the Killer Brand, 2001

There is no tool better than the brand for uniting the forces and the stakeholders inside and around your company.
Thomas Gad, 4-D Branding: Cracking the Corporate Code of the Network Economy, 2001

The role of brands has evolved; brands are now company DNA, the spark from which all corporate life grows.
Will Murray, Brand Storm: A Tale of Passion, Betrayal, and Revenge, 2001

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Brand Strategy and Marketing Strategy

Brand strategy is an integral part of the overall strategic marketing process. It bridges the gap between business strategy, marketing objectives and marketing strategy.
Strategic Marketing Process

Brand Strategy is separate from the marketing mix. It guides and inform decisions about product strategy, placement, promotion and pricing.

I. Corporate Objectives & Brand Portfolio II. Marketing Objectives III. Brand Strategy
Communications Strategy Product and Pricing Strategy Channel and Distribution Strategy

IV. Marketing Execution & Monitoring

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Brand Strategy Process

The process of creating a brand strategy begins with a brand audit and ends with a plan for executing the brand across all touch points.

Brand Audit
Target & Insight Competitive Assessment Brand Inventory

Points of Parity and Difference

Brand Strategy
Equity Pyramid
Positioning Objectives & Metrics Personality

Brand Execution
Brand Elements Communications Strategy Brand Experience Map CRM & Community Building

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Brand Audit
Brand Audit
Target & Insight Competitive Assessment Brand Inventory

Points of Parity and Difference

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Target Insight

A target insight describes how a meaningful connection can be established between what the brand offers and the targets explicit or implicit needs.
Trends Motivations/Sweet spots Decision-making process/criteria Higher level benefits Image/Identity gaps New Segments Unmet needs

Where to Find Insights

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Points of Parity and Difference

Potential Brand Differences

Wants and Needs

Brand Strengths

Our PODs

Consumer Needs
Vulnerabilities

POPs
Points of Parity (Category Benefits)

Their PODs
a PODs analysis is to identify what ideas from our brand and competitive brands are most meaningful and potentially differentiating. The purpose of a POPs analysis is to identify which category benefits are critical for establishing credibility.
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Competitor Strengths

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Brand Inventory
A brand inventory identifies existing or potential assets that can be leveraged or gaps that need to be addressed to build or create sustainable points of differentiation. Heritage/Historical Positionings (existing products) Brand Identity logos, icons or symbols

Where to Find Assets or Gaps

Secondary associations
Gaps between identity and image Organizational strengths

Brand Values/Vision
Product performance claims, proprietary technology/patents Third-party ratings or endorsements
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Brand Strategy
Brand Strategy
Equity Pyramid
Positioning Objectives & Metrics Personality

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Brand Pyramid
The brand equity pyramid outlines the basic building blocks of what the brand should stand for brand vision, brand positioning, and brand personality and brand measurement.

Relationship

Brand Equity Pyramid

Resonance

Response

Consumer Judgments

Consumer Feelings

Meaning

Brand Performance
Identity

Brand Imagery

Salience
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Brand Positioning Statement

A brand positioning statement describes how the brand will communicate with a specific target group to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

For (Target), (Brand/Company) is the only/best (consumer frame of reference) that (statement of key benefit or guiding value), because/by (reason to believe, key credibility point).

Evaluation Criteria: Brand Fit, Customer Relevance, Uniqueness, Sustainability, Credibility

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Brand Personality

Brand personality describes how a brand behaves --- what it does and how it does it so that the brand always acts consistent with its values. Brand personality enhances target appeal and provide further differentiation.
The FIVE CORE DIMENSIONS OF PERSONALITY Sincerity (down to earth, honest, real, wholesome, cheerful) Excitement (daring, trendy, spirited, cool, imaginative, upto-date) Competence (reliable, intelligent, successful, leader, confident) Sophistication (upper class, charming, glamourous, good looking) Ruggedness (outdoorsy, tough, masculine)

What Brand is:

What Brand is NOT:

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Brand Execution
Brand Execution
Brand Elements Communications Strategy Brand Experience Map CRM & Community Building

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Brand Elements
Brand Name Brand Logos and Icons
Colors Symbols Music/Earcons

Celebrities or Personalities Advertising slogans and jingles Brand Alliances/Secondary Associations

Co-branding Licensing Sponsorship Event Marketing Celebrity Endorsement Third-party Endorsements

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Brand Experience Delivery

A brand experience map describes the points of interaction that influence customer behavior and brand perceptions through the customer lifecycle. It helps identify and prioritize high-impact customer touch points, sometimes called moments of truth.
Customer Initiated
Web Store Customer Service

Intrinsic (Use)
In the store At home

Unexpected
Third party endorsements Word of mouth News

Company-Initiated
Signage Advertising CRM

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Brand Experience Moments of Truth

Moments of truth represent how the customer evaluates quality and how well their needs are met. They are the experiences that have the greatest impact on satisfaction and future behavior.

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Community Building

Often, the most effective way to connect customers to the brand is to connect them to each other. Brand communities help define user image and distinguish brand users as part of a special group. Community building tools
Social networks Blogs Refer a friend Product ratings Live chat Events Panels and surveys

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Conclusion
Powerful brands built over time through careful strategic management. A clear brand strategy is essential for creating, building and sustaining a powerful brand. Brand strategy requires knowledge of customers current understanding of the brand, and a vision of how that understanding needs to evolve in order to meet business goals.
A brand is a customers understanding about a product, service, or company. Its not what you say it is, but what THEY say it is. --Marty Neumeier, author, Zag

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