Branding and IMC

Brand Defined
A name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of
them, intended to identify the goods or services of one
seller from those of competitors
American Marketing Association
A brand is a collection of actual and emotional
characteristics associated with the particularly identified
product or service and differentiates that product or service
from the rest of the marketplace.
Egan, J. (2007), Marketing Communications,
Thompson Press

Products are made in the factory, but brands are created

in the mind
 Volvo has become virtually synonymous with
safety
Harley Davidson embodies freedom and rugged
individualism
Sony represents high quality and dependability
Toyota Prius personifies environmental
consciousness
Rolex watches represent master craftsmanship
and sophistication
IMC and Branding
Marcom programs are designed to enhance brand equity and
affect behaviour.
Brand equity as the goodwill (i.e equity) that an established
brand has build up over its existence.

Brand Equity is the value of the additional cash flows generated

for a product because of its brand identity.

Firm-Based Perspective of Brand Equity

vs

Customer-Based Perspective of Brand Equity

Firm-Based Perspective of Brand Equity
Focuses on outcomes extending from efforts to
enhance a brands value to its various
stakeholders e.g,
Final consumers, retailers, whole sellers,
suppliers and employees.
 As the value, or equity, of a brand
increses, various positive outcomes:
1. Extension of positive customer feelings
to new product
2. Ability to charge a higher price or fee
3. Consumer loyalty leading to more
frequent purchase
4. Positive world of mouth endorsements
5. Higher level of channel power
6. Ability to attract quality employees
Customer-Based Perspective of Brand
Equity
1. Provide confidence regarding purchase
decisions
2. Give assurance about the purchase when
the buyer has little or no experience
3. Reduces search time in the purchase
decision.
4. Provides psychological reinforcement and
social acceptance of the purchase.
 Top Global Brands (2011)
1. Coca-Cola
2. IBM
3. Microsoft
4. Google
5. GE
6. McDonald's
7. Intel
8. Apple
9. Disney
10. Toyata

Source: Best Global Brands, Interbrand Website, http://www.interbrand.com/best_global_brands.aspx

Figure 2.2 The Brand Awareness Pyramid

Source: David A. Aaker, Managing Brand Equity (New York: Free Press, 1991), 62.
The Three Key Components of A Brand

Symbol

Product Service

Person
Brand as a Symbol
An object associated with a brand name.

If you were about to remove the name of a brand from

the packaging, is there anything else that would
signify the identity of the brand to buyers?

The American Advertising Federation got Coca Cola to

let them adapt the famous logo in a campaign which
promoted advertising as a marketing tool.
Brand as a Product
A product is anything that is potentially valued
by a target market for the benefits or satisfaction
it provides, including objects, services,
organizations, places, people, and ideas.
Levels of Product
Consumer
Service
Warranty
After-sales
support Capabilities Features
Core
Benefit or
Service
Packaging Quality
Delivery
Design/
Installation and credit
styling

Personnel
Brand as a Person
Anthropomorphism:
is the attribution of human traits, emotions, and intentions
to non-human entities and is considered to be an innate
tendency of human psychology.

"If the brand was a person, what type of person would it

be...?"
Brand Personality
The gender of the brand
The social class of the brand
The values of the brand
The nationality of the brand [country of origin]
The networks of the brand [friends and enemies]
The heritage/history of the brand [what the brand went
through]
The dreams of the brand [what it should do next]
 Brand Personality
The set of human characteristics
associated with the brand

Aaker J., 1997, Dimensions of Brand Personality, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. XXXIV, August, pp. 347-356.
Brand Personality

A great deal of advertising and promotional

communication is conceived around the idea of a
brand personality that reflects values and
engages with a consumer community.
Dimensions of Brand Personality
Sincerity:
Includes brands that are perceived as being down to
earth, honest, trustworthy and cheerful

Excitement: brands scoring high on the excitement

dimensions are perceived as daring, fun
e.g. Coke
Competence: reliable, intelligent
e.g. Microsoft
Sophistication: glamorous, upper class
e.g. Rolls Royce
Ruggedness: tough, masculine
e.g. Marlboro

Source: Aaker 1997

Brand Personality

What is your image of

Mercedes Benz Cars?

What determines this

image?

Communications are designed to reflect the

brand values across all media
Brand Identity
A unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist
aspires to create or maintain. These associations represent
what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers
from the organization members

Aaker, D. (1996), Building Strong Brands, Free Press

Tough guy smokes
Marlboro filters (and drinks
Martini).
IMC and Brand Introduction

Facilitate successful new product introductions.

Reduce the product failure rate (potentially 35-

45%)
Adoption Process and Marcom Tools

Awareness Trier Repeater

Class Class Class
Personal selling
Free samples Coupons
Advertising
and coupons Widespread Price
Trade shows and distribution Distribution
personal selling Introductory, Product
Advertising low pricing satisfaction
Distribution Price
Brand Name and Logo
Brand Name is a companys unique designation or trademark,
which distinguishes its offering from other product category
entries.

Brand logo s a graphic design element related to a brand name.

Good Logo Designs
Are naturalneither too simple nor too complex
Are readily recognized
Convey same meaning to all target market members
Evoke positive feelings
Are suited for periodic updating
Brand Logos
 Packaging
Contain and
protect product Draw attention
to brand

Break through
competitive clutter

Functions of Justify price

the Package and value

Signify features
and benefits

Convey
Motivate emotionality
brand choice
The Package Design Process
Development and Management of IMC Programs
Review of Previous Communication and Marketing Plans

Promotional Program Situation Analysis

Promotional Budget Aims and Objectives

Develop Integrated Marketing Communications Program

Advertising Sales Promotion PR/Publicity Personal Selling Other

Implement Integrated Communications Program

Monitor, Evaluate and Control Communications Program

Veloutsou C. (2003), Communicating with Customers: Trends and Developments, Athens Institute of Education and Research (ATINER), Athens, Greece
Fundamental Marcom Decisions
Fundamental
Marcom Program
Decisions

Setting
Targeting Positioning Budgeting
Objectives