BRAND IDENTITY

Managing a brand has two aspects: The brand as it is intended to be brand identity The brand as it is actually perceived brand image

BRAND IDENTITY
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. It is a strategic exercise to spell out a brands domain

Brand Identity defines what the brand is & what it intends to become, what is the brands essence, its core proposition, its uniqueness and its focus

Brand Identity Perspectives -- How a brand may create value for its customers:
1. 2. 3. 4. Brand as a product Brand as an organization Brand as a person Brand as a symbol

Brand as a Product
Focus what all product related associations would be created - Product attributes, quality, users, uses, etc. e.g., Visa & cards; Cherry Blossom & boot polish; Orient fans & PSPO Johnson&Johnson for babies Wills - lifestyle

Brand as an Organization
Focus company or organization that makes or markets it. Organizations achieve extraordinary excellence in aspects which customers value e.g., Hewlett Packard & 3M innovation; Motorola quality; British Airways People sensitive culture

Brand as a person
Focus conceived or perceived human like traits (both demographic & psychographic) in the brand. An appealing brand personality is created using human associations. Through images portrayed in communication, sponsorship, symbols, brand ambassadors, etc. Benefits a vehicle of self expression, relationship between customer & brand, communicate product attributes e.g., Omega, Mercedes, MRF

Brand as a Symbol
Anything which represents the brand could be a symbol Focus ability to gain recognition & recall 3 types: Visual image, metaphor, heritage of the brand e.g., golden arches of McDonald, LIC symbol

Brand Identity Levels 1. Inner Core or Central Identity 2. Outer Core

Inner Core --The spiritual centre

Reasons why the brand has been brought into existence its USP, its spiritual centre Lux beauty bar for young women Dettol antiseptic, protection from germs

Outer Core --The manifested elements

Provides direction & meaning to the inner core. All brand elements combine to make up brand identity; the outer core completes the picture & provides it meaning

OUTER CORE
Design

Character

Product

INNER CORE
Slogan sss The spiritual centre/ brand essence/ brand soul Packaging

Logo/Symbol

Personality

Brand Name

BRAND VALUE PROPOSITION

Brand Identity Horlicks

Inner core : Nutrition & health Outer core : User : Anyone who needs nutrition & health; children, to-be mothers, old people, working people, housewives Product scope : Products that supplement nutritional needs Extensions : Horlicks, Horlicks Junior, Horlicks Plus, Mothers Horlicks, Horlicks Chocolate, Horlicks Biscuits

Slogan : The great family nourisher Heritage : The company has been in business of providing nourishment for decades Personality : Protecting, caring, supportive, concerned Value Proposition : Helps you perform your role better in life. Good health and living.

BRAND IDENTITY PRISMS

Kepferer developed a model of brand identity, with six dimensions 1. Brand Physique - refers to its physical aspects; embedded in the product. e.g., IBM data systems, computers, servers, etc. 2. Personality - brand develops a character of its own, human traits in a brand. e.g., Pepsi young, energetic, funny 3. Culture - a system/network of values that lies behind a brand. e.g., Apple friendliness & benevolently iconoclastic values; Rolex Swiss craftsmanship

4. Relationship ability of the brand to forge customer relationships; carries various hooks on which the bonds are created. e.g., Nike success, guts, individuality, initiative & spontaneous action 5. Reflection image of its buyers whom it seeks to address. e.g., Whirlpool upper middle class, young couple, well educated, well employed, urban 6. Self image how a customer sees himself/herself in relation to the brand. e.g., a person buying a CFCfree air-conditioner may feel he is expressing his concern for environment.
Reflection is target customers outward facade, while selfimage is internal reflection.

BRAND CHECK
Monitoring of brand image and environment on an on-going basis. Focuses on a brands constituent dimensions. Investigation into three aspects of a brand:

1. Brand awareness 2. Brand image 3. Brand positioning

Brand Awareness Reflected in: a. Brand recognition ability to identify the brand elements b. Brand recall ability to retrieve the brand from memory - aided & unaided recall

Brand Image Involves the following checks: a. Brands primary associations - first word that comes to mind b. Brand associations uncovering whatever is associated with the brand name
i. ii. Simple association inventory listing whatever comes to mind when one thinks about the brand Relative brand image profile analysis converting the brand associations into a semantic differential scale

iii. Attitude to the brand analysis to uncover the relationship between attitude & behaviours; involves three steps: Uncovering the beliefs what all associations come to mind when the brand is thought of Belief strength how likely is it that the brand has an attribute Evaluation how good or bad is it for the brand to have that attribute

c. Brand personality represents the human dimension; asking respondents to visualize the brand as a person & describe his/her characteristics

Brand Positioning Identifying positioning errors a. Under positioning buyers lack of understanding about the brand b. Over positioning only narrow image of the brand c. Confused positioning brand trying to associate with many things, resulting in confusion d. Doubtful positioning consumers finding it hard to believe the claims made by the brand

LINE & BRAND EXTENSIONS

LINE EXTENSIONS
Making entries into a brands existing product category
by using the same brand in the form of varying product sizes, flavours, colours, ingredients, forms, etc. Two things remain constant: 1. Brand name 2. Product category

WHY LINE EXTENSIONS?

Customer segmentation - Line extension is a low cost & low risk strategy to more effectively meet the needs of emerging customer segments. e.g., Colgate herbal (for herbal segment) Colgate strong teeth (for children segment) Customer Need for Variety - Variants help brands to keep their loyal customers by meeting their desire to try something new. e.g., Cinthol Lime & Cinthol Cologne

 Pricing Breadth - Provides greater pricing flexibility & opportunity to enjoy representation across a wider spectrum of customers. e.g., Platinum, Gold, Silver & Classic in the card line Capacity Utilization - Extension as a means of utilizing excess capacity Quick Gains - Generates more sales quickly & relatively inexpensively; new brand launches being costly with dismal success rate. Competitive Reasons More extensive product line helps to get access to more shelf space at the expense of competition. e.g., HLL products

 Trade Demands - Trade partners exert pressures on to extend line to meet their unique marketing strategy needs arising out of channel or store specialization. e.g., premium stores, mass stores, speciality stores, frill-free stores, designer stores, etc. Counter Competition To counter or neutralize competition. e.g., Close-Up & Colgate Gel Image Benefits - An opportunity to build a positive image &renew it

LINE EXTENSION RISKS

Line Confusion - Adding products to the line without logic results in line confusion leading to confused customers & confused retailers Encourage Variety Seeking Encourage brand switching behaviours Success Myopia - Good ideas may be brought into the market as line extensions, rather than a fullfledged independent brand Strained Relations - Marketers may apply pressure more intensively at the retail level leading to strained relations between the two

LINE EXTENSION TRAP

Occurs when a successful brand name is extended to promote a product in an unrelated category. But it is difficult for the brand to simultaneously acquire a second meaning. It goes against the fundamentals of positioning & perception.

BRAND EXTENSIONS
Involves using an existing brand name to launch a product in a different category use of a brand name established in one product class to enter another product class

WHY BRAND EXTENSIONS?

Cost of new launches huge investments required to develop & launch a new brand Promotional efficiency name awareness already exists; indirectly benefits other products sharing the same brand name Consumer benefits familiar; less risky route to a new product category Feedback effects broaden product meaning; strengthen brand associations Returns diversified brands generate superior returns compared to focused brands

TYPES OF BRAND EXTENSIONS

Product form extensions different product forms constitute an entirely different product category from customer behaviour perspective e.g., liquid milk & dried milk Amul milk & Amul condensed milk Companion product capitalizing on product complementarities e.g., Colgate dental cream & Colgate tooth brush; Gillette razors, Gillette shaving cream & Gillette after shave

 Company expertise products emanating from a common expertise pool e.g., Honda cars, Honda gensets, Honda scooters & Honda lawnmowers Customer franchise to meet the diverse needs of a customer group e.g., Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, J&J baby talc, J&J baby oil & J&J baby diapers Brand distinction to cash in on a brand distinction already achieved e.g., Parachute(coconut nourishment) Parachute hair oil, Parachute shampoo, Parachute cream

 Brand image or prestige based on brands exclusive image or prestige value e.g., Cartier jewellery, Cartier watches, Cartier purses, Cartier pens Distinctive taste, ingredient or component brand equity based on a combination or any of taste, ingredient or component e.g., Nescafe coffee, Nescafe biscuits, Nescafe cold coffee, Nescafe milk supplement

GOOD, BAD & UGLY EXTENSIONS The Good Extensions parent brand contributing +vely to the extended product ;extended product succeeds, parent brand benefits e.g., Dettol soap, Nirma soap The Bad Extensions - when name does not help the extension; extension fails to lift off e.g., Ponds toothpaste, Nirma toothpaste, Pierre Cardin writing instruments The Ugly when the extension creates undesirable attribute associations, hurting quality perceptions; extension fails to lift off, damages the parent brand

BRAND EXTENDABILITY
Depends on brands character, whether the brand is a : Product brand little difference between product & brand e.g., Rose brand flour Formula brand a standard procedure has been used to make the product e.g., cooking oil, food & pickle categories Know-how brand expertise in a specialized area e.g., Honda(engines), Amul(milk processing) Interest brand defined by its centre of interest e.g., Gillette(mens grooming), Whirlpool(home)

 Philosophy brand acquiring more intangible character & orientation e.g., Armani, Cartier Easier to extend Philosophical & symbolic brands Narrow zone of extension Product & Knowhow brands
Parent and the extension must have a good fit