Brand Strategy Toolkit

5/28/2018 Brand Strategy Toolkit

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BrandAmplitude, LLC All Rights Reserved 20081

What is Brand Strategy?

A brand strategy is simply a plan for developing a coherent brand. It providesthe means for systematically creating differentiation and consumer appeal by

empowering better brand decisions across the organization.

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

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

...ideally, the brand will make black and white decisionsnot 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

An effective brand

strategy influences thetotal operation of a

business to ensure

consistent brand

experiences for the

customer.


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Brand Strategy and Marketing Strategy

Brand Strategy is separatefrom

the marketing mix. It guides andinform 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

Strategic Marketing Process

Brand strategy is an integral part of the overall strategic marketing process. It

bridges the gap between business strategy, marketing objectives and marketing

strategy.


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Brand Strategy Process

Target & Insight

Brand Execution

Brand

Elements

CompetitiveAssessment

BrandInventory

Equity

PyramidPositioning

Objectives & MetricsPersonality

Communications

Strategy

Brand Experience Map

Brand Strategy

Brand Audit

CRM &

Community

Building

Points of Parity and Difference

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.


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Brand Audit

Target & Insight CompetitiveAssessment

Brand

Inventory

Brand Audit



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Target Insight

Where to Find Insights

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


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Brand

Strengths

Consumer

Needs

Competitor Strengths

Our

PODs

Potential Brand Differences

POPs

Points of Parity (Category

Benefits)

Vulnerabilities

Their

PODs

Wants and Needs

a PODs analysis is to identify

what ideas from our brand andcompetitive brands are most

meaningful and potentially

differentiating.

The purposeof a POPs

analysis is to identify which

category benefits are critical for

establishing credibility.


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Brand Inventory

Heritage/Historical Positionings (existing products)

Brand Identity logos, icons or symbols

Secondary associations

Gaps between identity and image

Organizational strengths

Brand Values/Vision

Product performance claims, proprietary technology/patents

Third-party ratings or endorsements

Where to Find

Assets or Gaps

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.
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Brand Strategy

Equity

PyramidPositioning

Objectives & MetricsPersonality

Brand Strategy


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Brand Pyramid

Resonance

Consumer

Judgments

Consumer

Feelings

Brand ImageryBrand Performance

Salience

The brand equity pyramid outlines the basic building blocks of what the brand should standfor brand vision, brand positioning, and brand personality and brand measurement.

Identity

Relationship

Response

Meaning

Brand Equity Pyramid


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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.

What Brand is:

What Brand is NOT:

The FIVE CORE DIMENSIONS OF PERSONA LITY

Sincer i ty (down to earth, honest, real, wholesome,

cheerful)

Exci tement(daring, trendy, spirited, cool, imaginative, up-

to-date)

Competence(reliable, intelligent, successful, leader,

confident)

Sophist icat ion(upper class, charming, glamourous, goodlooking)

Ruggedness(outdoorsy, tough, masculine)


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Brand Execution

Brand Execution

Brand

Elements CommunicationsStrategyBrand 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 influencecustomer 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

Company-Initiated

Signage

Advertising

CRM

Unexpected

Third party endorsements

Word of mouth

News

Intrinsic (Use)

In the store

At home


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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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Often, the most effective way to connect customers to the brand is toconnect them to each other. Brand communitieshelp define user imageand 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

Community Building
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Conclusion

Powerful brands built over time through careful strategic management. A clearbrand strategy is essential for creating, building and sustaining a powerful brand.

Brand strategy requires knowledge of customerscurrent understanding of the

brand, and a vision of how that understanding needs to evolve in order to meet

business goals.

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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

Documents

Brand Strategy Toolkit