Managing the Brand is not just managing Communication

Communication is one of the many tools to execute a successful Brand Asset Management Strategy.

Communications in Brand Asset Management go way beyond advertising

Why is a Brand Vision Needed ?

A Brand Vision should help to define how a company plans to leverage its brands in order to reach its corporate vision, uphold its corporate values and achieve its stated corporate mission.

The Purpose of a Brand VisionThree Purposes It forces senior management to reach

consensus on long term growth objectives and stake out where the growth should come from.

It guides research It mandates telling all stakeholders

about the companies vision

Four Components of Brand Vision

Statement of the overall goal of the brand

The target market the brand will pursue The point of differentiation the brand will

strive for Overall financial goals the brand will be

accountable for

Brand Picture- External

Brand Image Brand Contract: Understand the brands

currant set of promises as defined by the market place

Brand Customer Model

Laddering Associations

Laddering progresses from attributes to benefits to more abstract values and motivations.

Brand Value PyramidBeliefs and Values

Benefits

Features and Attributes

Ralph Laurens Brand Value Pyramid

High Self Worth Self Esteem

In Style, High Status, Associated with Most Respected Designer.

Wide variety of clothes and accessories

Classic Looking , Competitive Priced, Highest Quality and

Durability

Three keys to success in using Brand Associations and Brand Value Pyramid

Understand that there is an incremental movement up the Brand Value Pyramid

Look for alignment across attributes , benefits and values, each fitting together and supportive of one another.

Make sure alignment is meaningful to your customer and difficult for competitors to imitate.

A good brand based communication strategy covers the following area:

A good brand based communication strategy covers the following area:

AdvertisingPublic RelationsEvent Marketing and Corporate SponsorshipsTrade and Sales PromotionConsumer Promotions ( Point of Purchase, Contests, Coupons)Direct Marketing ( Catalogue, Internet, Mailing, Fax, Email)Internal Employee Communications

Shift in Mindset

View dollars spent on Brand Based

Communications as investments, not costs.

Becoming an Author

THE AUTHOR MODEL The six stages of impact communications

should have on your target consumer are

1. Awareness2. Understanding3. Trial4. Happiness- Only one5. Referral or Recommendation

Five Principles for Successful Brand Based Communications

Use all communication strategies to help achieve your corporate strategy and brand vision.

Let your brand picture, brand identity and brand positioning largely determine the right communication strategy to execute.

Use an integrated marketing communication strategy to get maximum return from all dollar investments.

Execute your communication strategy well across the organization

Create internal involvement, education and metrics to determine the success of communications

Use all Communication Strategy to achieve your Corporate Strategy and Brand Vision

Set Realistic expectations for the Timing of when your Brand Based Communication will start to have an impact on sales.

Recommended Brand Communication TimeLine for Impact

Use all Communication Strategy to achieve your Corporate Strategy and Brand Vision Recommended Brand Communication

TimeLine for Impact

First 18 Months Build Awareness, Recall and

Understanding

Month 19-Month36

Start to see results of

communication efforts

Month37-Month48

Loyalty is built and word of

mouth spreads

Brand Picture, Brand Identity, Brand Positioning Help Determine The Right Communication Strategy

Compare Brand Image and Identity

Compare Brand Vision and Brand Picture

Reality TherapyShows how large a gap exists between where management wants the brand to be and where it really is.

Comparing Brand Vision and Brand Picture

HPMaster Card

Integrated Marketing Communication Strategy

Integrates Marketing Communications: Principles Ensure that all communications deliver a consistent message

linking back to the brand and communication strategies Train everyone involved in communication to think IMC Create multimedia campaigns instead of one based on a

single instrument Always look for opportunities to blend various communication

tools in order to deliver more sales per dollar than using one instrument alone.

Track all promotional expenditures by product, promotional tools, stage of product life cycle and observed effect as a benchmark for improving future use of these tools.

Create a philosophy of the capabilities and cost effectiveness of each communication tool.

Advertising

Selling messages intended to build awareness, create an image and eventually lead to sale.

In advertising the goal is to Turn facts into Feelings. Endear People to Your Brand

How Serta Mattress Turned Facts Into Feelings

One woman said “ When I am awake I am think nothing about the brand. When I am in bed , I am asleep. There is only one fleeting moment , when I slip under the covers that I think about sleep”

They built the campaign around the “ Serta Moment”

Creative Tactics

Don’t Confuse Creative Tactics with Branding Creative Brand Leveraging Tactics1. Shape 2. Jingle3. Spokesperson4. Symbol5. Color6. Taglines7. Songs

Creative Brief

A creative brief is the direction a client gives to the agency . It should outline several specifics

PositioningCompetitors PositioningGoals and ObjectivesTarget AudienceMessageCreative ScreensPractical ConsiderationsBudget

Creative Brief should emphasis tangible issues about the advertising.

What is important to the customer and what drives them to a purchase decision?

What does the competition look like? What should the ad accomplish? What benefits should be emphasized? ( value

proposition) What kind of ads are acceptable and align

with the brand? What form is it in? What will be the cost?

Clients should write the creative brief for several reason

1. It forces them to think about what they are trying to achieve

2. Provides an indication about whether the budget is appropriate

3. What agency should they seek4. Serves as a screen to judge if the advertising is

effective once it has been created 5. it forces the client to determine beforehand how

much additional research needs to be done if the positioning is not solidified.

6. Prevents the agency from taking control

Public Relations, Event Marketing and Sponsorship.

PR offers companies an opportunity to get second and third party endorsements in an effective, efficient and economical way.

Examples of Successful Sponsorship and Event Marketing

IBM hosting the US Open Pepsi and Cricket Coke Studio Hallmark Television Productions Harley Davidson's annual motorcycle

rallies

The magic questions are

Is it where your customer is? Is it important to your customer?

The key to handling negative public relations

Be up front and honest. Be quick to respond. Be Empathetic. Detail the steps the company will take to avoid

the problem in the future. Detail what actions the company will take to

help remedy the currant situation Give specific action steps for customers to take

if necessary Deliver any message of this magnitude from the

highest level within the organization.

Three Reasons why a company does not do a good job of handling a crisis

They don’t have a plan They have not rehearsed the plan The company takes a defensive posture

instead of showing empathy

Sales and Trade Promotion

Consumer Promotions

Effective consumer promotions Drive traffic Enhance Awareness Increase Trial Gain and keep new customers Build the Brand Image Don’t Focus on Price

Direct Marketing- Costly But EffectiveGoals of Direct Marketing

It has to help the company achieve its intended goal and increase the brands overall value and image

Help build a relationship between the customer and the direct marketing vehicle itself.

Foundation of database marketing

Execute your Communication Strategy Across the Organization

Create Internal Involvement, Education and Metrics.