30-11-2012, 04:34 PM
Understanding the Language of Branding
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Brand
The American Marketing Association describes a brand as a ‘‘name, term,
sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the
goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them
from those of competition.’’
More importantly, a brand is the source of a promise to the consumer.
It promises relevant differentiated benefits. Everything an organization does
should be focused on enhancing delivery against its brand’s promise.
Combining a few different definitions, a brand is the name and symbols
that identify:
The source of a relationship with the consumer
The source of a promise to the consumer
The unique source of products and services
Brand Image
Brand image is the totality of perceptions resulting from all experience with
and knowledge of the brand. It is how consumers perceive the brand.
Brand Associations
Brand associations are anything a consumer associates with the brand in his
or her mind. As David Aaker, ‘‘guru’’ of brand management, points out, these
associations could be organizational, product related, symbolic, or personified.
If there is a strong brand connection with a specific retail outlet, the
associations could also be based on the retail experience.
Other brand equity components that are not listed in this chapter but
which are covered in detail in Chapters 8 and 18 include awareness, accessibility,
value, relevant differentiation, emotional connection, preference,
usage, loyalty, and vitality.
Brand Positioning
Brand positioning is the way the brand is perceived within a given competitive
set in the consumer’s mind. Ideally, it is a function of the brand’s promise
and how the brand compares to other choices with regard to quality, innovation,
perceived leadership, value, prestige, trust, safety, reliability, performance,
convenience, concern for customers, social responsibility, technological
superiority, etc. Relevant differentiation is the most important aspect of brand
positioning.
One could argue that the brand essence, promise, and personality are all
a part of the brand positioning. Given that, brand positioning is very similar
to what I refer to as brand design in Chapter 3.
Brand positioning elements can be intentional and crafted by the marketer,
for instance, as written in the brand positioning statement. The brand
essence, promise, and personality can also exist ‘‘in the mind of the consumer.’’
Ideally, what exists in the mind of the consumer is congruent with
the intended brand positioning, or if not, hopefully the brand management
team is actively managing the brand so that congruence will occur.
Brand Personality
Brand personality refers to adjectives that describe the brand (such as fun,
kind, sexy, safe, sincere, sophisticated, cheerful, old fashioned, reliable, progressive,
etc.). How consumers perceive a brand’s personality is often discovered
through qualitative research by asking people to describe the brand as if
it were a person or an animal.