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If you were to ask a number of people on the street to define the term
brand, you’d probably get a wide variety of answers, but in most cases
those answers would in some way reference a company’s logo or byline.
Brad VanAuken, who many recognize as being one of the world’s leading
experts on brand management, in his book entitled “Brand Aid” gives a
well written definition of what a brand really is by saying that “a
brand is a collection of images and ideas representing the accumulation
of experiences with a specific product or service, both through usage
as well as through the influence of advertising, design, and media
publicity.” Brands include a logo, fonts, color schemes, symbols,
sounds and potentially smells developed to represent implicit values,
ideas and personality.
Brands allow non-human entities to take on human qualities such as trustworthiness, authenticity, vitality and reliability. Like people, brands:
- have a physical body
- have a name, personality, character and reputation
- are something you respect, like or love
- can be thought of as deep personal friends or mere acquaintances
- are viewed as dependable or undependable; principled or opportunistic; caring or capricious
- are something you like to hang around with, or not
- must mature and change over time, however must not change in their core beliefs and character, their fundamental personalities or outlook on life
- must be able to demonstrate their integrity and ability to deliver under pressure
According to Lloyds of London, “in most markets these days, there’s relatively little to choose between products and services in purely functional terms. So a strong brand – i.e. what a product or service stands for is of real value in providing differentiation.” It is the way to create that all important emotional connection with customers and potential customers, to create more frequent usage and greater loyalty.
What are some common branding mistakes?
- Not delivering against the communicated brand promise. Not only must your product or service be what you say it is, it is the total customer experience that is the key. How is your telephone answered? How do you invoice or provide customer service?
- Not linking brand planning to the business strategic planning process. This is a top-down process and must have the buy-in and support of senior management. The brand plan should be an integral component in driving the business planning process.
- Failure to extend the brand into new product categories when the core category is in decline. Kodak and Encyclopedia Britannica are two perfect examples of failing to pursue new business processes that could likely obsolete their core businesses. Just because you enjoy a market share advantage doesn’t mean you can take it easy, as someone else will come in and obsolete your core business if you don’t.
- Launching sub-brands that unintentionally reposition the parent brand in a negative light. When American Express, which up until this time was the gold standard, launched its American Express Gold card, suddenly every other credit card came up with their own “gold” version and American Express lost its differentiation. Other examples are Miller Lite versus Miller High Life; Fat-free Newtons versus regular Newtons; and Bayer Aspirin-free versus Bayer.
- Defining a brand too broadly or too narrowly. Because brands promise differentiated benefits to a target audience, don’t try to be everything to everyone. Also be careful of brand categories and names that may become obsolete like GE’s original “Better Living Through Electricity.”
- No brand identity standards and inconsistent presentation leading to consumer confusion. Make sure you are seeking reputable, professional help in establishing all of the “rules” that govern every use of your brand.
- Loss of brand identity because of reduced or eliminated brand advertising. Even during slowing economic times you cannot afford the decline in brand loyalty from erratic advertising. Make sure there is a positive correlation between advertising spending and revenues with clearly articulated goals you wish to achieve.
David Soxman joined BIGSHOT with a motivation to work for a small firm
where he could make a difference on the agency side of marketing,
helping business owners and managers grow. Learn more about David.
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