60 Min Brand Meaning Part 1
60 Min Brand Meaning Part 1
60 Min Brand Meaning Part 1
Branding is the art and science of identifying and fulfilling human physical and emotional needs by capturing attention, imagination and emotion long enough to make money from it.
Idris Mootee
Copyright 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009 Idris Mootee All rights reserved. Published by Idea Couture Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107, 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher. Request to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permission Department at [email protected]. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. A number of brand names and trademarks are mentioned and used in this book are protected under copyright laws and international treaty provisions. All trademarks, services marks, trade names, logos and icons are proprietary to their respective owner. Their inclusion in this book is for the purpose of criticism and illustration only. 60-Minute Brand Strategist Limited Edition Book and cover design: Sali Tabacchi
Contents: Introduction 4 All About Brands 7 Branding in a Postmodern Culture 39 Strategic Perspectives of Branding 49 Managing Brand Meaning 79 Brand Leadership 119 Luxury Brand Marketing 133
IntroductIon
This book is about only one thing: brands, branding and the only sustainable form of leadership in an economy ruled by ideas brand innovation and leadership. Its been 8 years since 60-minute Brand Strategist was first published as a book. Adapted from slides I used in my Advanced Branding Seminar, the first edition was translated and published in several languages, including Japanese, Chinese and German. Dr. Morgan Gerard collaborates with me to develop this limited edition, updated and abridged version by popular demand. We decided to select a few of the books chapters that deliver the essence of the concepts. These concepts and techniques are used by the worlds most successful and valuable brands. But youll rarely, if ever, read much about these concepts in business magazines. Why? Simply put, theyre trade secrets. Well-wielded branding tools and techniques are powerful, competitive weapons used to win the hearts and minds of customers. Time and again, they help defeat the competition. Consider what follows a battle plan designed to inspire, act as a reminder, function as a tool kit and be drawn upon as a reference that should sit on every marketing and brand executives desk. Idris Mootee, CEO Idea Couture Inc.
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What Is a brand?
In a world where brands rule, products are no longer bundles of functional characteristics but rather means to provide and enhance customer experiences. Thanks to the internet and wireless technologies, information is so abundant that consumers are overloaded. They have more information than they can digest, use, need or even want. Product proliferation creates so many choices that it diminishes our ability to differentiate or choose what we truly value. Brands help us choose. They are invaluable tools that help us break through clutter to make choices based on our experience of and satisfaction with products or services.
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In technocratic and colorless times, brands bring warmth, familiarity and trust. Peter Brabeck, Nestle
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There will be a time using a logo will be the worst thing in the world.
Bill Bernbach, Founder DDB
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Were a long long way from that day. The truth is that people like brands. They not only simplify choices and guarantee quality, but they also add fun and interest, provide aspirations and dreams. Some people love them like children, which might explain why I personally know of a 4-year old boy named Nike, an 8-year old named Ferrari and a 12-year old girl named Herms.
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a brand Is not
A TRADE MARk
a brand Is
POINT OF VIEW
(This is a reminder.)
A LOGO OR SLOGAN
Branding is central to creating customer value, not just sound bites and images.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Brands get their identity from meanings. Products and services are the blood of a brand. Your organizational culture and standards for action are the heartbeat.
LOGIC AND EMOTION
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The art of marketing is the art of brand building. If you are not a brand, you are a commodity. Then price is everything and the low-cost producer is the only winner.
Philip kotler, kellogg
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What Is a brand?
A brand is the personification of a product, service, or even entire company. Like any person, a brand has a physical body: in P&Gs case, the products and/or services it provides. Also, like a person, a brand has a name, a personality, character and a reputation. Like a person, you can respect, like and even love a brand. You can think of it as a deep personal friend, or merely an acquaintance. You can view it as dependable or undependable; principled or opportunistic; caring or capricious. Just as you like to be around certain people and not others, so also do you like to be with certain brands and not others. Also, like a person, a brand must mature and change its product over time. But its character, and core beliefs shouldnt change. Neither should its fundamental personality and outlook on life. People have characterso do brands. A person's character flows from his/her integrity: the ability to deliver under pressure, the willingness to do what is right rather than what is expedient. You judge a persons character by his/her past performance and the way he/she thinks and acts in both good times, and especially bad. The same are true of brands. Robert Blanchard, former P&G executive
To plan for one year, grow sales. To plan for three years, grow channel. To plan for decades, grow a brand.
BRAND
CHANNEL
SALES VALUE
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YEARS
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1. What is the deep need that we satisfy? What is our raison dtre?
METAPHYSICAL NEEDS
EXPERIENTAL NEEDS
SYMBOLIC NEEDS
FUNCTIONAL NEEDS
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brand taxonomIes
In a world predisposed to sameness, there are few things in life more satisfying than building brands that disrupt predisposition. Brands move market share. Brands move advertising award judges. Brands move culture. Some do all. Brand has meaning beyond functionality that exists in people's minds. Part art, part science, brand is the difference between a bottle of soda and a bottle of Coke, a computer and an iMac, a cup of coffee and a cup of Starbucks, a car and a Mercedes, a designers hand bag and a Herms Birkin. Brand is the intangible yet visceral impact of a person's subjective experience with the product, the personal memories and cultural associations that orbit around it. Brands are also about messages strong, exciting, distinct, authentic messages that tell people who you are, what you think and why you do what you do.
BRANDS THAT FOCUS ON THEIR MEANINGS AND VALUES RATHER THAN FUNCTIONS.
BRANDS THAT ARE TIGHTLY IDENTIFIED WITH THE PRODUCT OR RANGE OF PRODUCTS
PRODUCT
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Cannot justify the cost for brand re-positioning. Wheres the ROI?
CUSTOMER VALUE BRAND MEANING BRAND ADVERTISING
Management thinks branding is just another logo with a new tag line.
Sales and marketing arent reading the same book, let alone the same page.
What Is a brand?
Dont make the mistake of letting brand image take over and become brand identity. Its only part of the equation, not the answer.
Theres a movement of conservatism in brand investment. Many have gone from inspirational and daring to cautionary and risk averse. Everyone is looking for a save formula.
Too many me-too brands and too much me-too advertising. Many brands have lost their souls.
CORPORATE STRATEGY
INTERNAL BRANDING
brand strategy
BRAND IMAGE BRANDS HAVE LOST THEIR MYSTIqUE BRANDS ARE WORN FROM OVERUSE
BRAND IDENTITY
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
Consumers understand how marketing works and they are brand savvy. Be careful not to over-market a brand.
As brand manuals gets thicker and heavier, you know youre in trouble. Instructional menus replace imagination.
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What is a Brand?
A brand is an intangible asset that resides in peoples hearts and minds. Its defined by the expectations people have about tangible and intangible benefits that are developed over time by communications and, more importantly, by actions! To build a successful brand means doing the following four things:
1. MAkIng A proMIse 2. CoMMunICATIng your proMIse 3. keepIng your proMIse 4. sTrengThenIng your proMIse
What Is a brand?
Today you may have a name and a trademark, but it will take time (and much more) before you have a brand. Brand building is the creation and management of inward cash flow with brand equity as the savings account. Managing brand is about how marketers and consumers collaborate to create meanings. Brand building is not an option. roI is only relevant when considering alternative marketing programs. Brand equity is a big elephant: looking at financial returns alone is unacceptable. you must understand the whole beast. The trust-based, value-producing relationship called a brand is proof that the company is organizationally aligned to repeat the process and sustain the values. Find and establish your niche. Clarify your distinct ability to make an impact. Determine the desired relationship between your customers/prospects and your product. Create intangible, emotional bonds through every customer interaction. Like people, brand requires a name, a personality, a character and a reputation. Brand management is a crucial element of corporate strategy rather than solely a marketing function. It helps a company break away from the pack in creating shareholder value. Brand strategy is the viable expression of business strategy.
The tangible aspect of your brand is a promise. What do you do best? Whats the payoff? What can your consumer count on? This promise becomes an intrinsic part of your marketing message. In order for you to own it, you must communicate strategically and creatively across a broad media mix. Both your internal and external audiences must be true believers of the promise. And the only way to make them truly believe is to be true about the promise.
1. MAkING A PROMISE
BRAND STRATEGY
CORPORATE STRATEGY
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Advantages built on emotional values and brand meanings (e.g. Levis, Nike, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Harley-Davison, Apple, Sony) are often the most durable.
Once an emotional territory is occupied by a well known brand, it is more difficult to displace than a brand with a functional claim.
PERSONALITY
TRUST
TIMELESS
UNIqUE
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A product is built in a factory. A product is an object. A product is sold by a merchant. A product is easily copied by a competitor. A product is quickly outdated.
A brand is built of trust and relationships A brand is a personality. A brand is bought by a customer. A brand is unique. A great brand is timeless.
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INNOVATION
Three key requirements for building strong brands: 1. Trust between brand and consumer 2. Common identity between brand and consumer 3. Point of difference between brands in a set
IMAGINATION
INDIVIDUALISM
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