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Re-launching a brand means thinking beyond a new design or a new name. It means, "going deeper." Many a time in marketing, there comes a stage in the life of a brand when it needs to be re-worked and relaunched to take it to a different level. This happens not only for brands which may not be doing well but also for brands that are doing well but would like to do better. Brands go through various stages of evolution in their life and often may need to be restructured and repositioned, revitalised or rejuvenated to improve their sales and market share and profits. Before getting into the methodologies and ways of launching a new brand(or Brand Relauncing), it is important to define the objectives for the relaunch. Some commonly used objectives are:
Is the objective to rejuvenate the brand as a contemporary one, as it is being perceived as dated and traditional? Is the objective to relaunch a brand that has failed due to an inappropriate marketing mix?
Is the objective to relaunch the brand and reposition it for faster growth and market share?
affordable and available but do not want to use it because they feel it does not match their needs or aspirations, keeping the psychographics in mind. Another method to relaunch the brand is to change the channel and distribution strategy. Other elements may be working but the distribution channel may be ineffective due to the choice of inappropriate outlets or even ineffective trade margins and marketing strategy. This can be linked with the sales effort, sales organisation and structure. This happens in cases where the product is accepted, its awareness is high but it is not available. There is, therefore, wastage of advertising money. In this case, revamping the distribution structure becomes necessary. The third way to relaunch a brand would be to revamp every element of the marketing mix including the brand name, the product ingredients and pricing, and bring it out with a new price and bring it out as a new avatar. Brand Relauncing is a normal exercise but should be dealt with cautiously. If the brand is doing well because its positioning, distribution and pricing are accepted and it is growing as per the desired objectives, then it is recommended not to tamper with something which is working. Finally, it is important to say that while brand relauncing is implimented , the main objective should be to bring it to a better level in terms of sales, market share and profit than what its current position reflects.
It establishes the products character and value proposition.It conveys this character in a distinctive way so as not to confuse it with the competitors image.
It delivers emotional power beyond a mental image. The image of a brand may contain different types of associations in memory: attributes benefits and attitudes.
In the case of Woodland shoes the product related attributes would be: leather that weathers, unique sole, water resistant etc. The non-product related attributes would be: price -1500+; package-green box; useryoung, rugged, tough; usage-outdoors, trekking.
I am committed to this brand. I am willing to pay a higher price for this brand over other brands. I will recommend this brand to others.
Loyalty Segmentation:
Loyalty segmentation helps in building strong brands. A market can usually be divided into the following groups:
Non customers: Those who use the competitors brand or are not product class users. Price switchers: Those who are price switchers. The passively loyal: Those who buy out of habit rather than reason. Fence sitters: those who are indifferent between two or more brands. ( these guys sit on the fence and watch - not bothered ) The committed: those who are committed to our brands. (Hard Core Loyal Customers ! These guys are brands Asset ! :) )
The challenges to improve the brands loyalty profile are to increase the number of customers who are not price switchers, to strengthen the fence sitters and committed ties to the brand and to increase the number who would pay more to use the brand or service. Two segments where the companies generally under invest are passively loyal and the committed customers. The passively loyal customers are often taken for granted. At the other end of the spectrum are the highly loyal or committed customers. Firms also tend to take this group for granted. Yet there may be significant potential to increase business from the very loyal. The loyal Marriott customer might be encouraged to select even more than often with a improved portfolio of business support services such as fax machines in rooms. Further there is a risk that loyal customers can be enticed away by a competitor if the performance of the product or service is not improved. For these reasons firms should avoid diverting resources from the loyal core to the non-customers and price switchers. One approach to enhancing the loyalty of fence sitters and the committed is to develop or strengthen their relationship with the brand.
Lux - Beauty bar for young women Dettol - Antiseptic, protection Johnson&Johnson - Trust and quality a baby needs
The extended brand identity includes elements that provide texture and completeness. The core identity usually does not possess enough detail to perform all of the functions of a brand identity. In particular, a brand identity should help a company decide which program or communication
is effective and which be damaging or off the target. Even a wellthought-out and on-target core identity may ultimately be too ambiguous or incomplete for this task. A brand personality does not often become a part of the core identity. However it can be exactly the right vehicle to add the needed texture and completeness by being a part of the extended identity. It provides the strategist with the opportunity to add full detail to complete the picture. Brand identity consists of twelve dimensions organized around four perspectives:
BRAND AS A PRODUCTA
core element of a brands identity is usually its product thrust, which will affect the type of associations that are desirable and feasible. A strong link to a product class means that the brand will be recalled when the product class is cued. A dominant brand will often be the only brand recalled. Band Aid in adhesive bandages i.e. whenever we think of bandages Band Aid is the first thing that comes to our mind. And many a times the consumers use the word Band Aid instead of bandage. Similarly, Bisleri is the word almost synonymous with the mineral water. Whenever one thinks of mineral water Bisleri is the first name that comes to their mind. (Now the leader in this segment is Kinley)
BRAND AS AN ORGANIZATION
The brand as organization perspective focuses on attributes of the organization rather than those of the product or service. The people,
culture, values and programs of the company create such organization attributes as innovation, a drive for quality and concern for the environment. Some brand aspects can be described as product attributes in some contexts and organizational attributes in other contexts. Quality or innovation, for instance could be a product-related attribute if it is based on the design and features of a specific product offering while if it is based on the organizational cultures values and programs it would be an organizational-related attribute. In some cases there can be a combination of the two perspectives. However organizational attributes are more enduring and more resistant to competitive claims than are product attributes because:
It is much easier to copy a product than to copy an organization with unique people, cultures and programs. Organizational attributes usually apply to a set of product classes and a competitor in only one product class may find difficult to compete.
Organizational attributes such as being innovative are hard to communicate and evaluate it is difficult for competitors to demonstrate that they have overcome any perceived gap.
BRAND AS A PERSON
Brand personality is an important area of study for at least two reasons. First, research has shown that a strong brand personality may justify a higher price premium. Moreover, brand personality can play a key role in differentiating a brand in a product category where there is actually little or no difference between products. Prior research indicates that the greater the similarity between a consumers personality characteristics and the characteristics that they believe comprise the brand, the greater the preference for that brand. Brand-as-person perspective suggests a brand identity that is richer and more interesting than one based on product attributes. Like a person, a brand can be perceived as
being upscale, competent, impressive, trustworthy, fun, active, humorous, casual, formal, youthful or intellectual. FARDEEN KHAN for PROVOGUE - In this case you would associate Fardeen Khan with someone who is cool, trendy, from the upper class, fun loving. With Fardeen khan endorsing for provogue peoples perception about Provogue clothes is also cool, trendy, for people who are fun loving. FARDEEN KHAN for PROVOGUE - In this case you would associate Fardeen Khan with someone who is cool, trendy, from the upper class, fun loving. With Fardeen khan endorsing for provogue peoples perception about Provogue clothes is also cool, trendy, for people who are fun loving. A brand personality can help create a stronger brand in many ways:
It can help create a self-expressive benefit that becomes a vehicle for the customer top express his or her personality. E.g. an Apple user might consider himself to be casual, anti corporate and creative.
Just as human personalities affect relationship between people, brand personality can be the basis of a relationship between the customer and the brand. E.g. Mercedes Benz might be perceived as a upscale, admired person.
It might help communicate a product attribute and thus contribute to a functional benefit. E.g. The strong, energetic personality of the Ambuja man suggests that Ambuja cement is also strong and energetic.
BRAND AS A SYMBOL
A strong symbol can provide cohesion and structure to an identity and make it much easy to gain recognition and recall. Its presence can be a key ingredient of brand development and its absence can be substantial handicap. Elevating symbols to the status of being part of the brand
identity reflects their potential power. Anything that represents a brand can be a symbol including programs such as the Ronald McDonald house. Symbols involving visual imagery can be memorable and powerful such as the Nikes Swoosh symbol and the McDonalds golden arches. Each strong visual image captures much of its respective brands identity because connections between the symbol and the identity elements have been built up over time. It just takes a glance to be reminded of the brand.
4. Falling sales 5. Bringing in new customers 6. Making the brand contemporary 7. Differentiate from other brands 8. Changed market conditions.
It is not always that these nine categories are mutually exclusive. Often one reason leads to the other and a brand is repositioned sometimes for a multiplicity of reasons.
therefore, was repositioned from a sophisticated, aristocratic product to one that is functional and relevant to the Indian housewife.
A number of positioning strategies might be employed in developing a promotional program. The 7 such strategies are discussed below:
Consider the example of Ariel that offers a specific benefit of cleaning even the dirtiest of clothes because of the micro cleaning system in the product.
Colgate offers benefits of preventing cavity and fresh breath. Promise, Balsaras toothpaste, could break Colgates stronghold by being the first to claim that it contained clove, which differentiated it from the leader.
Nirma offered the benefit of low price over Hindustan Levers Surf to become a success. Maruti Suzuki offers benefits of maximum fuel efficiency and safety over its competitors. This strategy helped it to get 60% of the Indian automobile market.
quality brand where cost, while not irrelevant, is considered secondary to the quality benefits derived from using the brand. Premium brands positioned at the high end of the market use this approach to positioning. Another way to use price/ quality characteristics for positioning is to focus on the quality or value offered by the brand at a very competitive price. Although price is an important consideration, the product quality must be comparable to, or even better than, competing brands for the positioning strategy to be effective. Parle Bisleri Bada Bisleri, same price ad campaign.
POSITIONING BY COMPETITOR
Competitors may be as important to positioning strategy as a firms own product or services. In todays market, an effective positioning strategy for a product or brand may focus on specific competitors. This approach is similar to positioning by product class, although in this case the competition is within the same product category. Onida was positioned against the giants in the television industry through this strategy, ONIDA colour TV was launched with the message that all others were clones and only Onida was the leader. neighbours Envy, Owners Pride.
Example: Say when we think of online search engines what is the first brand that comes into your mind? This is "Top of The Mind" This the the place that always stays deep within you and you always tend to stick to the brands that are top of the mind. You may hesitate shifting the brands as they are now very much part of your desire. So for me when i think of it its "GOOGLE", So is for you ! The next level is of all the other brands that are recalled by the customer in an unaided form.(brand awareness) The customer is asked to recall as many brands as he or she is able to whenever one thinks of a product. Example: Now i ask you what other brands that you can thnk when it comes to Search Engines? So the brands that you can name first now is due to the awarness that it has created. Say "Yahoo !" , This is one brand that comes next after "GOOGLE" , so the posibility of "Yahoo !" one day becoming your top of the mind brand is high ! Brand recognition is the third level and perhaps the lowest level. And also known as brand recall. Here customers are aided in recalling or recognizing brands or associating brands with a product class. This is important at the point of purchase. The contribution of awareness to building up equity for the brand can be gauged by the fact that high awareness creates associations in the customers mind. He or she is able to associate different images with the brand and this in turn can help generate a customers liking for it. It can also lead to a large base of committed customers, and all these benefits in turn will help the firm have more leverage in the market place.
Recognitions reflect familiarity gained from past exposure. Recognition does not necessarily involve remembering where the brand was encountered before why it differs from other brands or even what the brands product class is. It is simply remembering that there was a past exposure to the brand. When consumers see a brand and remember that they have seen it before they realize that the company is spending money to support the brand. Since it is generally believed that companies will not spend money on products consumers take their recognition as a signal that the brand is good.
Many companies, especially while introducing a new product in the market find that sales cannot be sustained without constant advertising. Sales charts always show a meteoric rise post-advertising burst. Companies often rerun advertisement on different channels over the year to sustain the brand awareness and ensure that the consumers are exposed to the brand.
Complan repeats the same TV commercials for different target markets over a period of time to ensure brand recall and visibility.
Fevi Stik - adhesive Centre Shock chewing gum. Advertising: Advertising also helps to create Brand awareness in a big way. Take any brand name Fevicol, Vicks, Pepsi all have used ads for creating awareness among their consumers. Celebrity:- Another important factor affecting Brand awareness is the celebrities endorsing the Brand. Whenever you see a celebrity you love endorsing a brand you tend to propagate the Brand. Coca Cola experienced a tremendous increase in brand following post ad campaigns with Hrithik Roshan and Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. Parent Company:- To a large extent the parent company helps in promoting a brand. The parent company in many cases is so popular that its brand automatically become popular and people become aware about the product. TATA always promotes it brand with its name along with the brand such as TATA INDICA, TATA INDIGO, TATA SALT. Sales Promotions And Offers: - It also helps in making the consumers aware of the brand. Some of the sales promotion activities that companies carry out help them in a big way to make their target aware of the brand. Reliance India Mobiles Monsoon Hungama offer, wherein they offered their WLL services at an affordable price. 1st Mover Advantage: - Usually the company that enters a product category first has good awareness about its brand. Usually people tend to remember the first player to enter the market.
Parle products BISLERI in the packaged water segment.
Public Relations: - The coverage that the fourth estate and magazines provide a brand also helps in building awareness about a brand.
The popularity of local restaurants such as J.W.Marriot has been boosted by the page 3 mentions in the Bombay Times supplement of The Times of India.
Direct Selling: - Some of the companies use direct selling as a platform to create brand awareness.
Eureka Forbes water filter AQUA GUARD.
Peer Group Opinion: - Peer group opinion also plays an important part in the whole brand awareness exercise. Usually people tend to discuss a lot about the brand and tend to share their experiences or some recent ads they have seen which in turn increases brand awareness of their peers.
When opting for cellular network services (irrespective of prepaid or billing), most people generally go by the opinions of their friends and colleagues.
Recall Of Ads: - In some cases the brand awareness is also high due to specific ad recall, which is very high.
Amaron battery advertisement of race between tortoise and rabbit with the tagline LAST LONG REALLY LONG .
The associations consumers make with brand support brand equity. These associations may include product attributes, a celebrity spokesperson or a symbol.
Invariably all brands come to acquire a meaning in the mind of the customer. Customers associate different dimensions of the product including its use and use situations to the brands. Brand association, therefore, is anything linked to the memory of a brand. Thus a jingle like Happy days are here again has been associated in the customers mind with Thumps Up. Surf is linked with the economy-minded middle class housewife- Lalitaji in the advertisements.
The name Tata is associated with quality. It is important to know how strong this association is and for a family name like this, which are the products with which this association is the strongest.
The perceived differentiation takes care of the competitive angle and the value aspect takes care of customer motivation e.g. Perk is positioned as a substitute for a snack, which can be, had anywhere, anytime. A brand must create an association and cling on to it. The bottom line for a position is that it must be valuable, credible, distinctive and suitable for the product in question. The strategy to differentiate the brand or product is to place it in an appropriate cell of the human mind so that whenever the customer recalls the product, the firms brand is the first to be recalled. This strategy is called Positioning.
Positioning is not what you do to a product. But what you do to the mind of the prospect. That is, you position the product in the mind of the prospect.
Whether a brand owns a position or not could easily be found by a simple word association or word which immediately springs to mind as and when the brand is thought for when the word is thought of, the brand is recalled immediately. Some of the well-positioned brands are:
Raymonds: The Complete Man Fair and lovely: Fairness Woodland: Tough Shoes Dettol: Antiseptic Captain cook: Free Flow Salt