The Brand platform consists of:
- the brand vision; - the brand mission – how to take action on the brand vision; - the brand values;
- the brand personality - the human characteristics associated with the
brand;
- the brand tone of voice - the language the brand uses to convey its values
(serious, humorous, etc.).
Brand management, the application of marketing techniques to a brand, was first used by Proctor and Gamble in the 1930s. The brand strategy shows how thebrand will meet its objectives. It influences the overall business strategy of a company to ensure consistent brand behaviour, meaning what the brand does and how it acts in all advertising media, and consistent brand experience - the exposure and interaction a consumer has with the brand. Total branding refers to a consistent approach to brand behaviour and brand experiences across all possible touchpoints - wherever the consumer has a brand experience: TV, out-of-home, at a friend's house, etc.
A marketing manager writes an email about brand strategy to his contact in a communications agency:
New Message
... Last year we launched the brand in a new market; this year we need to establish the brand and make it stronger. It's too early to rebrand - change the name - but we could stretch the brand to include holiday reservations as well as holiday insurance. This brand extension will help us to market the brand to new consumers. Our brand positioning of reliable holidays allows us to enhance the brand, improving it in this way....
More word combinations with 'brand'
| using brand leverage | using the power of a brand name or part of a brand identity (colour, similar name, typeface, etc.) to build or launch another brand |
| maintaining brand equity | protecting the value of the brand name |
| building brand preference | increasing the number of consumers who prefer the brand over another |
| building brand loyalty | making sure your consumers want to buy your brand again and again (also known as increasing brand retention) |
| building brand awareness | increasing the number of consumers who know about your brand |
| building brand consideration | increasing the number of consumers who consider buying your brand |
3.4 Read the notes made during a brainstorming session on an online supermarket's brand platform, and say which part of the brand platform they refer to.
1 friendly 2 cheap 3 Amusing online ads 4 Build consideration
efficient good quality Modern website design by direct emailing
careful reliable Bright colours - campaign
funky, youthful look Develop retention
with special offers
3.5 Match the examples (1-4) with the summaries (a-d). 1 Apple invented the iPod. They started to market it. 2 After a successful launch, Google got more and more market share. 3 Coca-Cola created new products (Diet Coke, BlaK, etc.) using the same brand. 4 Beaner's coffee changed the company name to Biggby Coffee at the beginning of 2008. The new name appears on signs and marketing material.
a They rebranded. b The brand became established.
c They launched the brand. d They stretched the brand.
3.6 Decide if the sentences below are true or false, and correct the false sentences.
1 An advertising campaign is an example of brand values.
2 The brand strategy is a statement of the human characteristics of a brand.
3 Cinema advertising, packaging and website design are all examples of touchpoints.
4 You stretch a brand when you start communicating in a new advertising channel.
5 A brand that uses the same style in all its communications is doing total branding.
6 Brand management, brand vision and brand personality are all part of the brand platform.
3.7 Label the statements about consumer behaviour with word combinations with brand.
1 Consumers know about the product 2 Consumers think about buying the product 3 Consumers like the product more than other products 4 Consumers always buy the product
Text 3 Brand values
Brand values are the code by which the brand lives and operates. They express how the brand wants to be seen by its consumers. Every brand has its own values, but there are some common brand values, which can be divided into subsets:
Trust me
A brand may be respected because it shows it is knowledgeable about, or has a very good understanding of, its area of expertise (for example, computing or finance) or its consumers. Many quality national newspapers have a strong heritage - they have built strong, lasting values over many years. They are trustworthy and dependable brands, often with an international outlook - reporting news from other countries. Some brands speak about their trustworthiness - their integrity, honesty and responsibility - and act in ways that are fair for the consumer and the environment. Other brands demonstrate their leadership qualities - the skills and knowledge to lead others. The Linux operating system and some open source software organizations allow consumers to contribute to their brand values: being accessible, diverse, inclusive and independent
I am good for you.
Customer satisfaction is key for brands that offer values like great taste, low cost, value for money or good quality. Brands speak about flexibility, simplicity and practicality. Being easy to use is a positive value. Some brands focus on a healthy lifestyle and are nutritional, fresh and natural. Some brands show they are caring and want to look after their consumers. A good example is the toy retailer Toys "R" Us, which includes educational as one of its values.
I make you feel good
Companies can use experiences and qualities as brand values:
discovery: the brand helps you discover or find out about things
pleasure: the brand gives you an enjoyable experience
passionate: the consumer and the brand share the same passions or strong feelings
inspirationa l: the brand can inspire the consumer to think about new things
vibrant or fun: the brand offers amusing experiences
active or dynamic: the brand is enthusiastic and has a lot of energy; it is constantly changing and adapting to the consumer
luxury: the brand promises high levels of comfort and beauty at a high price
I am your contemporary.
Brands often mirror their consumers' values with their own. Young and modern brands will list in their brand values qualities like modern, innovative, creative and technological. More traditional brands will give their values as classic, heritage, authentic and original.
Describing brand values
When describing brand values we can use both adjectives and nouns. We can say 'We are a modern and innovative brand' or 'Our values are modernity and innovation'.
Other possible adjectives are: dependable, diverse, luxury, active, dynamic, vibrant, inspirational, fun, pleasurable, technological, classic, authentic, original.
3.8 Florette produce a range of ready-to-eat salads and salad dressings. Read what they say on their website about their brand values, and choose the correct heading from the box for each section.
| 1 Educational | Dynamic | Freshness |
| 2 International | Modernity | Value for money |
| 3 Innovation | Naturalness | Honesty |
| 4 Pleasure | Fun | Knowledgeable |
https://www.florette.com
Florette is the undisputed European leader. This leadership is the result of a powerful brand identity built around clearly defined values:
• (1)............ The production chain is kept as short as possible. Florette products are fresh and crunchy!
• (2)............ Products are adapted to new trends and behaviour (snacks, lunch-packs, etc.)
• (3)............. Healthy products, ready to eat or cook: eat well and be good to yourself at the same time.
• (4)............. Our collections cover all situations: from everyday meals to special occasions.
3.9 Choose the correct word from the brackets to complete each brand value statement.
1 Our (trustworthiness / outlook / flexibility) means you can easily adapt the service to your needs.
2 We value (fresh / simplicity / inspirational) and we design our products with this in mind.
3 Our product is (easy to be / easy to use / easy to cost).
4 We are (knowledgeable / luxury / heritage) about food.
5 We are a low cost, value for (lifestyle / fun / money) brand.
3.10 Complete the brand value statements using words below.
Innovative Inspirational Luxury Respected 1 Technology: we are.......... and creative from product concept to packaging and delivery.
2..............: we have a strong heritage in our area and we are knowledgeable.
3............: we value creativity, ours and yours. Together we build a more vibrant world.
4........................................: we believe that beautiful things have a high value and are worth the investment.
Think about a brand you buy. What are the brand's values and how do they reflect your own values?
3.11 Look at the following extracts from job advertisements. Match the titles to the job descriptions.
brand manager • director of marketing • head of PR • marketing assistant
1 His or her primary responsibility is to provide direct support to the media buyers. S/he will also track media mentions, support customer service, manage our relationship management tools, and provide other
assistance within the marketing department when needed.
2 The job involves managing all aspects of public relations, publicity, etc. The right person will have solid writing skills and strong relationships with the appropriate media outlets. The position reports directly to the CEO. The salary is based on experience.
3 The successful candidate must be an excellent manager and have a proven track record in leading a large department. The mission is to develop and execute a comprehensive marketing plan that reinforces our
leadership position. Direct responsibilities include media relations, PR, marketing communications, planning, and more.
4 You will be responsible for developing and executing brand strategies and marketing initiatives for an assigned product line to meet revenue, profitability, and budget targets. Requires strong knowledge of marketing
principles and practices, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams to accomplish a successful go-to-market strategy. This position reports directly to the Director of Marketing.
3.12 Match words from each column to make collocations from the job ads. Then match the collocations to the definitions (a-g).
| media | knowledge | |
| customer | line | |
| brand | mentions | |
| product | relations | |
| strong | responsibility | |
| primary | service | |
| public | strategies |
a a related series of items sold by a company (e.g. education software titles offered by a publisher)
b the department that deals directly with consumers
c communication with the general public
d items where the company's name is seen in newspapers, magazines, and websites
e main task or function
f good understanding
g ways of promoting a brand
3.13 How mаnу expressions with brand do you know? Match the terms in the bох with their definitions.
brand awareness • brand equity • brand extension • brand identity • brand image • brand loyalty • brand namе • branding • derived brand • off-brand
1 What а brand is called. 2 How much people аге aware of а brand.
3 What а соmраnу wants people to think about а brand. 4 What people actually think about а brand. 5 When а product doesn't fit the company's brand. 6 The value (either monetary оr not) that а brand adds to а product ог service. 7 When people like а brand and buy it again and again.
8 When а product оr service is associated with а brand. 9 When аn existing brand is used to support а new range of products. 10 When а component of а product becomes а brand in its own right (e.g. Intel in PCs).
3.14 Match each word in the left box with a word in the right box to form ten common marketing expressions. Then use these expressions to complete the sentences that follow.
| brand premium consumer market marketing price advertising special core brand | plan product brand brands offer campaigns loyalty awareness share promotions |
1.............. are important brand-building activities.
2 Marketing tactics such as................... aim to boost sales quickly.
3 Because of their association with quality and status,...... often cost a bit more.
4 During a sale in a department store, many goods are on......
5 The danger with brand-stretching is the damage that can result to the................. if it is not successful.
6 A good........... will guard the long-term interests of the brand it is promoting.
7 Launching a new........... onto the market is a costly and risky business.
8 Customers who always buy the same brand of goods are showing..........
9........ is a measure of how well-known a product is in the marketplace.
10 In some sectors, the competition between companies for......... is fierce.
3.15 Complete each sentence with the correct form of the underlined word. In some cases, you will need to use the negative form.
1 advertise
■ In our new campaign, our main...... medium will be television.
■ Benetton produced a series of eye-catching..... for their products.
2 associate
■ Engineering firms often work in....... with other companies on a major contract.
■ When there is a financial scandal, business people often
try to............ themselves from those involved.
3 consume
■ Food, clothing and household products are all examples of....... goods.
■ Wine....... is high in France, and on the increase in other European countries.
4 market
■ To make money, you don't just need a good product - you also need excellent.......
■ Some products are very innovative, but they simply aren't.......
5 produce
■ Although the meeting went on for hours, it was rather..........
■ Since we introduced the new pay structure,........ has improved enormously.
6 profit
■ This line of raincoat is highly.......- we must discontinue it as soon as possible.
■ If we are serious about improving the....... of these outlets, we should take a good look at staffing costs.
7 promote
■ We expect all our......... activities to cost around $2 million.
■ …… is a very important marketing function.
8 rival
■ The....... between soft drinks companies, Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola, is very fierce.
■ Otis is known all over the world as a manufacturer of lifts. Its reputation in the industry is......
9 sell
■ Which is your best-........ product?
■ Our........ force doubled when we took over our chief competitor.
10 value
■ Our stock is so...........that it cannot be left unguarded.
■ We were most impressed by the consultants we hired - their advice was................
3.16 LANGUAGE PRACTICE. Relationships between facts.
Study these examples. Then choose words from the box to complete the sentences that follow. Use your dictionary and grammar book to help you decide which words are both appropriate and grammatically correct in each case.
Despite the evidence of the value of brands, creating and sustaining that capital are often neglected by companies.
Because brand equity is hard to put a price on, punters must use returns as a guide to future performance.
Some consumers switch temporarily to the promoted brand, but once the promotion ends, almost all of them go back to the one they normally prefer.
Since price is often a signal to consumers of a product's quality, a brand that is always on special offer loses its appeal.
Reason: because as so since therefore consequently
Contrast: although despite in spite of but however nevertheless yet
1 Brand-stretching can be very risky......., it can also be very lucrative.
2 The value of price promotions is questionable,.......... most consumers
switch back to their usual brand when the promotion ends.
3 Companies have to keep their shareholders happy........ brand managers are under pressure to find ways of boosting sales.
4....... a brand may sell well in one country, it may not sell at all in another.
5 Price is a signal of quality,...... consumers will often pay more for premium brands.
6 In 1991, advertising accounted for around a third of all marketing outlay,.................., in 1980, the picture was very different.
7...... their disappearance from the market, General Electric's food blenders continued to rank second with consumers 20 years later!
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