The document discusses the importance of branding in a competitive market, defining brands as promises and mental associations that add perceived value to products or services. It outlines the steps for establishing a brand, including determining its meaning, choosing a unique name, and selecting physical elements like logos and colors. It emphasizes the strategic nature of brand decisions and the goal of differentiating from competitors to create a lasting identity.

1. Establishing and Building a
Brand in a Crowded Market
© Gordon Graham 2007

2. Brands run deep:
“Mythological symbols touch and
exhilarate centers of life beyond the
reach of vocabularies and coercion.”
- Joseph Campbell, Masks of God,
Vol. 4

3. What is a brand?
Multiple definitions. Multiple
perspectives. Multiple roles.

4. What is a brand?
“. . . the promise, the big idea, and
the expectations that reside inside the
head of each customer’s mind about a
product, service, or company . . .the
brand is shorthand. It stands for
something.”
- Alina Wheeler (2006)

5. What is a brand?
“. . . a set of mental associations,
held by the consumer, which add to
the perceived value of a product or
service.”
- Kevin Lane Keller (1998)

6. What is a brand?
“ . . . a brand is a concept . . . a brand
shapes and reflects our quest for
meaning.”“
- Bobby J. Calder (2005)
“ . . . a brand is a meaning system.”“
- Patrick Hanlon (2006)

7. Definitions will emphasize what a brand
is (physical appearance) or what it does
(role).

8. What do brands do?
They remind us of a past product/service
experience. They communicate how we see
ourselves. Brands are fantasy. Escapism. A
brand is often just an umbilical cord to a
world elsewhere.

9. Brands represent the world as it ought to
be not how it is. Romanticism. Brands
represent values and ideals. They simplify
our day.

10. Brands help satisfy a need to belong to
something larger than ourselves. At the
same time, they help us express our
individuality.
Thanks to Rob Walker (2008) for this.

11. Hugh MacLeod, Gapingvoid.com

12. Brands
.
.
are
..
..
.
MAGIC MAKING

13. But . . .
hugely successful brands can also
Brands amount as the result of an
emerge simply to as much as
80% of a firm’s assets.
awesome product
- Economist (2008)
.

14. So let’s not take this branding thing too
Brands amount to as muchmediocre
far. Branding is no substitute for as
80% oflack of product innovation.
products or a a firm’s assets.
- Economist (2008)

15. You can only fool people for a while.

16. Country of Origin & Stereotypes:
Chinese brands. Now we’re talking values,
trust and the relative attractiveness of
cultures.

17. What is culture?
“. . . the sum of a set of shared values.”
- Bradley Hall (2008)
“ . . . inherited ethical habit.”
- Francis Fukuyama (1995)

18. Individualism + Low Trust in China
Small firms. Family run at core.
Fragmented industries.
Destructive, subsidized competition.
Little cooperation. Few transnational firms.
Short-term thinking. Emergent Strategy.

19. On to the
BRAND ®
Building > > >

20. What will this presentation
cover?
1. Why firms should establish a brand.
2. The steps in establishing a new brand.
3. A short list of recommended branding
books.

21. 1. Why establish a brand?

22. Consumers face a dizzying
array of choices.

23. Products drift towards
commoditization.

24. A brand differentiates the
product from similar offerings.

25. A brand reduces the need to
compete on price alone.

26. The goal of a brand
is to establish a
monopoly position
for a non-core
product attribute in
the mind of an
individual.

27. Identity Image
{PR/Advertising} {Reality}
The Firm Staff & Customers

28. Who controls a brand’s
Firm meaning?
Market
Length of Time
Brand Engages
Market

29. 2. Steps in establishing a new brand.

30. I: Establish the meaning of the brand
“The power of a brand is inversely
proportional to its scope.”
- Laura and Al Ries, The Origin of Brands

31. A good way to do this is by
asking:
What’s the brand’s
Point of View?

32. Broad
Scope
CVS: general drug store products
CVS: general drug store products
Body Shop: body
Narrow New Brand
Scope
A hair care store?

33. Point of View? Who is the
Enemy?

34. Beauty doesn’t have to be
at the expense of animals’
welfare.

35. Dig deep for a position within an
existing category - or create a new
category or, better yet, a new
product!

36. “Healthy” or “organic” are no
longer brand positions or
differentiators. These are now
categories. Dig deeper if you want to
differentiate.

37. Your brand needs to . . .
Stand for
something

38. Categories diverge not converge
General Motors Models in 1955:
25
General Motors Models in 2005:
325
Source: The Machine That Changed the World (1990)

39. Brands and their Owners
Range Rover: Indian
French’s Mustard: British
Glenmorangie Scotch: French
Trader Joe’s: German

40. Diffuse Ownership
Brands are often part owned by
sovereign funds and private
equity groups from various
countries.

41. Some points to remember:
Brands cannot stretch very far
Customers buy brands not companies
Brand decisions are strategic

42. You can build a brand portfolio
organically

43. Or through acquisition

44. II: Name
Choose a name that’s:
unique
short
easy to say
easy to spell . . .

45. if possible, the name should suggest
the product category:
Captain Morgan Rum
Lunesta Sleeping pills
Samsonite Strong luggage

46. Alternatively, you can
create meaning around
a meaningless word.
This is what Starbucks
did with its brand.

47. III: Physical Elements of the Brand:
Choose a logo or name mark
Choose a colour(s)
Choose a tagline

48. Final thought:
. . . we all think everyone else’s
shopping quirks are weird and irrational
- but that our own make perfect sense.
Rob Walker, New York Times Magazine
(2009)

49. The Origin of Brands, Al and Laura Ries
Brand Meaning, Mark Batey
Designing Brand Identity: A complete guide
to creating, building and sustaining strong
brands, Alina Wheeler
Brand Leadership, David Aacker and
Eric Joachimsthaler
The New Strategic Brand Management:
Creating and sustaining brand equity long
term, Jean-Noel Kapferer

50. I’m very interested in business training
and course design for e-learning Feel
free to get in touch! Thanks!
Gordon@westportwire.com
© Gordon Graham 2007