Brand communications and marketing are based upon the right mix of rational and emotional brand drivers. This presentation looks at how a brand and product differ, and how we can we develop more emotionally based communications.

1. © W 2011
How do we translate product features
into brand values?
Sunil Ramkali, Account Director
W Communication Agency

2. © W 2008
Content
• A few things about the W Communication Agency.
• Product or brand – what's the difference?
• What makes a (great) brand?
• How do we make a (great) brand?
– Benefit laddering
• Does a (great) brand deliver on the ‗bottom line‘?

3. © W 2008
A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE
W COMMUNICATION AGENCY

4. © W 2008
Where are we based?
• Malmö, Sweden - a truly
international city.
• 300 000 residents from
approximately 170 different
nationalities.
• Recent venue for the Eurovision
song contest 2013.
• Perfect venue for W, with our
focus on international B2B
communications.

5. © W 2008
What do we do at W?
• We specialise in turning complexity into clarity.
• Our focus is international B2B communications & have
been doing so since 1998.
• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate
product features

6. © W 2008
What do we do at W?
• We specialise in turning complexity into clarity.
• Our focus is international B2B communications & have
been doing so since 1998.
• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate
product features into brand benefits

7. © W 2008
What do we do at W?
• We specialise in turning complexity into clarity.
• Our focus is international B2B communications & have
been doing so since 1998.
• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate
product features into brand benefits and ultimately,
brand values:

8. © W 2008
What do we do at W?
• We specialise in turning complexity into clarity.
• Our focus is international B2B communications & have
been doing so since 1998.
• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate
product features into brand benefits and ultimately,
brand values:
Life Science
AstraZeneca
Lundbeck
Novo Nordisk
Sandoz
Takeda
UCB
Technology
Anoto
ESS
Logica
Milestone
SCAN COIN
Securitas
Industry
Alfa Laval
Wayne
Ecophon
Inwido
Metso Minerals
Modity
NSK
Tetra Pak
Trelleborg

9. © W 2008
PRODUCT OR BRAND
– WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

10. © W 2008
Product or brand – what's the difference?
• Before we can answer that question, we must first understand the
difference between a product and a brand.
– Companies make products, consumers (patients) make brands.
– A brand will have a specific customer appeal, i.e. they are unique or
differentiating, whereas a product can be copied.
– Products with low emotional engagement are not differentiated and can be
easily copied or replaced by a low cost product.

11. © W 2008
Products are made in the factory, but
brands are created in the mind."
— Walter Landor, Brand Builder & Designer

12. © W 2008
WHAT MAKES A (GREAT) BRAND?

13. © W 2008
A brand is a mixture of attributes,
tangible and intangible which, if
managed properly, creates
value and influence.
(source: www.brandchannel.com)

14. © W 2008
Defining brand strength - Interbrand™

15. © W 2008
Defining brand strength - Interbrand™

16. © W 2008
The big ideaL – white paper
• Ogilvy commissioned 2,025 online interviews in the US, the UK, Russia, China,
India, Brazil, Spain and Germany.
• Five brand pairs were selected by Ogilvy and assessed to identify why one
brand out performed the other.
– Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi
– Nike vs. Puma
– Apple vs. Microsoft
– Dove vs. Nivea
– MasterCard vs. Visa
* first brand listed had a stronger big ideaL

17. © W 2009
Four pillars that explained brand success
1. Enhances brand differentiation – unique
2. Engages audiences emotionally – makes the customer feel good
3. Makes the brand famous – perceived as a leader
4. Appeals to users and non-users – drives penetration

18. © W 2008
HOW DO WE MAKE A (GREAT) BRAND?

19. © W 2008
How do we make a (great) brand?
• We must first understand what drives the buying / decision making
process.
• Do we know how important the rational and emotional brand drivers are
during the decision making process?
• Knowing the answers will get you closer to being the brand of choice.

20. © W 2008
• Is your brand memorable?
• Do you know what your customers think about your
brand?
• How does your brand make your customers feel?

21. © W 2008
A great brand will appeal to both
hearts & minds
Emotional brand engagement will create loyalty

22. © W 2008
Decision making is primarily emotional
- Stanovich and West (2000)
System 1
Fast
99%
System 2
Slow
1%
Feeling
Unconscious
Automatic
Non-verbal
Thinking
Conscious
Controlled
Verbal

23. © W 2008
In this story the hare wins!

24. © W 2008
―When the clinical difference between products is small, as
often is the case with prescription drugs, it‘s imperative that
they have a strong emotional connection with their target
audiences‖
Thomas Lom, President (former), Saatchi & Saatchi Consumer Health and Wellness

25. © W 2008
TRANSLATING PRODUCT FEATURES INTO
BRAND VALUES
- BENEFIT LADDERING

26. © W 2008
What is benefit laddering?
• Benefit laddering is a validated process for translating product features
into brand benefits & values.
• The technique takes us out of our ‗comfort zone‘ and challenges us to
think beyond functional product features.
• A brand ladder will help us identify the critical components of the brand
communication platform.
– Brand ‗one liner‘ / Positioning Statement
– Sales Story Flow
– Key Selling Messages
– Brand Visual Imagery

27. © W 2008
Benefit laddering
- translating product features into brand values

28. © W 2008
Benefit laddering technique
- mobile phones & email
2
8
Brand features or attributes
Moderator, ―What do you like best about your mobile phone?‖
Respondent, ―Ability to keep up to date with my emails while
on the move‖.
Brand benefits
Moderator, ―What is important about that?‖
Respondent, ―I know what‘s happening right away and am able to
address customer enquires rapidly.‖
Customer benefits
Moderator, ―What does that do for you/customers?‖
Respondent, ―It reassures my customers that I am in control and I
can offer them excellent customer service.‖
Emotional benefits/values
Moderator, ―What does reassuring your customers mean?‖
Respondent, ―I earn their respect and come across as a professional
partner. This hopefully leads to increased customer loyalty.‖

29. © W 2008
Case example – Benadryl
Brand features
- Fast acting
- Symptom relief
Brand benefits – rational
- Reduces symptoms
- Improves quality of life
Customer benefits - emotional
- Not a social misfit
- Be active
Emotional benefits/values – emotional
- Freedom
- Belongingness
Benadryl delivers a rapid response to hay fever symptoms,
improving symptoms within just 15 minutes

30. © W 2008
Case example – Yaris Verso
Brand features
- Large interior
- High performance
Brand benefits – rational
- Transport many
- Drive comfort
Customer benefits - emotional
- Family friendly
- Avoid stress
Emotional benefits/values – emotional
- Care for my family
- Self fulfilment
The Toyota Yaris Verso is a new, compact Toyota with style,
which offers the necessary space & performance
especially for young families

31. © W 2008
DOES A (GREAT) BRAND DELIVER ON THE
‘BOTTOM LINE’ ?

32. © W 2008
What empirical research is telling us about how marketing
really works
• Meta-analysis of 880 IPA Effectiveness cases
• Aim: to identify the ingredients of effective advertising
• ―Effectiveness‖ measured in hard business terms - sales

33. © W 2008
% of campaigns reporting very large business results

34. © W 2008
SUMMARY

35. © W 2008
Summary
• As a communication specialist our role is to develop brand
communications that will engage our target audience on a rationale &
emotional level.
• The decision making or buying process is not an art, it has a sound
scientific basis.
• Influencing the buying process requires us to translate product features
to brand values.
– Identify the right product features to influence the ‗mind‘ and the brand
values to influence the ‗heart‘.
• If we can find the balance between the two, this will ultimately drive
brand adoption, loyalty and sales!

36. © W 2012
Thank you!
W communication agency
Lilla Torg 3
211 34 Malmö, Sweden
www.justw.com