The document provides an overview of a brand strategy toolkit that is designed to help marketers and students create and implement effective brand strategies. It defines brand strategy as a plan to systematically develop a strong, coherent brand to enhance revenue and profits. The brand strategy process involves conducting a brand audit, analyzing target audiences, developing brand positioning, crafting a brand personality, and creating an integrated marketing communications strategy to ensure consistency across touchpoints.

1. Brand Strategy Toolkit Everything you need to define a brand in one place 1.10.07

6. Brand Strategy Process Target & Insight Brand Execution Brand Elements Competitive Assessment Brand Inventory Equity Pyramid Positioning Objectives & Metrics Personality Communications Strategy Brand Experience Map Brand Strategy Brand Audit CRM & Community Building Points of Parity and Difference The process of creating a brand strategy begins with a brand audit and ends with a plan for executing the brand across all touch points. It can be generally thought of as having three stages..

7. Brand Audit

8. Target Matrix The purpose of the target matrix is to identify and evaluate alternative candidates for equity building in order to ensure the brand focuses on the customers and prospects that offer the greatest potential for increased revenue and profitability. Satisfaction Role of price Brand Importance Key Influences Barriers/Concerns Decision Process Usage Behavior Decision Criteria or Motivators Size/Profile Lapsed Users Category non-users Competitive Brand Users Current Brand Users

9. Decision-Drivers The purpose of laddering is to identify key emotional and rational decision-making variables and their relationship to key benefits and consumer values in order to identify the most relevant ideas to consumers.

12. Brand Inventory Heritage/Historical Positionings (existing products) Brand Identity logos, icons or symbols Secondary associations Gaps between identity and image Organizational strengths Brand Values/Vision Product performance claims, proprietary technology/patents Third-party ratings or endorsements Where to Find Assets or Gaps The purpose of the brand inventory is to identify existing or potential assets that can be leveraged or gaps that need to be addressed in order to build on or create sustainable points of differentiation.

14. Brand Strategy

15. Brand Pyramid The purpose of the brand equity pyramid is to outline the basic building blocks of a what the brand should stand for in order to guide the process of building brand equity. It is the basis for determining key elements of the brand strategy – brand vision, brand positioning, and brand personality and brand measurement. Identity Relationship Response Meaning Brand Equity Pyramid The model was developed by Kevin Keller, professor of brand strategy at Dartmouth, based on his ‘Customer Based Brand Equity Model’ (CBBE). Keller is the author of two definitive texts on brand building. The pyramid is just one of 4-5 leading representations of the components of brand equity. Other models include Y&R’s Brand Asset Valuator, Millward Brown’s BrandDynamics model, etc. While each model has its adherents, upon closer scrutiny, they are all very similar in their content and purpose. Whichever is selected, what is important is that it provide a shared basis for understanding what is meant by ‘brand equity’ and how this construct applies to your brand. Resonance Consumer Judgments Consumer Feelings Brand Imagery Brand Performance Salience

16. Brand Positioning The purpose of brand positioning is to explain how the brand will create a sustainable competitive advantage in the minds of prospects & customers in order to win loyal customers and ensure revenue and profits. For (Target), (Brand/Company) is the only/best (consumer frame of reference) that (statement of key benefit or guiding value), because/by (reason to believe, key credibility point). Evaluation Criteria: Brand Fit, Customer Relevance, Uniqueness, Sustainability, Credibility

19. Brand Personality The purpose of brand personality is to ensure a brand behaves in a way that is consistent with its values in order to increase its appeal and create greater affinity with its target. Brand personality can also help to differentiate a brand’s imagery relative to competitors. What Brand is: What Brand is NOT:

20. Brand Execution

22. Integrated Communications Strategy Current Beliefs Current Actions Message Desired Belief Desired Actions The purpose of a communications strategy is to ensure all communications are unified around a compelling brand idea in order maximize the consistency and efficiency of brand building communications.

23. IMC Strategy Example Current Actions Buy whichever sport drink is on sale Message Gatorade is the only sports drink that is backed by years of research Desired Belief Gatorade is better than other sports drinks Desired Actions Buy Gatorade even when other brands are on sale Current Beliefs All sport drinks are the same Target: Moms with kids 8-17 who purchase sports drinks at supermarkets