The document discusses key concepts for effective branding and positioning, including the need to focus marketing strategies on business goals and customers. It advocates the FACTS framework to improve return on marketing investments through simplicity, relevance, and responsiveness to changes. Additionally, it emphasizes developing an agile organization, strengthening creativity and innovation, increasing marketing's credibility with tangible metrics, and ensuring sustainability through consideration of people, planet and profit. The document provides checklists and examples of different brand architectures to guide strategic branding decisions.

1. If you’re not a brand, you’re a commodity
Antwerp,
November 5, 2014

2. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014

3. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
FACTS is a pragmatic and result driven vision that helps to make the
right choices in a complex marketing environment
FACTS will improve Return on Marketing Investments
by focusing on the right business, aiming for
simplicity & relevance
FACTS will make the brand
more reactive and ready to
tackle all marketing
challenges & changes
FACTS will generate
stronger innovation
that attracts
customers’
attention FACTS will strengthen
Marketing credibility in the
Board by making its
initiatives tangible
FACTS will make business’s performance
more sustainable and so more solid

4. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
FOCUS sounds simple, but is hard to realize
• Simplicity & relevance
• Strategic consistency
• Brand & positioning consistency
• Knowledge
• Customer centricity
• Focused team
• Continuity

5. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
They lack true
belief and
passion
They are often
too
opportunistic
and focused on
the short term
Marketers
work in silos,
don’t have
the business
overview
They’re not able to
choose They feel too
much pressure
from outside and
their
management
Marketers tend to
embrace
complexity
They lack
profound
knowledge
Why are marketers not focused?

6. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
AGILITY is about structure and people
• Agile & up to date organization
• Built around customer engagement
• Willingness to change
• Detect trends & act
• Early warning systems & processes
• Flexibility & Speed

7. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
CREATIVITY strengthens & nourishes “good homework” &
innovation
• Innovative company culture
• Diversity of profiles
• Idea generation
• Idea valuation
• Porosity & open-mindedness

8. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
TANGIBILITY increases marketing credibility in the
board room
• KPI’s & dashboards
• Scenario analysis & ROMI
• Connect with marketing
intelligence
• Analytical culture & skills
• Role of intuition

9. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
There is no choice: SUSTAINABILITY is the way to go,
delivering competitive advantage
• People: yours & every
stakeholder
• Planet: ACT on innovation,
packaging, promotion...
• Profit: business-minded
marketers

10. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
What is the brand strategy?
PRODUCT LEADERSHIP
“best product”
CUSTOMER INTIMACY
“best total solution”
OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
“best total cost”

11. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
Branding & Positioning check list
Does your brand convey a single & consistent message?1
Are you able to handle 21st century consumers?2
Does your brand challenge the status quo?3
Are you sure your brand will boost your business?4
Does your brand try to make the world a better place?5
Choose 1 of the following: your brand strategy is aimed at …6
Product
leadership
Operational
excellence
Customer
intimacy

12. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
The existing brand architecture models

13. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
Line extensions have to fit with the brand’s positioning and
USP
Positioning & USP
Product Product Product …
Brand
Product
extension
A product extension
borrows from the mother
brand and gives back

14. THoM’ster Class on Branding & Positioning – Nov. 5th 2014
In a House of brands, every brand needs it’s own
positioning and own USP
Company
USP
Brand positioning
Brand
USP
Brand positioning
Brand
USP
Brand positioning
Brand
…
…
…

15. Thank you for your attention!
(and now it’s time for a drink...)