building brand relevance

1. AllianceBernstein® and the AB AllianceBernstein logo are trademarks and service marks owned by AllianceBernstein L.P.
Building Brand Relevance
January 7th, 2008
Jim Velgot

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Our Brand Foundation
< Positioning
= Research Excellence
< 3 core tenets:
– Research is our DNA
– Clients First and Foremost
– Engineer Investment Success
< Expression:
– Creating the Most Admired Investment Firm in the World.
Knowing More. Using Knowledge Better.

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Brand Positioning
It is critical for a brand to be well positioned and uniquely
differentiated to stand out in a sea of similar offerings.
Critical to successful positioning is relevance.
- What is it, and what is it not?
- Is the positioning credible and sustainable?
- Why should clients care?

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Positioning Alignment: Research Excellence
Why do we do Research? Why should clients care?
• To achieve greater investment success for
clients
• To create an information advantage for the
firm
• To guide clients in making the right investment
choices
• Help clients achieve sustainable investment
success;
• Help the firm develop comprehensive
solutions for clients
• Equips our advisors to provide counsel and
become their clients’ trusted advisors
• Help the firm properly manage investment
assets over time.
• Provide best advice
• Give confidence in the firm’s recommendations
on investment solutions and strategies
• To discover investment opportunity, to
understand and dimensionalize it;
• To innovate
• To get unique insights for superior security
selection.
• Better advice and investment outcomes
• Peace of mind and confidence in the advisor
and the investment solutions/strategies;
• More solutions for complex problems
• Superior returns through excellence in
research
• Is in our DNA
• Enables the design of better investment
solutions
• Produces insights that inform and guide
clients.
• Enable expert investment guidance.
• Better outcomes. Better lives.
• Clients have more confidence in their
financial futures because we can deliver more
consistent investment results.
• Enables stronger relationships and build
business based on trust.
PRIVATECLIENTINSTITUTIONALRETAIL

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Retail: Research Message Hierarchy
Investment
Research
Research
Insights
< Style-Pure
Building Blocks
< Highly Engineered
Solutions
< Confidence in
Financial Futures
< Expert Investment
Guidance
< Relationships Built
on Trust
Competency Benefit GoalResult
< Market Insights
< Client Insights
< Advisor Insights
< Planning Insights
< Consistent
Investment
Results
< Better
Outcomes
< Better
Lives
Research

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Building Brand Relevance
3 Steps
1. Determine relevance to a client’s “frame of reference”
2. Leverage brand equities
3. Deliver on the brand’s promise

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< Understand the brand’s “frame of reference” so that a positioning
strategy will resonate with clients
< Determine relevance by target client segment and market
< Look at a combination of clients’ attitudes and situations in which the
brand is used to obtain the most powerful client insights
< Quantitative & Qualitative Research
1. Determine Relevance to a Client’s Frame of Reference

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2. Leverage Brand Equities
< Leverage the brand’s unique qualities to help carry clients from their
current brand perception to the intended one.

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Brand Equity Elements
Tangibles
Intangibles
What the
brand offers
Who the
brand is
Brand
Benefits
Brand
Identity
Internal Makes me feel secure, I’ve made the right choice
External Industry Leader in Research
Functional Highly engineered investment
solutions and strategies
Perceived Value Smart, Exclusive
Original Research
Process Breadth, depth and scope
of research
Relationship Advisor has deep rooted
understanding of the client; “trusted
advisor”
Presentations: Print, Web, Video
Events, Advisor
Activities Research Symposiums,
Media Endorsement, 3rd Party Positive
Data
Origin Alliance Capital and Sanford C. Bernstein
Reputation Known for Innovative Thought Leadership
Personality Intelligent, Passionate, Dedicated
Evolution To Become the Most Admired Firm
<Retirement
<529
<Trust /Estates/Philan.
<Wealth Forecasting
Em
otionalBenefits
Intangible
Associations
Presence
R
ationalBenefits
<LDI
<DC

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3. Deliver on the Brand’s Promise
< Identify the performance “signals” that will convince clients of
intended brand positioning. Develop into metrics.
< Develop programs to ensure consistency in brand delivery.
< Track and assess performance of client signals, and credibility of
the brand.

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Quantitatively Linking Brand Performance Metrics to
Desired Client “Take-Aways”
Sample Test Area: Humanizing research for clients
Trusted
Advisors
understand
my unique needs
Original
Research
Professional
Works with
me to create
a plan
Specific
Application
of Research
Expert
Gives me a
wealth forecasting
tools
Research
Investment
Opportunity
Innovative
Communications
Personality
Service
Research Attributes

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Next Steps for the Brand
< Develop consistency in brand messages, by market and audience.
• Why we do Research
• How clients benefit
< Understand current audience/market perceptions, evaluate current
marketing ROI and determine brand awareness gap (by audience,
market)
< Identify appropriate metrics to benchmark and measure (“signals”)
< Develop and agree strategic / tactical Brand Building Plan
< Identify and communicate progress goals