Brand Identity & Brand Image

Tutorial #3

Closing: 22.9.15

Problem : Brand Identity & Brand Image

Learning Objectives:

1. How to build strong brand identity
1. How to manage brand identity
2. The most important elements of brand identity 
3. What are the differences between Identity and Image
2. How to follow your brand Image 
1. How to maintain an image 
3. Rebranding 
1. Reasons for rebranding 
2. Case studies

How to build strong brand identity 

When people think of brands they immediately think of the name, how it looks, how it's written and most likely the brand's logo will pop into mind as well. These factors are not what a company should build the brand around but they are essential to a strong brand identity.

Itella recently changed their name back to Posti because their identity and their new name were not lining up. Changing a name signals changing an identity and even though Posti wasn't changing their identity to Itella it translated this way to consumers and caused confusion.
Argenti, P. Corporate communication. 75-78

In David Aakers' building strong brands, He talks about a brand identity structure which consists of core and extended Identity. The Core identity if the timeless consistent center of the brand while the extended identity changes to adapt to the new markets they reach.

The four brand identity perspectives
A company should evaluate its brand with relation to 1) it's product 2) an organization 3) a person 4) a symbol.
1) Brands are associated with the products they sell what does the brand say about the product or what does the product say about the brand.
2)What type of an organization are we? Innovative? Premium product oriented? price oriented?
3) Who are the people who make the products, work in the organization, who is the brand as a person
4)The symbol makes it easy to remember.
Aaker, D. Building Strong Brands.

Mini Rant
Personally, I like to search TEDtalks when researching a new topic. They might not always have a Talk that directly relates but I always find good insights to new topics and inspiring new ideas. I watched Morgan Spurlock talk about his journey on trying to create his next movie about brands. One moment that stood out, that directly relates to this tutorial, is an instance he had with a potential company. Ban. They were asked a question, define Ban: Ban is____ . No one in that meeting could answer the question and when they did it was a mediocre answer, not inspiring. and its deodorant deodorants not inspiring or memorable, right? wrong. look at Old Spice as a brand and how they sell themselves. This just made it clear, that if as a company you can't clearly define yourselves and what concept you are trying to sell to the consumer you become a mediocre brand. Just another toothpaste brand on the store shelf.
Morgan Spurlock: Greatest ted talk ever sold

Value proposition is the value the brand is trying to create to its consumer.
slideshare

James Price

How to Manage brand identity 

Once a company has established their identity including its logo, symbols, product quality, etc. It's vital they stay consistent with everything they put out to the consumer. If they aren't consistently using the logo, etc consumers with find it hard to remember these products. Management of brand identity comes from within the company so if the identity of the company ie. bad press due to out of line core values or inconsistent logo distribution. It is something the company has control over so they need to stay consistent.

HBR. Barwise,p. Meehan, s.

Differences between Identity and Image 

I think this image gives a simple understanding definition of what identity vs image is relating to a brand. Identity being what the company perceives themselves to be and translates to the consumer and then how the consumer actually perceives the brand. With the goal being (on the side of the company) that the Identity and the Image overlap as much as possible.

How to follow your brand image

With today's technology one can assume that following your brand image isn't as difficult as it used to be. People freely write their opinions online, which is easy to track through different tools and search engines. Companies can easily find out what people are saying about them/a product.

HBR. Barwise,p. Meehan, s. 


How to maintain an image 

Respond to online comments, interact with your consumer, learn from them. This was your brand can grow with your consumer. A brand identity needs to be consistent but it also needs to keep up with the times.

Taking control of your brand image using social media: with the use to bloggers and vloggers companies have an opportunity to 'manipulate' their image using these people. By inviting bloggers to events, etc where they will be documenting their experience you are able to control first hand how they see you and there for how their followers see you.

Reasons for rebranding 

brandingstrategyinsider

This list of reasons to rebrand is very simple and doesn't address a lot of the internal and external reasons a brand might need revamping.  It does address the brand identity though if it's dated and not keeping up. 

VIM gives another list that covers some of the areas the previous list didn't. 

1. mergers, acquisitions, etc.
2. repositioning 
3. Internationalization
4. changing markets 
5. poor reputation 
6. stakeholder conflicts 
7. new ceo 
8. outdated
9. brand portfolio
10. developing corporate identity

This list is pretty self explanatory but it highlights some of the 'business' aspects that come along with rebranding. 

VIM group

Huffington post

Case studies: rebranding 


Keys to successful rebranding :

• Keep things simple 
• focus on the products (showcase your new products)
• focus on your new path/goals/strengths 
• Align yourself with what works: look to your competitors

avalaunchmedia  

Apples Rebranding History

For these brands keeping it simple and focusing on the product was what made the company successful.

pencilscoop 

Unsuccessful Rebranding:

Tropicana did not do their market research prior to rebranding. Their consumers were attached to the old look, even going far as to say it's cheap...

They did not do their research and were quick to made decisions on trademarking and now theyre stuck with a term associated with an STD. Research is key!

businessinsider