21MM101 – BRAND MANAGEMENT

LECTURE MATERIAL – LP5

Brand Communication

Definition of Brand Communication

Brand Communication is an important part and tool of brand management by which the
companies inform, persuade, enlighten, teach, remind, and enrich the knowledge of their
stakeholders about the brand, its strengths, values, fundamentals, and its offerings
of products and services.

Understanding Brand Communication in simple terms:

Brand communication influenes the stakeholders of the company. The stakeholders include
employees, customers, investors, and sponsors as they are attached to the brand in the most
integrated manner and it is the prime duty of the management to have a communication with
them on regular basis about the happenings and important matters of the brand. It works as the
voice of the brand that strengthens the relationship with the stakeholders on the long-term basis.

Brand Communication is one of the core activities of the brand management and strategy and
it is imperative to have a purposeful and healthy conversation with the stakeholders. It is one
of the promotional tools and tactics opted by the brand to influence the customers about the
brand, the company as a whole, and its offerings of products and services.
It is an act of communicating and delivering the meaningful and focused messages pertaining
to the brand to the stakeholders. It encompasses the mixed use of traditional
media channels such as newspapers and television with the strategic amalgamation of
contemporary media such as social media platforms, content marketing, blogs, and digital
marketing that works as an integrated approach to enlighten the customers and other
stakeholders about the latest developments about the brand.

There is a big and important role of the PR department of the brand along with the hired PR
agency in designing and planning the Brand Communication strategy so that the message
provided is clear, authentic, and relevant in nature.

Before any sort of Brand Communication going outside the closed doors of the company, it is
very crucial to carefully understand every nuance of it so that any element of the
communication does not harm the brand image and standing of the company in the market and
in the minds of the customers. Hence, it needs to be backed by the meticulous planning and
expert advice.

It is one of the significant strategies of the business to build the unique and finest image of the
brand in the targeted market and the overall industry to attain the aims and objectives of the
company.

Advantages of good Brand Communication

1) Creates an Impact

Good brand communication will always have an excellent impact on the customers and will
make the customers feel more connected to the brand. An example of this is any social
campaign that you see in the market – which if executed properly, makes a huge impact on the
customers. The brand and their creative agency is the reason behind this positive impact. You
can read this article on social ads with a strong message

2) Makes you an authority

Bosch and Siemens are two brands which we respect because they always talk about their
superior engineering. The products are superior and much better then many of the competition.
However, if the brand does not communicate these values, then it will not make the brand an
authority on the subject. Monster.com is an authority when it comes to job seekers. Rolex is an
authority when it comes to watch making. This authority has been built not only
with product design but also with brand communications.

3) Differentiates

A brand which connects with the customers differentiates itself from the competition. This is a
huge competitive advantage to the brand because when brand comparisons are made, the
loyalty and following that a brand has differentiates the brands from its competitors. There are
many brands of Smartphones or Air conditioner or even televisions. But people will always go
for a Daikin in air conditioners or a Samsung / Apple in smartphones. These are brands which
have differentiated themselves through their market offerings and also through brand
communication

4) Improves loyalty

One of the crucial advantages of positive brand communication is that it builds loyalty in the
minds of the customers. If the customer has had a positive experience with the brand, then
repeated brand communications to the customer via advertising or promotion will make the
customer a brand advocate. This single customer can bring other customers to the brand
via word of mouth. For this repeat exposure to the customer, brand communications are
required.

5) Develops the market

A brand which communicates with its customers, slowly and steadily builds a positive market
for itself. HUL and P&G are companies which understand this perfectly. These companies are
handling many different brands and products at the same time. And one of the first strategy
these companies use to make a product acceptable is to increase brand communications in the
market.

How to Improve Brand Communication?

Here are the 7 ways to improve brand communication.

1) Decide on the spokesperson

The first and foremost step to improve Brand Communication with the stakeholders involves
deciding on who will be the spokesperson of the brand that means who will be the face of the
brand and will be communicating the important messages and brand perspectives using his or
her sharp business acumen, knowledge, and expertise.

Usually, the main promoter or the key member of the management is the spokesperson as being
a promoter he or she knows and understand the brand in the most intricate manner plus has
been an integral part of the growth journey of the brand right from the day one. There are many
cases in the corporate world where the management hires the head of the branding or marketing
department as the spokesperson who communicates on the certain facets of the business with
regards the products and services.

2) Have proper media channels

No matter how strong the messages of Brand Communication are, if the media channels
selected are not up to the mark, it can affect the entire communication strategy.

Hence, it is vital to plan and choose the proper media channels having a potent mix of
traditional mediums such as newspapers, business magazines, and periodicals along with the
combination of the latest digital and social media platforms such as content marketing
and blogging amongst others. Having press conferences and stakeholders meets are still one of
the best and most effective channels to improve Brand Communication.

3) Be authentic
It is always better to have the communication that is authentic and genuine in nature to build
the customer loyalty and develop long-lasting relationships with the investors, sponsors, and
other stakeholders of the company. The communication should not be forced or have an ulterior
motive or intention that it is just for the sake of fulfilling the responsibility.

4) Have a dialogue

Irrespective of where and how the Brand Communication is conducted like having a press
conference or through other media channels such as print and digital platforms; it shouldn’t be
a monologue but has to be in a dialogue format so that the stakeholders are able to provide their
feedback, inputs, and suggestions for the betterment of the brand and express their grievances,
if any. It is vital for the management and the spokesperson to understand their expectations of
the brand and gauge their perspectives as well.

5) Showcase the brand’s personality

One of the essential steps to improve Brand Communication is to showcase the personality of
the brand during the entire process adding the factor of humanization to the brand so that an
emotional connection is created with the customers and stakeholders. Brand tone and voice
should be developed and cultivated in such as manner that it delights them and instills the
factors of trust and faith in their minds.

6) Be helpful

Along with harping upon the achievements, goals, objectives, and other facets of the brand, it
is crucial for the spokesperson to ask for the problems that the stakeholders are facing and
understand their grievances and be helpful by providing feasible and practical solutions to
them. As mentioned earlier, the process of Brand Communication has to be a dialogue and not
a long monologue talking about the features and merits of the brand only.

7) Be open and transparent

The factor of transparency is a must from the management’s side so that there is a consistent
level of trust and loyalty maintained in the minds of stakeholders. The communication should
not only be clear, open, and transparent but it, as to be true, relevant to the business and interest
of stakeholders plus, should convey the current and latest details and developments about the
brand and its products and services offered along with the future plans in the pipeline.

Brand Awareness

What Is Brand Awareness?

Brand awareness is a marketing term that describes the degree of consumer recognition of a
product by its name. Creating brand awareness is a key step in promoting a new product or
reviving an older brand. Ideally, awareness of the brand may include the qualities that
distinguish the product from its competition.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

 Brand awareness refers to the familiarity of consumers with a particular product or

service.
 A brand awareness campaign seeks to familiarize the public with a new or revised
product and differentiate it from the competition.
 Social media has become an important new tool in brand awareness marketing.

How Brand Awareness Works

Products and services that maintain a high level of brand awareness are likely to generate more
sales. Consumers confronted with choices are simply more likely to buy a name brand product
than an unfamiliar one.

Consider the soft drink industry. Removed from their packaging, many soft drinks are
indistinguishable. The giants in the industry, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, rely on brand awareness
to make their brands the ones consumers reach for. Over the years, these companies have
employed advertising and marketing strategies that have increased brand awareness among
consumers, and that has directly translated into higher sales.

This higher rate of brand awareness for dominant brands in a category can serve as
an economic moat that prevents competitors from gaining additional market share.

Special Considerations Regarding Brand Awareness

As of 2019, Internet users spent approximately 38 minutes per day on Facebook, 26 minutes
on Snapchat, and 27 minutes on Instagram.1

Not surprisingly, companies are now spending a great deal of energy promoting brand
awareness on these platforms. This has led to new forms of promotion in which consumers
themselves generate discussions about products and services that they like and use. Targeted
ads on Facebook and Instagram account for a large majority of brand awareness tactics used,
especially among Millennial and Gen Z audiences.2

Inevitably, consumers also share unfavourable experiences, and marketers are adapting to that
reality. It has become crucial for a company to respond to negative reviews and offer a solution
to the customer's problem, in real-time.

But as consumers view and interact with social media posts and updates, brand awareness will
increase. For brand awareness to be most productive, consumers should be able to connect to
the company's website seamlessly from the social media platform.

Other Ways to Create Brand Awareness

Print media is not the force it once was, but there are still consumers who read newspapers
and magazines. Advertisements placed strategically, such as in targeted locations in the
appropriate section of a newspaper or in specialized publications, can attract the viewer’s
attention and create brand awareness.

For example, a new company that will be trading on the forex (FX) may advertise in a
magazine that focuses on global trade and currencies in order to create brand awareness among
investors.

Advertising in physical locations such as inside stores is also used to create brand awareness.
Impulse purchase products are well-suited for in-store distribution and advertising. A
company marketing a new candy bar may distribute the product at a point-of-sale
(POS) location to create brand awareness.

Event sponsorship is another effective way to create brand awareness. Charitable

events, sporting events, and fundraisers allow for prominent visibility of a company's name
and logo.
For example, a health insurance company may distribute complimentary company-branded
health packs at a charity marathon. This associates the brand with an act of goodwill and
community feeling. Awareness of the brand has increased, and its image has been burnished.

What is Brand Awareness?

Brand awareness is the probability that consumers are familiar about the life and availability
of the product. It is the degree to which consumers precisely associate the brand with the
specific product. It is measured as ratio of niche market that has former knowledge of brand.
Brand awareness includes both brand recognition as well as brand recall.

Brand recognition is the ability of consumer to recognize prior knowledge of brand when they
are asked questions about that brand or when they are shown that specific brand, i.e., the
consumers can clearly differentiate the brand as having being earlier noticed or heard.

While brand recall is the potential of customer to recover a brand from his memory when
given the product class/category, needs satisfied by that category or buying scenario as a signal.
In other words, it refers that consumers should correctly recover brand from the memory when
given a clue or he can recall the specific brand when the product category is mentioned. It is
generally easier to recognize a brand rather than recall it from the memory.

Brand awareness is improved to the extent to which brand names are selected that is simple
and easy to pronounce or spell; known and expressive; and unique as well as distinct. For
instance - Coca Cola has come to be known as Coke.

There are two types of brand awareness:

1. Aided awareness- This means that on mentioning the product category, the customers
recognize your brand from the lists of brands shown.
2. Top of mind awareness (Immediate brand recall) - This means that on mentioning
the product category, the first brand that customer recalls from his mind is your brand.

The relative importance of brand recall and recognition will rely on the degree to which
consumers make product-related decisions with the brand present or not. For instance - In a
store, brand recognition is more crucial as the brand will be physically present. In a scenario
where brands are not physically present, brand recall is more significant (as in case of services
and online brands).
Building brand awareness is essential for building brand equity. It includes use of various
renowned channels of promotion such as advertising, word of mouth publicity, social media
like blogs, sponsorships, launching events, etc.

To create brand awareness, it is important to create reliable brand image, slogans and taglines.
The brand message to be communicated should also be consistent. Strong brand awareness
leads to high sales and high market share.

Brand awareness can be regarded as a means through which consumers become acquainted
and familiar with a brand and recognize that brand.

Brand Image

Brand Image is the current view of the customers about a brand. It can be defined as a unique
bundle of associations within the minds of target customers. It signifies what the brand
presently stands for. It is a set of beliefs held about a specific brand.

In short, it is nothing but the consumers’ perception about the product. It is the manner in which
a specific brand is positioned in the market. Brand image conveys emotional value and not just
a mental image.

Brand Image is nothing but an organization’s character. It is an accumulation of contact and

observation by people external to an organization. It should highlight an organization’s mission
and vision to all. The main elements of positive brand image are- unique logo reflecting
organization’s image, slogan describing organization’s business in brief and brand identifier
supporting the key values.

Brand Image is the overall impression in consumers’ mind that is formed from all sources.
Consumers develop various associations with the brand. Based on these associations, they form
brand image. An image is formed about the brand on the basis of subjective perceptions of
associations’ bundle that the consumers have about the brand. Volvo is associated with safety.
Toyota is associated with reliability.

The idea behind brand image is that the consumer is not purchasing just the product/service but
also the image associated with that product/service. Brand images should be positive, unique
and instant. Brand images can be strengthened using brand communications like advertising,
packaging, word of mouth publicity, other promotional tools, etc.
Brand image develops and conveys the product’s character in a unique manner different from
its competitor’s image. The brand image consists of various associations in consumers’ mind -
attributes, benefits and attributes.

Brand attributes are the functional and mental connections with the brand that the customers
have. They can be specific or conceptual. Benefits are the rationale for the purchase decision.

There are three types of benefits: Functional benefits - what do you do better (than
others), Emotional benefits - how do you make me feel better (than others), and Rational
benefits/support - why do I believe you (more than others). Brand attributes are consumers
overall assessment of a brand.

Brand image has not to be created, but is automatically formed. The brand image includes
products' appeal, ease of use, functionality, fame, and overall value. Brand image is actually
brand content.

When the consumers purchase the product, they are also purchasing it’s image. Brand image
is the objective and mental feedback of the consumers when they purchase a product. Positive
brand image is exceeding the customers’ expectations. Positive brand image enhances the
goodwill and brand value of an organization.

To sum up, “Brand image” is the customer’s net extract from the brand.

Brand Associations

Brand Associations are not benefits, but are images and symbols associated with a brand or a
brand benefit. For example- The Nike Swoosh, Nokia sound, Film Stars as with “Lux”,
signature tune Ting-ting-ta-ding with Britannia, Blue colour with Pepsi, etc.

Associations are not “reasons-to-buy” but provide acquaintance and differentiation that’s not
replicable. It is relating perceived qualities of a brand to a known entity.

For instance:

 Hyatt Hotel is associated with luxury and comfort;

 BMW is associated with sophistication, fun driving, and superior engineering.
 Most popular brand associations are with the owners of brand, such as - Bill Gates and
Microsoft, Reliance and Dhirubhai Ambani.
Brand association is anything which is deep seated in customer’s mind about the brand.
Brand should be associated with something positive so that the customers relate your brand to
being positive.

Brand associations are the attributes of brand which come into consumers mind when the brand
is talked about. It is related with the implicit and explicit meanings which a consumer
relates/associates with a specific brand name.

Brand association can also be defined as the degree to which a specific product/service is
recognized within it’s product/service class/category. While choosing a brand name, it is
essential that the name chosen should reinforce an important attribute or benefit association
that forms it’s product positioning. For instance - Power book.

Brand associations are formed on the following basis:

 Customers contact with the organization and it’s employees;

 Advertisements;
 Word of mouth publicity;
 Price at which the brand is sold;
 Celebrity/big entity association;
 Quality of the product;
 Products and schemes offered by competitors;
 Product class/category to which the brand belongs;
 POP (Point of purchase) displays; etc.

Positive brand associations are developed if the product which the brand depicts is durable,
marketable and desirable. The customers must be persuaded that the brand possess the features
and attributes satisfying their needs. This will lead to customers having a positive impression
about the product.

Positive brand association helps an organization to gain goodwill, and obstructs the
competitor’s entry into the market.

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