MKF2521

BRAND MANAGEMENT
Branding Trends

Week 11

Nicholas Grigoriou, Ph.D.

Opening Thought
“The greatest thing in this world is not so
much where we stand, as in what direction
we are moving.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,
Writer/Statesman
Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this online lesson you should

be able to:
1. Explain how brands can define a new
subcategory;
2. Define how to achieve “sweet spot
communication”; and
3. Explain the importance of brands having a
“higher purpose”.
Aaker’s Three Branding Trends
1. Define a new subcategory
2. Sweet spot communication
3. Higher purpose
1. Define a New Sub-Category
Routes to Winning
1. Define a New Sub-Category
Brand Competition Sub-Category Compeition
How To Win a Sub-Category
1. Reframe the Subcategory

2. Create a “Must Have” that defines a new subcategory

3. Prevent competitors from being considered.

A Time To Reflect

Think about ‘Must Have’ as a subcategory

strategy in brand management.

What makes a brand a ‘must have’?

How is ‘Must Have determined?
Is Netflix a ‘Must Have’ brand? Why? Why not?
2. Sweet Spot Communication
2. Sweet Spot Communication
• Brand stories activate emotions and communicate values.
• A brand story is a complete picture of various elements:
• from website copy
• to social media,
• to traditional advertising.
• It’s the way your brand presents itself to the world and the way the
public perceives you.
2. Sweet Spot Communication
Use Stories
3. Higher Purpose
• Inspire customers
• Authenticity
• – Mission & Values
• Visible Program
Revisiting Strong Brands
To create a strong brand and maximize brand equity, marketing
managers must:
• Understand brand meaning and market appropriate products and
services in an appropriate manner
• Properly position the brand
Revisiting Strong Brands
To create a strong brand and maximize brand equity, marketing
managers must:
• Provide superior delivery of desired benefits
• Employ a full range of complementary brand elements, supporting
marketing activities, and secondary associations
• Embrace integrated marketing communications and communicate
with a consistent voice
Revisiting Strong Brands
• Measure consumer perceptions of value and develop a pricing
strategy accordingly
• Establish credibility and appropriate brand personality and imagery
• Maintain innovation and relevance for the brand
Revisiting Strong Brands
• Strategically design and implement a brand architecture strategy
• Implement a brand equity management system to ensure that
marketing actions properly reflect the brand equity concept
The Seven Deadly Sins of Brand Management
1. Failure to fully understand the meaning of the brand
2. Failure to live up to the brand promise
3. Failure to adequately support the brand
4. Failure to be patient with the brand
5. Failure to adequately control the brand
6. Failure to properly balance consistency and change with the
brand
7. Failure to understand the complexity of brand equity
measurement and management
A Time To Reflect

Which of the deadly sins do you believe caused

these brands to fail? Why?
Future Brand Imperatives
1. Fully and accurately factor the consumer into the branding equation.
Focus on the consumer and recognize what they know and don’t know
about brands and what they want and don’t want from brands. Engage in
“participation marketing” in the process.

2. Go beyond product performance and rational benefits.

Craft well-designed products and services that provide a full set of rational
and emotional benefits.
Future Brand Imperatives
3. Make the whole of the marketing program greater than the sum of the
parts.
Develop fully integrated channel and communication strategies that
optimally blend their strengths and weaknesses.

4. Understand where you can take a brand (and how).

Design and implement a new product development and brand architecture
strategy that maximizes long-term growth across product offerings,
customer segments, and geographical markets.
Future Brand Imperatives
5. Do the “right thing” with brands.
Embrace corporate social responsibility and manage brands for the long
run.

6 Take a big picture view of branding effects. Know what is working

(and why).
Justify brand investments and achieve deeper understanding of the power
of brands.
Summary
The importance of branding seems unlikely to change
• Consumers will continue to value the functions brands provide

One of the most important rules of branding:

• The consumer owns the brand

Significant branding challenges include:

• Customer diversity
• Customer empowerment
Further Reading
• Ahmad, A., & Thyagaraj, K. S. (2014). Brand personality and brand equity
research: Past developments and future directions. IUP Journal of Brand
Management, 11(3), 19.
• Brun, I., Rajaobelina, L., Ricard, L., & Berthiaume, B. (2017). Impact of
customer experience on loyalty: a multichannel examination. The Service
Industries Journal, 37 (5-6), 317-340.
• Khan, I., & Rahman, Z. (2015). A review and future directions of brand
experience research. International Strategic Management Review, 3 (1-2),
1-14.