Brand Building in the 21st century

The Leapfrog view on how to build successful

brands
 What is a brand?

Dictionary of
“A brand is a name, sign or symbol used to identify
Business and
items or services of the seller(s) and to differentiate them from
Management
definition goods of competitors.”

With the recent paradigm shift in marketing thinking,

this definition has undergone a change

Contemporary “A brand is a collective perception in the minds of

definition of brand consumers.”
 A brand is…

• …beyond a product or service and it may or may not be

tangible
• …a sum total of experiences that forms a perception in
consumers minds
• …built through total experience not only through effective
advertising
 What is branding?

Branding is identifying the essence of a company’s core

characteristics (or at least the characteristics it publicly
displays) —and how those characteristics (or values) are
presented
 Some aspects
about branding

• It acts as the driving force in presenting the brand

characteristics/ values to its customers

• It is all about timing

“Branding is all about timing. Companies forget that branding is sometimes like a
Formula One race. The issue is not being in the race or completing it; it is about
finishing in positions 1 or 2”

Kapferer
 What is Brand Architecture?

Brand architecture is an organizing structure of a brand

portfolio that specifies the roles and relationships among
brands and different product-market contexts

It is the vehicle by which the brand team functions as a

unit to create synergy, clarity & leverage
 Brand
Relationship Spectrum

Branded Endorsed House of

Subbrands
House Brands Brands

Master
Same Different Co- Strong Linked Token Shadow Not
Brand
Identity Identity Drivers Endorsement Name Endorsement Endorser Connected
as Driver

AT&T
Business
Goldman Toyota IBM Post-it Viagra Tide ABC
Services MSN
Sachs Camry ThinkPad by 3M by Pfizer (P&G) (Disney)
AT&T
Wireless

Reliance
Kurkure Crossword
Energy and Bajaj Sony Titan by Citi- Westside
Samsung (Pepsi (K. Raheja
Reliance Pulsar Walkman Tata Financial (Tata)
Foods) Group)
Capital

Source: David A. Aaker, Brand Portfolio Strategy

 The role of Brand Architecture
• The implementation of a masterbrand portfolio
• Creates a solid foundation to drive the growth of successful
master brands (or “Megabrands”)
• Defines the relationship between core brand and sub- or spin-
off brands

Source: D. John Loden, Megabrands, 1992

 The Brand Building Process

In building a brand we need to:

– Identify the core values of a company and how they need to be
presented
– Creating an organized structure of a portfolio that specifies the roles
and relationships
 Common myths of
brand building

Brand building is about

orchestrating a flawless and
Brand building is …. Advertising
unique experience
Brand building is creating
Brand Strength needs to be
awareness
gained from advocacy (not
awareness)
Brand Building is a Marketing
Communications responsibility”
Brand building is closely aligned
to business strategy
A view to brand building

Case studies
Orange
Volkswagen
Tata
JET Airways
 Three levels of
Brand Architecture

At each level, various aspects

of the brand are reinforced

Source: David A. Aaker, Brand Portfolio Strategy

 Orange
Level 1
Master Brand
Orange : The bright human future

Level 2 Basic Service Offerings (eg. EFR sound, network, per second
Service
offerings
billing etc.)

Level 3
Product Talk Plan Just Talk Group Share Community
Offerings Business

Level 4 (communication matrix)

Consumer
segmentation Student Working Family
 Volkswagen
IRREVERENCE
Level 1 “Meet the unexpected (from the people you
Corporate Brand expected that from)”

FREEDOM
As interpreted by different consumers, and
reflected in each model

QUALITY
Performance / Design / Safety

GOLF PASSAT TOUAREG

Level 2 BEETLE JETTA The Ambassador The Paradox:
Master Brands The Contemporary
The Mini-Celebrity The Class President (Class President Suburbia without
Classic
Grown Up) the sell-out

17-35 yr olds ( pre- 17-60 yr olds (2 tiers) 25-35 yr old 30-50 yr old exponents 30-45 yr olds who want
family) who appreciate who appreciate exponents of of understated quality and quantity.
Level 3 heritage and admire difference in a world of understated cool. distinction.
Target Consumer innovation. conformity.
 Tata Group
Level 1 Integrity
Corporate Brand Understanding
Excellence
Unity
Responsibility

Level 2
Master Brands Tata Motors Tata Power Titan Indian Hotels

Trust Understanding of consumer/ Development of Indian

Best-in-class Trust category segments tourism and hospitality
Investment in R&D Corporate responsibility Best in class design industry
Environmental responsibility capability Best in class in the
Achieving manufacturing hospitality industry in India
competencies and the world
Corporate responsibility Corporate responsibility

Level 3 Indica Tata Power Titan Taj Hotels & Resorts

Product Offerings Indigo Sonata
Ace Fastrack
Xylys
The Leapfrog Process of Brand Building
 Key steps in the Brand Building Process

Step 1- Brand Audit

Where are we?
Why are we here?
What are the critical drivers for success?
Step 2- Understanding the inside-out view of change
Understanding the business context in the future through interviews with
stakeholders, key partners and suppliers
Step 3- Understanding the outside-in view of change
Understanding consumer, technology, trends and driving forces, social system
relationships and social change patterns
Step 4- Brand Vision Workshop
Arriving and articulating at a 20-20 Brand Vision
Identifying core values at a corporate brand level and how these values are
transferred to the sub/ spin off brands at a master brand level
Step 5- Brand Positioning Statement
Arriving at the Brand Positioning Statement both at a corporate brand level as well
as at the master brand level, that includes each business of the group
Step 6- Creative Brief for communication strategy
A communication strategy can now be developed at the master brand level for each
business entity of the corporate group
 Brand Building for JSW

JSW Steel Limited, a US $ 2.5 billion Company is

part of US $ 8 billion O P Jindal Group.

The enterprise is headed by Mr.Sajjan Jindal and is amongst the

finest steel producers in the world.

The group is forging ahead with great speed and a greater

commitment in Sector viz. Steel, Energy, Ports & Maritime
Infrastructure, IT, Cement and Aluminum.
 Brand Building for JSW

In order to achieve a business mileage,

JSW Group is looking out for a partner that can
assist in synergizing its communication and
giving Integrated Marketing Solutions on a
Retainership Business Approach.

The key effect is to send out a uniform message

to all stakeholders; drive company/product
rub off to the mother brand; inculcate brand pride among all
stakeholders.
 Brand Building for JSW

To start the Brand Building Process, here are a few critical

questions that one should begin by asking:
1.What are some of our beliefs that are ingrained in our DNA?
2.Who do we see as our role models in the various lines of
business?
3.What are some of the values of our role models that we would
like to imbibe in ourselves?
4.What is the nature of success that we want to achieve for
ourselves?
5.What is the vision that we want to work towards?
Why is this process necessary?

To unify all the components of the corporate

machinery with common vision, mission and
goals.
 Why is this process necessary?

To ensure that the various corporates within the JSW group

have defined guidelines and norms for brand building and
protocols to be followed.
 Why is this process necessary?

To avoid getting into an expensive,

time-consuming and tedious process of course correction a
few years down the line.
 Why is this process necessary?

To go beyond a mere corporate branding exercise and a

corporate campaign – make an attempt to arrive at the DNA
of the group and how it manifests in its individual
companies.