Managing brands

• Reinforcing brands
• Brand revitalization
• Managing brands internationally
• Global marketing
• Global brand strategy
• Contribution of technology in branding
 Barbie Vs. Bratz
• Bratz were referred as reinterpretation of
Barbie.
• They were able to connect to those
tweens who had outgrown Barbie.
• Between 2001 to 2004 Barbie sale
dropped to 27%.
• To appeal to older girls, Mattel started
generating scenarios like Barbie’s breakup
with boyfriend Ken, competing for
American Idol, launching Lindsay Lohan
Barbie etc.
 Long Term Effects of Marketing
Activities on Brand Equity
Consumer response
to past marketing
activity
Brand awareness and brand
image

Consumer response to
current marketing activity

Changed brand awareness and brand image

Consumer
response to future
marketing activity
 Reinforcing Brands
• We reinforce brand equity by marketing actions that
consistently convey meaning of brand to consumers
in foll. Terms:
• Brand Awareness
– What products does the brand represent?
– What benefits does it supply?
– What needs does it satisfy?
• Brand Image
– How does the brand make products superior?
– What strong, favorable & unique brand associations exist in
the customers’ minds?
– Black & Decker for “innovative designs” in small appliances.
 Brand Reinforcing Strategies
Consistency in
nature and
Brand Awareness amount of
Innovation in marketing
What products does
the brand represent? product design, support
manufacturing
What benefits does it
supply? and Continuity in
merchandising brand meaning;
What needs does it changes in
Brand satisfy? marketing
Reinforce tactics

ment
Strategies
Brand Image
Protecting
sources of
How does the brand
make products
brand equity
superior?
Relevance in
What strong,
favourable & unique user and user
brand associations exist imagery Fortifying vs.
in the customers’ leveraging
minds? brand equity
 Product and Non Product Associations
• For brand which are product-related performance
attributes or benefits- innovation critical to
maintaining or enhancing brand equity
• For brands whose core associations are
symbolic or experiential benefits, relevance in
user and usage imagery is critical
– E.g.: Coke, Pepsi
– Due to intangible nature they may be
easier to change through advertising
communication
– Ill conceived or too frequent repositions
can blur the brand image
 Branding at Gillette
• The company owns approx. 2/3 of US blade & Razor
mkt. & even more in Europe.
• It continually innovates to produce superior products
backed by strong promotion.
• Trac II (1971)- 1st twin blade razor
• Atra(1977)- TBR with pivoting handle
• Atra Plus(1985)- TBR with lubricant strip
• Sensor(1990)- individually mounted twin blades.
• Sensor for women (1992)-1st razor designed for women.
• Sensor excel (1993) – fitted with microfins for closer shave.
• Mach 3 ( 1998)- 1st triple blade razor
• M3 power(2004)- 1st disposable razor with battery powered
vibration.
• Fusion (2006)- 1st 5 blade razor.
 Consistency of Marketing Support
• The most important consideration in brand
reinforcing
– Brand consistency is critical to maintain the strength
and favorability of brand associations
• Shrinking R&D and communication budgets lead
to
– Technological disadvantages or obsolescence
– Lack of memorability
• Inadequate marketing support combines with
price increases can be very dangerous for the
brand
 Continuity in Brand Meaning;
Changes in Marketing Tactics
• Consistency does not mean marketers should not
make any change in the marketing program
• Being consistent in managing brand equity may
require numerous tactical shifts
• The tactics most effective for a particular brand can
certainly differ to create the same desired
knowledge structure in the consumers’ mind
– Prices may move up or down
– Product features may be added or dropped
– Ad campaigns may change creative strategies
– Brand extensions may be introduce
 Wonder bread

• Introduced as 1st sliced bread in 1930 in US, got very

popular.
• But, due to change in ownership ,they focused on cost
cutting.
• By 1970, they ceased all kind of advertising, in the
meanwhile customer taste shifted to multigrain breads.
• In 1996, they start advertising for their multi grain variant
but already lost “two generations “ of customer.
• Filed for bankruptcy in 2004.
 Comeback of Lacoste
• Founded in France in 1933- became style
icon for tennis themed sports wear.
• In 1980s it failed to keep up with fashion
trends & sales dropped.
• Selling it through Wal mart & K mart like
discount stores further damaged the brand.
• In 2002, Robert Siegel relaunched the
brand in US, stopped selling to non luxury
retails, opened brand boutiques in
fashionable shopping areas.
 Revitalizing Brands
• Reinforcing is evolutionary whereas
revitalization is revolutionary.
• There are two possible directions brand
revitalization strategies can move in
– The back to the basics strategy
• Refresh the sources of brand equity
– The reinvention strategy
• Create new sources of brand equity
• Most brands use a combination of both
strategies for revitalization
Approaches to Brand Revitalization
• Expand the depth or breadth of brand
awareness, or both by improving
consumer recall and recognition of the
brand during purchase or consumption
settings
• Improve the strength, favorability and
uniqueness of brand associations making
up the brand image
 Expanding Brand Awareness
• Increasing the depth of brand awareness
– Increase quantity of consumption (How much),
on shopping of 5000 rs.- 700 rs. Shopping free
• Increasing the breadth of brand awareness
– Increase frequency of consumption (how often)-
Clinic Plus Shampoo
• With fading brands it is the breadth that
poses a bigger problem as consumers tend
to think of the brand in very narrow ways
 Increasing the Breadth of
Awareness
• Identify additional opportunities to use the brand
in the same basic way
– Some brands are seen as for only specific or special
occasions
• E.g.: Chivas Regal – “What are you saving your Chivas For?”
– Perceptions and reality of usage differ
• E.g.: Batteries with inbuilt indicators of power, toothbrushes
that change colour Oral B
• Identify new and different ways to use the brand
– E.g. Milkmaid packaging with recipes.
 Revitalizing Brand Image
• Retain vulnerable customers & recapture lost
customers
– Repositioning the brand
• Heritage brands that have around for years but are being
seen as boring
– E.g.: Parle G packaging
– Changing Brand Elements
• E.g.: Federal Express to FedEx, General Electrics to GE
• Identify neglected segments & attract new
customers
– Van Huesen – advertising in women’s magazines
– Nike and Gillette's women's range of products
 Brand Revitalizing Strategies
Identify
Increase additional
quantity of opportunities
Expand depth and breadth consumption to use the
of awareness and usage of (How much) brand in the
brand same basic
way

Increase Identify new

Refresh the and different
frequency of
Brand sources of brand
consumption (how ways to use
equity
Revitalisati often) the brand

on Retain
Create new vulnerable
Strategies sources of brand Bolster fading customers
equity associations
Recapture lost
customers

Neutralise -ve Identify

Improve strength, associations neglected
favourability & uniqueness segments
of brand associations Create new Attract new
associations customers