Brand Strategies
Choice of a brand for export
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
What is a brand?

-
Sign that enables to distinguish products or
services of a person or a firm.
Logo
Catch phrase (« Because I’m worth it »)
Jingle (Bouygues Telecom)
Name
Number (Beer: 1664; Clothes: 64)
Etc.
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Why adopt a brand?
It allows the customer to:
- Identify and spot the product;
- Feel confident (the brand represents the
producer’s commitment to maintain a
quality product);
- Make choices easier;
- Customize the purchase (social and
cultural positioning).
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Brand protection
Copyright in each export country
concerned.
 The Office for Harmonization in the
Internal Market & the Community Trade
Mark.
 The World Intellectual Property
Organization & the Madrid Protocol.

ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Possible brand strategies
When exporting, which brand should be used?
Keep the same
name of brand
Change the name
of the brand
In the case
of a merger
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Keep the same brand (1/2)
When it represents a model of dominant
behaviour on an international scale.
 When it is linked to a product, a market or
a strong identity brand.
 When it reflects a cultural stereotype.

ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Keep the same brand (2/2)
When it is based on an original idea or a
new concept.
 When the company’s purpose was to trade
on an international scale.

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Change the name of the brand
(1/2)

-
-
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A few international marketing blunders:
General Motors : Nova
EMU
Nike
MacDonald’s
Pepsi
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Change the name of the brand
(2/2)



Register a new brand for a target market.
Export without a brand name.
Merger.
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
In the case of a merger
3 possibilities:
BA
-
A
B
Choice according to the reputation of each brand.
Satisfaction survey.
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B adopts the brand of A

The purchased company adopts the
purchasing company’s brand name.
ex : Philips-Whirlpool
Black & Decker-General Electric
ADAMS Adeline – BADJI Judicaël – RIVIER Audrey
Role of the reputation of
each brand

If the purchased brand is more known
abroad, then it is maybe preferable to keep
that brand name.
ex : Pedigree-Pal
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Satisfaction survey
Carried out when the two brands are well
known on an international level.
 Questions based on a large number of
criteria addressed to the customers of each
brand.
ex : Accor-Pullman

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Conclusion
Many possibilities :
 Depends on size of company…
 … and on its budget.
Other ways such as partnerships, joint
ventures…
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