Brand Architecture
The Role of Branding and Corporate Identity.
What is a Brand?
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Visual, emotional, rational and cultural image
that you associate with a company or product.
When you think Nike, you might think of Michael Jordan or "Just Do It."
When you think IBM, you might think "Big Blue." The fact that you
remember the brand name and have positive associations with that
brand makes your product selection easier and enhances the value and
satisfaction you get from the product.
While Brand X cola or even Pepsi-Cola may win blind taste tests over
Coca Cola, the fact is that more people buy Coke than any other cola
and, most importantly, they enjoy the experience of buying and drinking
Coca Cola. The fond memories of childhood and refreshment that people
have when they drink Coke is often more important than a little bit better
cola taste. It is this emotional relationship with brands that make them so
powerful.
Today..
Examining how Brands are ‘designed to
compete
 Summary.
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What makes up a Brand ID?
A brand can instantly communicate a lot
of information – especially if you have
had personal experiences related to the
brand.
 A brand identity includes names, logos,
brand associations, and brand
personality. A good brand evokes a
positive association. A positioning
statement tells you, in a sentence, what
business the company is in!
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What makes up a Brand ID?
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Imagine you're in an elevator and you have 30 seconds to answer the
question, "What business are you in?" Brand personality adds emotion,
culture and myth to the brand identity In this case - by the use of a
famous spokesperson (David Beckham), a character (Scooby-Doo), an
animal (Dog’s play ball) or an image (In this case the Addidas brand).
What makes up a Brand ID?
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Brand associations are the attributes that
customers think of when they hear or see the
brand
name.
McDonalds
television
commercials are a series of one brand
association after another, starting with the
yellow arches in the lower right corner of the
screen and following with associations of Big
Mac, Ronald McDonald, kids, Happy Meal,
consistent food quality, etc. But have recently
been changing in response to poor
associations – more about that later.
How do you determine Brand ID?
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A ‘Brand’ has been called the most powerful
idea in the commercial world, yet few
companies consciously create a brand identity.
Develop an unique visual identity that reflects
what your company stands for, then pound
that message home in every ad, in every news
release, in communications with employees
and in every sales call and media interview. By
consistent repetition of the most persuasive
selling messages, customers will think of you
and buy from you when they are deciding on
whether to buy from you or your competitor.
What’s in a brand..
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Brands use powerful tools to elicit emotional
responses
Colours and images are obvious, but what a brand
creates is an attitude and this is the most important
tool – like Nike’s current adverts (insert advert)
Attitude is often associated with strong recognition
and strong memory.. When you laugh, cry, get
annoyed... ‘oh that bloody annoying advert!’
U.K. Anti-Piracy Advert - Parody of this
annoying trailer!
Its all about experience!
Nike associating with competitive man vs.
Woman idea!
Annoying Video!
Gimmicks work too!
Brand Engagement
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Brand engagement between a brand and its
consumers/potential consumers is a key
objective of a brand marketing effort.
In general, the ways a brand connects to its
consumer is via a range of "touchpoints“, that
is; a sequence or list of potential ways the
brand makes contact with the individual.
Examples include retail environments,
advertising, word of mouth, online, and the
product/service itself.
Famous Brands..
Let’s Have a Look!
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Coke has invested in Diet Coke advertising as it hasn’t
sold as well.
McDonalds
Proof that impressions last! McDonalds
have had huge problems in terms of
their brand and associated emotions and
experiences.
 What else has happened?
 How have McDonalds reacted?
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McDonald’s
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Health/Quality of food, localised sourcing low fat/salt
etc – the predominant message in all recent ads..
McDonald’s
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Strategic relationships – unpopular products, promoted by price.
What hasn’t helped
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Powerful influences.. Controlling societal
attitudes.
Powerful..
Influencing..
But being powerful and ethical..
Skoda
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Bouncing back and beginning to obtain a good reputation from
old brand associations!
Famous Brands..
1.
2.
3.
Coca-Cola is the biggest global brand,
worth $72.5billion
Microsoft is the second largest global
brand, worth $70.2billion
IBM is the third biggest global brand,
worth $53.2billion
Relationship Marketing..
Companies are interested in having a
solid customer base that prefer their
products.
 They use their brand reputation to do
this – brand association.
 This is called relationship marketing and
involves the creating, maintaining and
enhancement of customer relationships
for mutual benefit.
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Lots of things influence us..
Customer..
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Service
Quality
User Experience
Communication
Maintenance
Cost – perceived
value
Reputation..
Company..
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Initial and repeat sales.
Repeat sales, higher profits.
Repeat Sales - feedback
Larger customer base.
Linked to service- feedback
Good rep, higher price.
PEST considerations..
Become better at giving
customers what they want!
Designing your image
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The first thing to remember is that if your business
already exists then so does your company image. The
impression that you and your staff have left with
customers, suppliers and employees has already
created it for you. This image is both visual and nonvisual. The first point of contact with your company your reception, receptionist, your shop or how you
answer the phone - can formulate an image of your
company in a customer's mind. It's often the visual
image that determines the first impression others have
of the company. You can positively influence others
through effective design of your logo how it is
developed in branding, and how it is applied to
packaging, advertising, brochures, newsletters, and
stationery.
Designing your image
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Successful enterprises manage their company image
very closely and benefit from the impact of this positive
image in many areas, such as recruitment and sales.
You can use design to improve your business through
the products and services you offer, and you can
double its effectiveness by planning for and using
design strategically. By thinking of the big design
picture, rather than focussing on one single product or
service, you can link together all of the parts of your
company that benefit from design and create a
powerful business response that is irresistible to your
customers. Remember Apple last week – fantastic
lifestyle brand and coherent design strategy!
Designing your image
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The marketing of your new product/service
must communicate its benefits to your target
market and this inevitably leads back to the
design of consistent communication materials.
The benefits that you wish to draw attention
to could be related to the image rather than
the function of your product/service, and may
rely heavily on the successful communication
of your brand values.
Lets have a look at some examples of how
companies use literature to give you the right
impression…
Designing your image
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A brand presents and represents the
personality, values and culture of an
organisation to all its audiences, both internal
(its managers and staff) and external (its
customers, suppliers and the public). A brand
represents all of you, in the sense that it
stands for what you do as a company, who
you are, and the principles that you stand for.
When people see your brand, they know what
to expect from it - and from you as a
company.
The Body Shop
Very strong brand associated with
specific and popular environmental and
ethical considerations.
 Excellent brand associations, and even
setup a charitable foundation based on
the product implications.. Fair trade etc.
 http://www.thebodyshopfoundation.org/
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The Body Shop..
Designing your image..
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You must be clear on what it is that you need
to do to develop your company, so that it
embodies these brand values. But remember
that in the future, as your business changes,
so will your brand. This process must then be
managed properly. In the end, this is what will
give your company the chance to compete, on
the basis of what makes it special. You can
use design to improve your business through
the products and services you offer, and you
can double its effectiveness by planning for
and using design strategically.
IMC..
Integrated Marketing Communications..
 During the 1980’s companies began to
see the need for better planning of
promotion as more and more media
developed:
 E.g.. Internet, large screen TV adverts
other technological advances and ever
diversifying literature.
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IMC..
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They decided to begin a process called
integrated marketing communications
that involves co-ordinating the various
promotional elements and other
marketing activities that communicate
with a firms customer’s.
IMC Definition..
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A concept of marketing communications
planning that recognises the added value of a
comprehensive plan that evaluates the
strategic roles of a variety of communication
disciplines – e.g.. General advertising, sales
promotion and PR and combines them to
provide clarity, consistency and maximum
communications impact..
So what does that do then?
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Well by co-ordinating all the companies
promotional activity you get a unified image,
be it local or worldwide. Your message have a
common theme and positioning.
Provides clear communication channels
Brings together elements that used to be
separate functions.
Allows for improved relationships with
customers, suppliers, investors etc.
‘like talking to one person instead of a
audience’
Areas of promotion:
Advertising
 Packaging
 Personal selling
 Sponsorship
 Public Relations
 Exhibitions
 Sales promotion
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Advertising
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Newspapers, relevant
magazines or journals.
Television, Cinema, Product
Placement, Internet, Telesales, radio, SMS.
Bill board, Large screen,
posters, bus stops, taxi’s
buses, exhibitions, packaging.
PR events, sponsorship,
merchandising and
endorsement.
Packaging:
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One of the lowest cost and highest leverage areas in
marketing.
Operates at point of purchase.. Highly effective. ‘silent
salesman’
Four main purposes, protect contents, consumer
convenience, trade appeal, consumer appeal.
Packaging..
Adds value again, just like a brand.. E.g.
 Merchandising – E.g. Friends Coffee
Mugs, clocks etc.
 Characterising product ranges – e.g.
Heinz
 Secondary use – Coffee Jars, McDonalds
Happy Meal Cartons, PG Tips ‘Pyramid’
Design.
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Sponsorship..
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Cornhill insurance cricket test series..
Vodaphone and Manchester United.
Inspiring customers through personal interests.
Boosting trade at major events.
Exhibiting and looking after high level customers.
More complex..
Managing Brand Association
Spending..
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How much do companies spend on
promotion?
Spending 2001..
Rank
Advertiser
Ad spending ($m)
1
General Motors
3,374
2
Proctor and Gamble
2,540
3
Ford Motor Co.
2,408
4
Pepsi Co.
2,210
5
Pfizer
2,189
6
DaimlerChrysler
1,985
7
AOL Time Warner
1,885
8
Phillip Morris Cos.
1,815
9
Walt Disney
1,757
Tannoy: A Case Study
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Glasgow based
company Tannoy, used
design to re-connect
with their customers.
Tannoy were losing
ground to the rivals
and to compete the
company needed to
upgrade their brand
identity and its
associated attributes.
Tannoy: A Case Study
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Tannoy’s products were still
selling and their acoustic
technology was highly
regarded – but the brand
appeared ‘dated’.
Top of the range products
cost between £30-40k a
pair.
But visual ‘banality’
remained a problem as
perceived by the
marketplace.
Tannoy: A Case Study
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By the mid 1990’s –
several of Tannoy’s
competitors began to
use product design and
update their brand
identities.
1998 Tannoy were
forced to invest in
design to remain in
business.
Tannoy: A Case Study
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The arrival of Dutch
managing Director Henry
Groenendijk changed the
company’s outlook on
and the way they use
design.
Developed an in-house
product design facility to
use design strategically.
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Moving away from
technology led company.
Tannoy: A Case Study
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Had to tread a delicate
path, main bulk of their
existing customers were
quite conservative - so
product design had to be
incremental as opposed to
radical, and stylistic.
The New Dimension range
was launched in Autumn
2000 (price range was
between 2-6k).
Mid market core of Tannoy.
Tannoy: A Case Study
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New Dimension range
placed greater emphasis
on design detailing.
“…for example, we’ve
rationalised the form of
the connector block at
the back of the speaker
into a five pointed star
form which works really
well as a cable
management system.”
Tannoy: A Case Study
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The character of the
products has slowly
begun to evolve over
the past 3 years –
each range featuring
little touches:
materials and finishes;
attention to detail.
All reinforce the
character of the brand
as well as increasing
the products’ appeal.
Now very updated!
Tannoy: A Case Study
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Through design sales
have been steady, but
the new product ranges
have been achieving
quiet acclaim.
“…People really notice
the look of Tannoy
products now; that’s far
better than having
products which are
viewed with indifference.”
Tannoy: A Case Study
Summary
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A brand is a visual, rational and cultural image that
you associate with a company or product.
A brand can instantly communicate a lot of
information about a business and must be carefully
managed.
Companies that effectively use brands are generally
more successful then those that don’t!
Brands are, physiologically, very powerful and can be
used to influence or control society.
A combination of design led activity, such as product
and graphic design and careful marketing and brand
management, can make for a very successful
company – or revive one which is failing.