Brand identity and image

Problem: Brand identity and image

Learning Objectives:

1. How to build a strong brand identity

Brand Identity was mentioned for the first time in Europe by Kapferer in 1986. Brand identity is made up of the core values, visions and key beliefs of the brand (Kapferer 2008, 171). As such, brand identity represents what the brand stands for and it communicates the purpose, principle, background and ambitions of the brand (van Gelder, 2005, 35). It is the outward expression of the brand including its name, trademark, communications and visual appearance.The brand’s identity is its fundamental means of consumer recognition and symbolizes the brand’s differentiation from competitors.

• What is the difference between brand identity and brand image?

	Brand Identity	Brand Image
1	Brand identity develops from the source or the company.	Brand image is perceived by the receiver or the consumer.
2	Brand message is tied together in terms of brand identity.	Brand message is untied by the consumer in the form of brand image.
3	The general meaning of brand identity is “who you really are?”	The general meaning of brand image is “How market perceives you?”
4	It’s nature is that it is substance oriented or strategic.	It’s nature is that it is appearance oriented or tactical.
5	Brand identity symbolizes firms’ reality.	Brand image symbolizes perception of consumers
6	Brand identity represents “your desire”.	Brand image represents “others view”
7	It is enduring.	It is superficial.
8	Identity is looking ahead.	Image is looking back.
9	Identity is active.	Image is passive.
10	It signifies “where you want to be”.	It signifies “what you have got”.
11	It is total promise that a company makes to consumers.	It is total consumers’ perception about the brand.

Focus on shaping your brand identity, brand image will follow.

Source: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/identity-vs-image.htm 

• How to manage brand identity?

Professor Jean-Noël Kapferer represents brand identity diagrammatically as a six sided prism:

These six aspects are divided into two dimensions:

• The constructed source vs. the constructed receiver: a well-presented brand has to be seen as a person (constructed source: physique and personality) and also as the stereotypical user (constructed receiver: reflection and self-image). 

• Externalisation vs. internalisation: a brand has social aspects that define its external expression (externalisation: physique, relationship and reflection) and aspects that are incorporated into the brand itself (internalisation: personality, culture and self-image).

Aspects of Brand Identity Prism 

• Physique: 

the set of the brand’s physical features, which are evoked in people’s minds when the brand name is mentioned. Kapferer states that this aspect has to be considered the basis of the brand. 

• Personality

brand’s character. This can be realized by using a specific style of writing, using specific design features or using specific colour schemes. Also a person can be used to vitalize a brand. 

• Culture

the system of values and basic principles on which a brand has to base its behaviour (products and communication). Many associations in this area are linked to the country of origin; Coca-Cola appeals to American values, Mercedes-Benz to German ones and Citroën to French ones. 

A brand can symbolize a certain relationship between people. 

• Relationship 

requires a brand manager to express the relationship his/her brand stands for. For example, Lexus differentiates itself from BMW by giving its customers the red carpet treatment. 

• Reflection (of the consumer) 

makes reference to the stereotypical user of the brand and is the source for identification. When thinking in terms of reflection, in the case of Coca-Cola you could describe the consumer base as 15 to 18 year olds (with values such as fun, sporty and friendship), while the actual target group of this brand is far broader. 

• Self-image

is kind of a mirror the target group holds up to itself. A Porsche driver who thinks others will think he is rich because he can afford such a flash car. Research has shown that Lacoste users see themselves as members of a sporty club, even if they do not actively play any sports. 

All in all, Brand Identity Prism enables brand managers to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their brand using the six aspects of this prism. It also helps to find the ways of creating the brand loyalty and financial value.

For example:

2. How to follow your brand image and keep it consistent

Developing a brand identity is a five-step process that aims to clearly define what your brand stands for -- its goals, its personality, the emotions you want people to experience when they come into contact with your brand, and a clear conveyance of that identity through a positioning statement. Here's what you'll need to create to do that:

1) Vision Statement

A vision statement describes what you want your company to become in the future - hence the name "vision" statement! It should be aspirational and inspirational. Ideally, the statement should be one sentence in length and should not explain how the vision will be met. Don't worry, that'll come later. When developing your vision, keep these questions in mind:
What are your most important products and services?
What products and services will you never offer?
What is unique about doing business with your brand?
How would your customers describe your brand?
Where do you want your company to be in five years?

To give you an idea of what you should end up with, take a look at JetBlue's vision statement:

JetBlue Airways is dedicated to bringing humanity back to air travel.

2) Mission Statement

A mission statement defines the purpose of the company. It should be simple, straightforward, articulate, and consist of jargon-free language that's easy to grasp. It should be motivational to both employees and customers. When crafting your mission statement, keep these tips in mind:
What are the specific market needs the company exists to address?
What does the company do to address these needs?
What are the guiding principles that define the company's approach?
Why do customers buy from you and not your competition?

To give you an idea of what a good mission statement looks like, take a look at Mickey Mouse's. I mean, The Walt Disney Company:

The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world's leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world.


3) Essence

Say, what? That's right, your essence. Talk about fluffy. But seriously, you need to develop an "essence." The essence of the company speaks to the intangible emotions you want your customers to feel when they experience the brand. A brand's essence is the representation of the company's heart, soul, and spirit, and is best described with one word. When defining the essence of your brand, consider these points:
When your customers experience your product or service, what emotions does the encounter elicit?
If your brand was a person, how would you describe their personality?
Check out this SlideShare, The 9 Criteria for Brand Essence.

Here are some great samples of brands' essences:
Volvo is "safe"
Disney is "magical"
Lamborghini is "exotic"

4) Personality

Just as with humans, a brand's personality describes the way a brand speaks, behaves, thinks, acts, and reacts. It is the personification of the brand -- the application of human characteristics to a business. To generalize an example, Apple is young and hip. IBM is old and stodgy. See what I mean? So, what personality do you want to put forth when people experience your brand?
Are you lighthearted and fun?
Are you serious and all-business?
Are you down-to-earth?
Are you playful or matter-of-fact?

5) Position or Value Proposition

A brand positioning statement is a one- or two-sentence statement that clearly articulates your product or service's unique value, and how it benefits customers. The positioning statement must define the audience, define the category in which the brand exists, cite a clear product or service benefit, set your brand apart from your competitors, and instill confidence the brand will deliver on its promise. When crafting a positioning statement, consider:
To whom are you speaking? (Target market, demographic, and persona)
Which market segment does your product or service serve?
What is your brand promise? (Both rational and emotional)
Why is your product or service different from the competition, and why should your customers care?

For instance, Zipcar has a great brand positioning statement: To urban-dwelling, educated techno-savvy consumers, when you use Zipcar car-sharing service instead of owning a car, you save money while reducing your carbon footprint.

3. Rebranding

While branding is concerned with creating a brand identity, rebranding is about recreating that identity. Companies adopting new names, slogans or visual identities, e.g. as a result of mergers and acquisitions or changes in corporate strategy, are frequently reported on in the business press, but have received less attention from the academic point of view (Muzellec et al. 2003, 31)

• Why companies rebrand?

The main drivers of rebranding are change in ownership structure, change in competitive position, change in corporate strategy and change in the external environment. Furthermore, in a study which researched 166 rebranded companies, Muzellec and Lambkin (2005) identified that a decision to rebrand is most often caused by mergers and acquisitions (33.1%), spin-offs (19.9%) and brand image related issues (17.5%). Proactive motivations are company-initiated motivations for rebranding. These motivations include, e.g. a need to consolidate the brand globally, to create appeal to a broader target market or to create a more recognizable master brand. Reactive motivations, on the other hand, represent a company’s response and adaptation to changes caused by the external environment. Reactive motivations can come about as a result of changes in, e.g. ownership structure or competitive position, similarly identified by Muzellec et al. (2003). Within the context of drivers of rebranding, the impetus for corporate rebranding, creating brand identity and brand repositioning are seen as reactive responses to external factors. With reactive change to the external environment and the idea of adapting to change, there is an intensifying need for companies to face challenges brought on by trends in globalization. For international companies with operations, products and services spanning different countries, brand strategy favors the idea of a united identity which conveys the appeal of size and stability, but at the same time the sense of a local presence to consumers. The implication is therefore that companies are seeking to align their brand architecture into a ‘branded house’. Regardless of the reason leading to rebranding, the goals of rebranding are always the same: to communicate a change to internal stakeholders, thus reflecting a new identity and communicating change to external stakeholders, thus creating a new brand image.

• Case studies 

http://www.slideshare.net/riechessocial/rebranding-case-studies-of-success-and-failure 

This author points out the winners and losers in Rebranding. More specifically, the ones who manage to rebrand:Apple, GE, FedEx ... and there are unfortunately some changes without bringing in postive results: Netflix, Tropicana. 

Or we can look from here as well 

http://www.businessinsider.com/14-brands-that-had-to-reverse-their-horrible-attempts-at-rebranding-2012-3?IR=T

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-most-successful-rebranding-campaigns-2011-2?op=1&IR=T 

The concrete lesson from all the cases above is "A successful rebranding involves overhauling a company's goals, message, and culture -- not just changing a name or a logo" (Bianca Male, Business Insider, 2010) 

A successful campaign requires more than a revamped logo. It demands a vision that inspires customers, investors, and others to see the company in a new light.

Sources:

Strategic brand management, Kapferer 2008
Global Brand strategy, van Gelder 2005 

http://www.managementstudyguide.com/identity-vs-image.htm 

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34238/The-Marketer-s-Guide-to-Developing-a-Strong-Brand-Identity.aspx

https://publications.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/51768/Kimberley_Tomasz.pdf