Integrated Marketing Communication

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A few interesting things about brands
before we begin

- “Branding” originated with branding cattle

- As market economies developed brands were used to differentiate products and goods
- Early branding played an informational role: assurance or quality, reduced DM time and
reduced risk
- Now a brand infuses a purchase situation with meaning
- Brands serve informational, psychological, emotional and ego-expressive functions for
consumers
- Brands act as symbols that express values and identities, express personalities, status,
lifestyles, social class, ideology and other social identities.
Brand Equity Components

̶ Brand Awareness: familiarity gives consumers confidence

̶ Perceived Quality: known brand quality (good or bad; real or

perceived). Perception  point of differentiation & positioning 
reason to buy, reason for higher pricing, increased channel interest,
and possible line extensions

̶ Brand Associations: cognitive and emotional associations  +ve or –ve

attitudes and feelings

̶ Brand Loyalty: repeat buying, +ve WoM  reduced marketing costs,

trade leverage, ability to attract new customers and time to respond
to competitive threats.
Brand Dynamics Pyramid
Brand Resonance Pyramid
Top 10 Global Brand Value Comparisons in 2018
Types of Brands

Private labels or brands: Walmart’s “great value”, other store brands

Corporate brands: Hersheys sells choclates, sauces and bake products

Individual brands: Unilever sells Lux, Dove, Surf, Wheel etc.

Brand Extensions: Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, Law and Order:
Criminal Intent

Brand Architecture: A Branded House or House of Brands or Hybrid

 Aaker’s standard Brand Personality
Traits

Peacefulness, passion

People choose brands consistent with their actual and ideal self-concept
Brand Elements

- Brand name
- Brand logo
- Tagline or slogan
- Brand Personality – sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication, ruggedness

Features of good brand elements

- Memorable
- Meaningful
- Likeable
- Transferable
- Adaptable
- Protectable
How to effectively convey brand messaging

̶ Is the core message (essence of the brand/brand promise) simple and

clear enough?

̶ Does if differentiate the brand in the marketplace?

̶ Is it true?
̶ Is it relevant?
̶ Is it consistent with the company’s core brand values?
̶ Can you be the first to say it?

Brand promise: what you want (hope) the consumer will do/fee;/gain
when using the product
BAV Group’s BrandAsset® Valuator
(BAV®) Model

Brand’s ability to Relevance: Measure of Depth of

capture attention Appropriateness regard and brand knowledge
in the cultural and promise – drives people have of a
landscape – driver meaningfulness of trial and brand – both
of curiosity, a brand – drives commitment +ve and -ve
advocacy and brand consideration
pricing power and trial
BAV Pillars: Assessment of Starbucks
in 1993 and 1997
BAV Power Grid
Keller’s Brand Report Card
 Managing Declining or Dying Brands

- Making the case: buy-in from all stakeholders based on market share, sales,
positioning, and profitability

- Pruning the portfolio

- Portfolio Approach: retaining the #1 or #2 brands in their segments
- Segment Approach: only one brand for each segment

- Liquidating Brands
- Merging brands
- Selling brand assets
- Milking brands
- Eliminating brands

- Growing core brands

Coca-Cola focuses on
tradition, happiness, and
timelessness, often
associated with nostalgia
and emotional
connection.

Pepsi: younger
demographic, positioning Zara: haute-couture trend-driven,
itself as youthful, edgy, premium fast fashion, emphasizing
and trend-savvy through exclusivity and speed in delivering
pop culture and music new designs,

H&M prioritizes affordability and Mercedes-Benz: luxury, comfort,

accessibility, targeting a broader and advanced technology, a refined
audience with a wider range of styles and serene driving experience.

BMW: performance, driving

dynamics, and innovation, a sporty
and engaging experience

[Link]
Cola Wars: market research deep dive
4 Components of a Positioning
Statement

For whom, when, where (Target Audience): e.g. working mothers (who)
on the go in morning preparing lunch boxes (when) in their kitchens
(where)

What value (Value Proposition) : economic, functional, social, experiential

– e.g. ease of preparing reasonably priced, healthy, shareable, tasty
lunchbox

Why and how (Reason to believe): evidence for believing brand’s claims
e,g, scientific data, consumer testimonials, expert endorsements, product
demonstrations, independent agency approval (FSSAI)

Relative to whom (Competition): competitive set so consumers can

establish a frame of reference. E.g. Amul cheese v. others in the markets
(Govardhan, brittania etc.)
How to write a Positioning Statement
The USP

A value claim that offers a customer a specific, unique and superior reason to purchase a
product.

USPs anchor some of the most famous advertising taglines

FedEx : When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight

Domino’s Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 mins or less or it’s free

Bounty Kitchen towels: quicker picker-upper

Initially USP was supposed to capture “rational” values delivered to customer

1960s’ onwards it was acknowledged that purchasing decisions can be “irrational based
on emotions, dreams and aspirations.

Brans now connected to values, lifestyles, ideals, e.g. Harley-Davidson, Coke, Jeans etc.
From USP to the Creative Revolution:
Rational v. Emotional Positioning
Appeal
̶ How the TA choose and use the product
̶ How the competition uses rational v. emotional appeal

̶ How the firms assets can support the positioning statement

Three Cs Model of Brand
Positioning

Managers must do the consumer, competitive and company analysis before

deciding on the single most important claim regarding their product.
Consumer Analysis

Relevance: basic job consumers are looking to fill when they buy a
product/service AND clearly specifying the TA e.g. milkshake

Resonance: claims and narratives that are personally meaningful

and address deep-seated needs (see next slide)
feature-based claim – what’s in it?
benefit-based claim – what’s in it for me?
value-based claim – why is it important to me?

Realistic: Reason to believe (Avis Ad)

Why it works:
Brand: Dove
— Relevant: Most people use soap daily — but care about
Positioning: Real beauty and self-
skin health, not just cleanliness
confidence for every woman
— Resonant:
USP (Unique Selling Proposition):
• what’s in int? ¼ moisturizing cream
“Dove moisturizes better than soap, so
• “what's in it for me” = feeling confident in my skin.
you get soft, healthy skin — not just clean
• Why it is imp to me: taps into self-esteem and body
skin. Because real beauty begins with
positivity —Realistic: Moisturizing benefits are
real care.”
dermatologically backed — it's a credible claim, not hype.
 Avis Example:
Brand: Avis

Positioning: The underdog that tries harder

USP:“We’re No. 2. We try harder. Because when you’re not the biggest, you have to be the best.”

• Relevant: Customers want reliable, attentive service from a rental company.

• Resonant: Travel can be stressful, and service matters. A company that “tries harder”
gives you confidence that your needs will be taken seriously — especially when plans
change or issues arise.

• Realistic: Acknowledges their #2 status — builds credibility and trust through humility
and effort.

This USP flipped their weakness into a strength — one of the most iconic
positioning moves in advertising history.
Laddering Up from Features to
Benefits
to Values

[Link]
Play Harley-Davidson and Apple ad from the reading [Link]
Uncovering Resonant USPs

- Resonant value claims address consumers’ deep seated needs.

- Customer’s cultural space and time taken into account

- For understanding the cultural space marketers need to uncover customers’ worldviews,
ideologies, value systems, and deep motivations

- Values could embody the symbols of a particular subculture – Red Bull, Harley

- Values could align with the dominant ideology – Nike, Amul

- Values could occupy the space of the cracks in dominant ideologies – Body Shop
Patagonia: Don’t buy this jacket, Harley Davidson
Competitive Analysis

Distinctive:
unique, shared, irrelevant attributes
vertical (e.g. Surf – daag ache hain) v. horizontal positioning (Subway
– healthy fast food)
perceptual mapping (see interactive tool from book/see next slide)

Defensible claim: e.g Levis, Florida orange juice, Gillette Fusion Razor

Durable: lasting position e.g. Nike, Walmart

Text-Mining and Perceptual Mapping
of the Car Industry
Analyzing a Perceptual Map
Company Analysis

Feasible:

Favourable:

Faithful: e.g. Eileen Fisher clothing