This is the first try at Chapter One. Chapter one should look solely on brand theory. and roughly be around 2000 words on the adivce of my tutor. The first section will look at what a brand is, how it came to be, what it is percived as. The second being brand architecture: how brands are created and structured and how it pertains to UK supermarkets. The methodology as of now is to make note of source material. Based on preivous feedback from level 5, I don’t use as many sources as I should/could. I’d like to focus on that primarly as of now.
I need more full quotes and when I go back to draft would need to have better analysis and understanding. But just as a skeleton and getting words down, it’s a good start.
Word Count: 1073
Key: Sources
I need more full quotes and when I go back to draft would need to have better analysis and understanding. But just as a skeleton and getting words down, it’s a good start.
Word Count: 1073
Key: Sources
- What is a Brand?
Answer the question of what is a brand/branding.
The first definition of “brand” was the name given to a product or service from a specific source.
A 'brand' is simply an organisation, or a product. Philip Kotler in his definitive marketing textbook, Managing Markets: Planning, Analysis and Control, defines a brand as follows: “A name, term, symbol or design, or a combination of them which is intended to signify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and the differentiate them from those competitors.”
With the rise of packaged goods in the 19th century, producers began to put their mark on a widening range of products—flour, beer, sugar, cough drops, flour, sugar—to show their source. Reliability and consistency of product quality was a persistent problem for consumers in this time. Branding allowed for this problem to be resolved. Branding provided reassuring guarantee of consistency and predictability for its consumer. Before this, there was no possible for that customer to get the equivalent guarantee that it would be the same when they went back to buy it again. Sir Michael Perry, a former Chairman of Unilever, the company that owns brand such as Persil, Birds Eye, PG Tips and Calvin Klein said recently: “In the modern world, brands are a key part of how individuals define themselves and their relationships with one another…More and more we are simply consumers…We are what we wear what we eat, what we drive.”
Ultimately, a brand is a promise and misunderstood as merely a logo or symbol. Whilst a brand often does include a logo, it is defined by colour schemes, chosen fonts and symbols. Elements are developed to collectively represent implicit core values, personality and ideas. All of these are what form the basis of an overall brand. Brands and branding are evolving to become increasingly all-pervasive and ubiquitous. Brands were originally created merely as a tool for consistency and now are used by marketing and advertising people in large companies, such as Coca-Cola, to seduce customers - to sell products by creating and projecting colourful but simple ideas clearly, again and again.
With the rise of packaged goods in the 19th century, producers began to put their mark on a widening range of products—flour, beer, sugar, cough drops, flour, sugar—to show their source. Reliability and consistency of product quality was a persistent problem for consumers in this time. Branding allowed for this problem to be resolved. Branding provided reassuring guarantee of consistency and predictability for its consumer. Before this, there was no possible for that customer to get the equivalent guarantee that it would be the same when they went back to buy it again. Sir Michael Perry, a former Chairman of Unilever, the company that owns brand such as Persil, Birds Eye, PG Tips and Calvin Klein said recently: “In the modern world, brands are a key part of how individuals define themselves and their relationships with one another…More and more we are simply consumers…We are what we wear what we eat, what we drive.”
Ultimately, a brand is a promise and misunderstood as merely a logo or symbol. Whilst a brand often does include a logo, it is defined by colour schemes, chosen fonts and symbols. Elements are developed to collectively represent implicit core values, personality and ideas. All of these are what form the basis of an overall brand. Brands and branding are evolving to become increasingly all-pervasive and ubiquitous. Brands were originally created merely as a tool for consistency and now are used by marketing and advertising people in large companies, such as Coca-Cola, to seduce customers - to sell products by creating and projecting colourful but simple ideas clearly, again and again.
- Brand Architecture
Explain the aspect of brand architecture and which apply to the topic (corporate/monolithic)
The concept of ‘brand architecture’ as originally developed by (Aaker & Joachimsthaler 2002), describes how the different brands used to market a range of products from the same manufacturer are related. Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2002) define brand architecture as “an organising structure of the brand portfolio that specifies the brand roles and the relationships among brands [...] and different product-market brand contexts” (p. 134). They conceptualise brand architecture as having five dimensions: (1) The brand portfolio: the 'portfolio' includes sub-brands and all other brands that are attached to the products/services sold into the market. (2) Portfolio roles (strategic, linchpin, silver bullet and cash-cow), these expected and present contribution of the brand within sales and profits; (3) Portfolio graphics: this refers to the visual patterns adopted i.e logos and symbols that are used throughout the brand. (4) Product-market context roles: decided the roles that the brand will play in a specific product/market context. and (5) portfolio structure: which specifies how the brand within the company’s brand portfolio are related.
As clearly shown here, brand architecture defines clear relationships between all the brands that would exist in a company's portfolio. Having a structure that helps companies to define these relationships between the different brands enables an overview for ease of management. A brand structure should depict the whole brand 'family' (including the relationship between the parent brand and it's sub brands, the relationships among sub-brands themselves and also brand extension) (Melissa Davis 2009).
Additionally, in discussing the relations between brands, Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) introduce what they consider a “powerful brand architecture tool” (p. 8): the brand relationship spectrum. Aaker an Joachimsthaler identify four basic strategies. One end of the this spectrum is the House-of-Brands strategy, this involves separate, independent brands that stand-alone. The other end of said specturm is the Branded-House strategy, where one large brand has a primary role across multiple offerings. In between thes, are the Endorsed Brand Strategy i,e independent brands endorsed by another brand, and the Sub-brands Strategy: brands connected to one driving master brand. All four of these strategies can be observed in food retailing.
Additionally, in discussing the relations between brands, Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) introduce what they consider a “powerful brand architecture tool” (p. 8): the brand relationship spectrum. Aaker an Joachimsthaler identify four basic strategies. One end of the this spectrum is the House-of-Brands strategy, this involves separate, independent brands that stand-alone. The other end of said specturm is the Branded-House strategy, where one large brand has a primary role across multiple offerings. In between thes, are the Endorsed Brand Strategy i,e independent brands endorsed by another brand, and the Sub-brands Strategy: brands connected to one driving master brand. All four of these strategies can be observed in food retailing.
The concept of brand architecture is based on the assumption that brands will never be evaluated in isolation, but will always be evaluated and placed within a wider context. This assumption is incredibly important within a retail concept. Consumers will never be looking solely at one brand or product on a shelf. Their personal feelings and evaluation of an individual brand will differ depending on the context they are viewing it in; for example, the other products on offer within the same category, past experiences with the product and/or its manufacturer, the market outlet etc.
Again, Virgin is in-fact a brilliant example of an organization utilizes the monolithic brand structure to the best advantage of its identity. Originally being birthed out of the music business, they now embrace other area of the market i.e airline, financial services, mobile phones. When a product carries the Virgin name, it connotes relaxed, friendly and informality. For many customers, Virgin is not only a seal of a certain kind of quality, but a symbol of a way of life.
The core strength of the monolithic brand is that each product or service delivered by that organization, has and represents the same message, quality and personality as the others. The audience recognized a whole entity and by default, consistency. Companies who adopt the monolithic structure tend to have high visibility and a clear positioning as a consequence, which can be a great advantage in such a competitive market place (Wally Olins 2008).
Sources
The Fundamentals Of Branding - Melissa Davis 2009
The Brand Handbook - Wally Olins 2008
Additional Sources
https://www.wesayhowhigh.com/blog/article/why-are-brands-so-important
MANUFACTURER AND RETAILER BRANDS IN FOOD RETAIL ASSORTMENTS - Lars Esbjerg, Klaus G. Grunert, Tino Bech-Larsen, Hans Jørn Juhl, Karen Brunsø - The Aarhus School of Business
