Brand Building An Architectural View
Brand Building An Architectural View
Brands and Their Architecture
Each brand’s “architecture” is intended to communicate its key attributes. Great architecture addresses primarily emotional attributes but others may be part of the equation, too.
In architecting a brand, marketing professionals utilize marketing research and customer insights to develop a personality to which customers will relate. Outside research eliminates internal prejudices that are inevitably present.
Brand architecture focuses on the key attributes that will likely influence customers’ overall decisions to buy:
* Cost of entry attributes encompass what any brand must deliver. If you operate an insurance company, you must be able to underwrite your customers’ risks. That’s the minimum requirement.
* Differentiation attributes separate you from the competition. Of course, these attributes may not appeal to all. Also, your distinct attributes may not be at the top of your customers’ minds and will require communication and education to stimulate purchase.
* Preference attributes can propel a brand to leadership. These attributes represent significant points of leverage with customers. They may be as simple as “Made in the USA”. Preference attributes are the trump card, the qualities that keep your customers loyal.
The Equity in Attributes
Once the basic framework of brand architecture is established, determine what you can deliver uniquely, the areas in which your brand has an advantage. If no single brand has a sustainable advantage, you’ve got an open opportunity. Move to conquer.
Brand equity attributes include:
* Key equity attributes provide direct leverage against competitors. Your business performance is higher than theirs, and you can use your strength to build new equities.
* Minor advantage attributes: Your brand rates statistically stronger but your business performance is lower. Perception is reality—if customers think you’re stronger than your competition, you are.
* Parity attributes: Your brand rates equivalent to your competition, but your business performance is higher. Feature your own strengths and your competitors’ weaknesses.
* Potential vulnerability attributes: Your brand is statistically even with competition, but your performance is lower. That’s dangerous; your competition will eventually seize your vulnerability.
Brand Architecture Development
Understandings of customer needs and wants must be an outgrowth of quantitative market data. Analyzing the brand and its key competitors helps determine attributes and equities.
Collect specific information on the subtle but meaningful differences between brands. And remember, great brands are architected from emotional attributes.
Using Brand Architecture
Marketing professionals use architecture to bring life to brands via advertising, packaging, promotion and all other touch points.
The value of brand architecture is clear when developing and rolling out marketing initiatives. Your brand should be the engine that drives your entire company. It starts from the inside out, as every employee lives the brand.
What’s the Difference?
Your brand is the only aspect of your company that truly differentiates your product or service. Brands act as “mental shorthand” for customers when they decide what to buy. Marketing’s goal is to create and continuously manage a distinctive environment for its brands.
Your brand and its architecture deserve attention and respect. Treated properly, they’ll help you maximize your marketing investment– and deliver a solid return.
Explore the power of branding with our managing partner Mark Levit. Call him at 212.696.1200 now for complete information.
Brand Building An Architectural View - To learn more about this author, visit Mark Levit's Website.
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Successful brands have to be designed and managed to consistently communicate their attributes and attitudes. Marketing professionals give meaning to a brand by assigning it attributes to which customers will be attracted and which differentiate the brand from competitive entities.
Brands and Their Architecture
Each brand’s “architecture” is intended to communicate its key attributes. Great architecture addresses primarily emotional attributes but others may be part of the equation, too.
In architecting a brand, marketing professionals utilize marketing research and customer insights to develop a personality to which customers will relate. Outside research eliminates internal prejudices that are inevitably present.
Brand architecture focuses on the key attributes that will likely influence customers’ overall decisions to buy:
* Cost of entry attributes encompass what any brand must deliver. If you operate an insurance company, you must be able to underwrite your customers’ risks. That’s the minimum requirement.
* Differentiation attributes separate you from the competition. Of course, these attributes may not appeal to all. Also, your distinct attributes may not be at the top of your customers’ minds and will require communication and education to stimulate purchase.
* Preference attributes can propel a brand to leadership. These attributes represent significant points of leverage with customers. They may be as simple as “Made in the USA”. Preference attributes are the trump card, the qualities that keep your customers loyal.
The Equity in Attributes
Once the basic framework of brand architecture is established, determine what you can deliver uniquely, the areas in which your brand has an advantage. If no single brand has a sustainable advantage, you’ve got an open opportunity. Move to conquer.
Brand equity attributes include:
* Key equity attributes provide direct leverage against competitors. Your business performance is higher than theirs, and you can use your strength to build new equities.
* Minor advantage attributes: Your brand rates statistically stronger but your business performance is lower. Perception is reality—if customers think you’re stronger than your competition, you are.
* Parity attributes: Your brand rates equivalent to your competition, but your business performance is higher. Feature your own strengths and your competitors’ weaknesses.
* Potential vulnerability attributes: Your brand is statistically even with competition, but your performance is lower. That’s dangerous; your competition will eventually seize your vulnerability.
Brand Architecture Development
Understandings of customer needs and wants must be an outgrowth of quantitative market data. Analyzing the brand and its key competitors helps determine attributes and equities.
Collect specific information on the subtle but meaningful differences between brands. And remember, great brands are architected from emotional attributes.
Using Brand Architecture
Marketing professionals use architecture to bring life to brands via advertising, packaging, promotion and all other touch points.
The value of brand architecture is clear when developing and rolling out marketing initiatives. Your brand should be the engine that drives your entire company. It starts from the inside out, as every employee lives the brand.
What’s the Difference?
Your brand is the only aspect of your company that truly differentiates your product or service. Brands act as “mental shorthand” for customers when they decide what to buy. Marketing’s goal is to create and continuously manage a distinctive environment for its brands.
Your brand and its architecture deserve attention and respect. Treated properly, they’ll help you maximize your marketing investment– and deliver a solid return.
Explore the power of branding with our managing partner Mark Levit. Call him at 212.696.1200 now for complete information.
Brand Building An Architectural View - To learn more about this author, visit Mark Levit's Website.
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Michel NerayMichel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website |
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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 Mark Levit (Visit Mark's Website) Mark Levit is the founder and managing partner of Partners & Levit, Inc., a New York advertising agency. He is also a Professor of Marketing at New York University. Mark’s career in marketing spans 3 decades at both major client and agency organizations.
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