BRAND IMAGE
What is Brand Image?
The perception in terms of the feelings, moods, emotions and connotations evoked by the consumer of your product or brand.
Why is it important?
Consumer behaviour is partly determined by BRAND IMAGE – consumers select product or service based on brand image amongst other things.
Particularly when consumers have no experience with a product, they tend to trust a well-favoured, well-known brand name. They often think well-known brands are better and are worth buying for the implied assurance of quality, dependability, performance, and service.
Consumers buy not only a product or service, but also the image associations of the brand, such as power, wealth, sophistication, and also association with other users of the brand. Not only with consumers but also with, for example employees, shareholders, interest groups, and suppliers. These relations arise because the brand is able to fulfill the ambitions and aspirations of its stakeholders in a meaningful way. And the better the brand is able, the higher the chance for a long-term relationship, which results in higher preference, loyalty and willingness to invest.
How do you manage it?
Firstly, by addressing ALL of the brand touch-points:
Four types of touch points
- Company – Planned marketing communication messages
- Intrinsic – Interactions during the process of researching and buying
- Unexpected – Word-of-mouth and 3rd party referrals – usually unanticipated
- Customer Initiated – Where the prospect or customer contacts brand
We only really control company created touch points, but can use effective Integrated marketing communications to influence others.
But remember, it is only a supplement to the perceived quality of the product, service.
How do you measure it?
Good brand images are instantly evoked, are positive, and are almost always unique among competitive brands.
Brand images are usually evoked when asking consumers the first words/images that come to their mind when a certain brand is mentioned. This is sometimes called “top of mind”. When responses are highly variable, non-forthcoming, or refer to non-image attributes such as cost, it is an indicator of a weak brand image.
BRAND IDENTITY
Having an identity means being your true self. The brand’s identity defined by the following six criteria.
- The objective features of the brand which define the product, including its packaging and physical appearance.
- The personality of the brand, “What kind of person would the brand be if it were a human?”
- The brand culture often defined by the values of the brand managers
- The brand’s relationship which is defined at the point of transactions and exchanges between people.
- The brand’s reflection. A brand will always tend to build a reflection of the buyer.
- The brand-user’s self image. How the target-group perceive themselves.
BRAND ELEMENTS (logo)
The impact of your logo and corporate identity is far-reaching and influential.
It’s often the first and may be the only contact your potential customers have with your brand.
Externally, it’s an opportunity to influence market perception and recognition of your product or service to resonate with your target market in relation to your competition.
Internally, it can change staff attitudes, increase ‘ownership’ and improve morale.
‘A picture tells a thousand words’. Your business premises, signage, stationery, website, publications and advertising are all components of your identity conveying messages about your company.
The question to ask yourself is: are they conveying the right messages?
I can advise you on improving your existing identity, or develop a new approach to best achieve your objectives.
Intelligent creativity will ensure the integrity of your corporate identity and market positioning for a more successful branding or promotional initiative
To help you decide which direction to take, please consider the following when assessing your corporate identity:
Six criteria for selecting Brand Elements:
- Memorable – How easily is the image recalled and recognised (The key to building Brand awareness)
- Meaningful – credibility and suggestive of the category, product, ingredient or type of person who uses it.
- Likeability – Aesthetic appeal to your customer and end user
- Transferable – Introduction of new products, across market segments and geographic segments.
- Adaptable – Change with the times
- Protectable – legally and competitively
To find out how a Brand Strategy can help your business grow, call me on 0417 305 228
To view my branding folio, click here