Learning outcomes At the end of this topic, you will be able to:

1. Topic 4Brands and BrandingSupport reading: Thorson & Duffy, (2012), Rogan (2011) ch 7, Yeshin(2006), ch 4

2. Learning outcomesAt the end of this topic, you will be able to: • Describe the various levels of brand building • Explain the reasons for branding and the dimensions of a brand • Explain what is meant by brand repositioning and co-branding • Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of branding when formulating advertising

3. What is a brand? • ‘A successful brand is an identifiable product, service, person or place, augmented in such a way that the buyer or user perceives relevant added values which match their needs most closely.’(de Chernatony & Mc Donald, 1993) • A brand is ‘a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these that identifies the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and differentiates them from those of competitors.’(Kotler et al, 2008) • Brand –‘a mixture of tangible and intangible attributes, symbolised in a trade mark, which if properly managed, creates influence and generates value.’(Clifton & Maughan, 2000)

4. Branding can: (Healey, 2008:10) • Reinforce a good reputation • Encourage loyalty • Assure quality • Convey a perception of greater worth • Grant the buyer entry into an imaginary community of shared values

5. Levels of brand building • Company brand • Individual brand names • Company and individual brand e.g. Volkswagen Golf +

6. The dimensions of a brand (Yeshin, 2006:98) Value perceptions Quality perceptions Before-sales service Brand name Reputation During-sales service Function After-sales service Packaging Design Product Add-ons Delivery Corporate image Organisation Price Features Guarantees Availability Efficacy Advice Warranties Finance Other user recommendations

7. Working in groups, select a brand and analyse it using Yeshin’s framework.

8. Brands can deliver many levels of meaning to consumers • Attributes – (e.g. well made / fast /technologically advanced)

9. Benefits – manifestation of attributes for customer (e.g. durability means renewal will be less frequent; high resale value)

10. Values – indicates the values that are important to the buyer (e.g. Mercedes and prestige)

11. Personality – development of the brand as distinct and individual (allows consumer to identify with it)

12. Storytelling, experience and emotion • Branding the experience of using a product or service • Differentiators – the stories that tie us emotionally to the brand – retail environments, web experience, brand ambassadors, word-of-mouth campaigns • Heritage (years, places, tradition) • Bulmers • Hovis

13. Brand repositioning • May be required due to changing consumer needs and market conditions, the activities of competitors, changing social conditions, trends • Helps prolong the life of a brand • May be for strategic reasons • Examples of brand repositioning – what were the reasons?

14. Consistency and change • ‘Great brands never change, and change constantly.’ (Healey, 2008) • Evolution vs revolution

15. Co-branding • Product partnership e.g. Intel and Dell, IBM etc • Place partnership • Price promotion

16. Reading • Yeshin, Tony (2006), Advertising, Thomson Learning, chapter 4 • Rogan, Donal (2011), Marketing: an Introduction for Students in Ireland, Gill and Macmillan, 4th