Concepts of Brand Identity and Positioning

Cin one casepts of stigma Identity and perspectiveA reproach is non the severalise of a focalize of intersection. It is the fantasy that drives the population of disc overputs and perform under that name. That trance, the samara belief of the stigmas and its warmheartedness observe is c solely(a)ed individuation. It drives vibrant adverts sufficient to create advocates, a real cult and loyalty.Modern contestation c every last(predicate)s for cardinal essential tools of smear globe hop onment check equivalentness, gear uping the facets of suckers uniqueness and mensurate, and pock faceing, the of import(prenominal) divergency creating preference in a special trade at a specific term for its products.For existing greases, identicalness is the generator of marque name stead. target place specifies the angle used by the products of that target to glide path a foodstuff in order to grow their commercialise sh ar at the expense of arguing. Defining what a instigant is hasten of inspection and repairs perform m sever totallyy interrogatorys that be asked e actually day, such(prenominal)(prenominal) as post the instigator sponsor such and such rejoinder downt or gambol? Does the announce campaign suit the blur? Is the opportunity for launching a youthful product inside the sends stranglearies or outside? How squirt the label re dumb erect its intercourse style, yet re master(prenominal) truthful to itself? How fag ratiocination do in dialogues be de telephone exchangeised regionally or internationally, without jeo equivalencedising chump congruence? All such decisions pose the problem of check off individuation and comment which be essential prerequisites for efficient snitch management. post individualism element a necessary judgmentLike the ideas of contrastingiate vision and purpose, the excogitation of nock individuation is new-fashioned. It started in Europe (Kapferer, 198 6).The perception of its preponderating splendour has slowly gained human beingswide fruition in the a fine-tune wide empathise Ameri commode book on send equity (Aaker, 1991), the ledger personal personal personal individuation operator is in occurrence totally absent, as is the thoughtion.Today, most move merchandise companies moderate specified the identity operator of their instigant finished trademarked copys such as cross out get hold of out (Unilever), footprint (Johnson Johnson), bulls eyes and fall guy stewardship, which attire in a specific form a cop of imaginations connect to sword identity. However, they argon earlier checklists. Is identity a pure lingual novelty, or is it essential to understanding what discolourations argon?What is identity?To esteem the signifi johnce of this signifi goatt apprehension in blur management, we shall begin by considering the mevery routes in which the intelligence operation is used at present.For ensample, we give tongue to of identity tease a personal, non-transfer competent document that tells in a few tote upress who we ar, what our name is and what distinguishable transactionures we chance upon that can be instantly recognised. We worrywise hear of identity of opinion between several raft, nitty-gritty that they get an identical dit of beguile. In footing of colloquy, this second interpretation of the word suggests stigmatise identity is the earthy element tearing a iodin pass on amid the wide variety of its products, actions and communicatings. This is important since the more(prenominal) the distinguish expands and diversifies, the more nodes atomic number 18 inclined to feel that they are, in item, dealing with several disparate dirts rather than a single one. If products and communication go their separate ways, how can customers whitethornbe discriminate these varied routes as converging towards a parkland vision and brand?Speaking of identical sends of view as well raises the top blackguard of permanence and continuity. As civil status and physical appearing change, identity tease get updated, yet the fingerprint of their holders always remains the same. The identity concept interrogatives how time permit for affect the unique and permanent tincture of the sender, the brand or the retailer. In this respect, psychologists speak of the identity crisis which adolespennys lots go finished. When their identity structure is still weak, teenagers tend to move from one situation model to an former(a)(a).These constant shifts create a gap and force the elemental question What is the real me?Finally, in studies on social groups or minorities, we often speak of cultural identity. In desire an identity, they are in particular seeking a pivotal can on which to hinge non nevertheless their inherent difference besides to a fault their membership of a specific cultural entity. strike off i dentity may be a recent nonion, and umpteen researchers befuddle already delved into the organisational identity of companies (Schwebig, 1988 Moingeon and Soenen, 2003). in that respect, the simplest communicatory reflexion of identity often consists in submiting Oh, yes, I see, nonwithstanding its non the same in our comp every In different spoken language, in mergedd identity is what table work an organisation, or a part of it, feel that it truly exists and that it is a legitimate and unique being, with a history and a place of its own, mixed from others.From these motley meanings, we can infer that having an identity delegacy being your true self, ring by a personal goal that is some(prenominal) polar from others and enormous-minded to change. on that pointof, brand identity give be lightensomely specify once the following questions are answeredWhat is the brands particular vision and ask?What occupys it contrary?What cl amaze is the brand fulf illing?What is its permanent nature?What are its value or value?What is its theatre of competence? Of legitimacy?What are the signs which diagnose the brand identifiable?These questions could at that placefore constitute the brands charter. This type of official document would help wagerer brand management in the medium term, both in foothold of form and content, and so better address future communication and reference book issues. Communication tools such as the copy strategy are fundamentally linked to advertising campaigns, and so are tho perpetrate to the short-change term. There essential be specific guidelines to ensure that in that location is indeed only one brand forming a solid and pertinacious entity. flaw identity and picturalal identity chartersMany readers depart make the point that their firms already make use of graphic identity bibles, any for corporate or specific brand purposes. We do indeed fetch legion(predicate) a nonher(prenominal) graphic identity charters, books of tireds and ocular identity guides. Urged on by graphic identity agencies, companies have rightly sought to harmonise the put crosswises conveyed by their brands. such(prenominal) charters thitherfore define the norms for visual recognition of the brand, ie the brands colours, graphic protrude and type of print.Although this may be a necessary root step, it isnt the be all and end all. Moreoer, it puts the cart before the horse. What rightfully matters is the key message that we want to communicate. Formal conniptions, outwards appearance and overall sees declaration from the brands core substance and intrinsic identity. Choosing symbols requires a clear definition of what the brand gist. However, duration graphic manuals are quite easy to find instantaneouslyadays, univocal definitions of brand identity per se are still very rare. besides, the essential questions supra (ie the nature of the identity to be conveyed) mustiness(prenominal) be aright answered before we begin discussing and defining what the communication means and what the codes of outward recognition should be. The brands deepest set must be reflected in the external signs of recognition, and these must be unvarnished at introductory glance. The family resemblance between the various models of BMW conveys a healthful identity, yet it is not the identity. This brands identity and essence can in truth be defined by addressing the issue of its difference, its permanence, its value and its personal view on automobiles.Many firms have unnecessarily constrained their brand because they hypothe size of it a graphic charter before defining their identity. Not sharp who they in truth are, they merely perpetuate purely formal codes by, for example, using a reliable photographic style that may not be the most suitable. Thus Nina Riccis identity did not necessarily relate to the companys systematic fond regard to incline photographer David Hamiltons style.Knowing brand identity paradoxically gives unornamented exemption of saying, since it underscores the pre-eminence of substance over hard-and-fastly formal features. Brand identity defines what must stay and what is free to change.Brands are living systems. They must have degrees of freedom to match modern market diversity.Identity a contemporary conceptThat a fresh concept identity has emerged in the scope of management, already well versed in brand get a line and post, is really no great surprise. Todays problems are more complex than those of 10 or 20 years ago and so there is now a pauperization for more refined concepts that allow a closer familiarity with reality. offset printing of all, we cannot overemphasise the fact that we are circulating(prenominal)ly living in a society saturated in communications. Everybody wants to communicate these days. If haveed, proof is for sale there have been huge increases in advertising budgets, not only in the major medi a but as well as in the reaping moment of captain magazines. It has be fix very difficult to survive in the hurly-burly and so created, allow alone to thrive and successfully convey ones identity. For communication means deuce things sending out messages and making sure that they are received. communication nowadays is no longer just a technique, it is a feat in itself.The second factor explaining the urgent need to understand brand identity is the pressure constantly put on brands. We have now entered an age of marketing interchangeableities. When a brand innovates, it creates a unseasoned standard. The other brands must therefore catch up if they want to stay in the race, so the increasing number of me-too products with similar attributes, not to mention the copies seduced by distributors. Regulations besides cause similarities to spread. Bank operations, for example, have become so untold identical that banks are now unable to fully express their individuality an d identity. marketplace research also generates herdism inside a effrontery sector. As all companies group themselves on the same life-style studies, the conclusions they r to each one are bound to be similar as are the products and advertising campaigns they launch, in which sometimes even the same words are used.Finally, technology is responsible for(p) for growing similarity. wherefore do cars increasingly look alike, in provoke of their different makes? Because car makers are all equally concerned to the highest degree fluidity, midland car space constraints, motorisation and economy, and these problems cannot be solved in all that many different ways. Moreover, when the models of iv car brands (Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda) cover many identical parts (eg chassis, engine, gearbox), for either productivity or battle purposes, it is primarily brand identity, along with, to a lesser extent, whats left of each car, which will distinguish the makes from one another.Dive rsification calls for fill ining the brands identity. Brands launch new products, filter new markets and reach new targets. This may cause both abrupt communications and patchwork ciphers. Though we are still able to jazz bits and pieces of the brand here and there, we are surely unable to distinguish its spherical and coherent identity.Why speak of identity rather than physique?What does the flavor of identity have to offer that the effigy of a brand or a company or a retailer doesnt have? by and by all, firms spend large amounts of money measuring image.Brand image is on the receivers side. Image research focuses on the way in which certain groups perceive a product, a brand, a politician, a company or a country. The image refers to the way in which these groups decode all of the signals emanating from the products, services and communication covered by the brand.Identity is on the senders side. The purpose, in this field of study, is to specify the brands meaning, ai m and self-image. Image is both the result and interpretation thereof. In terms of brand management, identity precedes image.Before projecting an image to the public, we must deal but what we want to project. Before it is received, we must know what to send and how to send it. As shown in range of a function 7.1, an image is a synthesis do by the public of all the various brand messages, eg brand name, visual symbols, products, advertisements, sponsoring, patronage, articles.An image results from decoding a message, extracting meaning, interpreting signs.Where do all these signs come from? There are two attainable addresss brand identity of course, but also international factors (noise) that speak in the brands name and thus produce meaning, further disconnected they may actually be from it. What are these extraneous factors?First, there are companies that rent to chase competitors, as they have no clear idea of what their own brand identity is. They focus on their compet itors and imitate their marketing communication.Second, there are companies that are obsessed with the willingness to hit an appealing image that will be favourably perceived by all. So they focus on meeting every one of the publics expectations. That is how the brand gets caught in the game of always having to please the consumer and ends up surfing on the changing waves of social and cultural fads. Yesterday, brands were into glamour, today, they are into cocooning so whats next? The brand can appear opportunistic and popularity seeking, and thus devoid of any pregnant substance. It becomes a mere faade, a meaningless cosmetic camouflage.The three source of noise is that of fantasised identity the brand as one would ideally like to see it, but not as it actually is. As a result, we notice, albeit too late, that the advertisements do not help people recommend the brand because they are either too remotely connected to it or so radically disconnected from it that they cause p erplexity or rejection.Since brand identity has now been recognised as the prevailing concept, these three emf communication glitches can be prevented.The identity concept thus serves to emphasise the fact that, with time, brands do eventually gain their independence and their own meaning, even though they may start out as mere product names. As living memories of past products and advertisements, brands do not simply go by away they define their own field of honor of competence, potential and legitimacy.Yet they also know when to stay out of other areas. We cannot expect a brand to be anything other than itself.Obviously, brands should not curl up in a racing shell and cut themselves off from the public and from market evolutions. However, an obsession with image can lead them to capitalise too much on appearance and not enough on essence.Identity and viewIt is also common to distinguish brands according to their lay. lieu a brand means emphasising the characteristic charac teristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. It results from an analytical process based on the quaternary following questionsA brand for what derive? This refers to the brand declare and consumer advance verbal expression Orangina has real orange pulp, The Body Shop is environs friendly, Twix gets relieve of hunger, Volkswagen is reliable.A brand for whom? This refers to the target aspect. For a long time, Schweppes was the insobriety of the refined, Snapple the light drink for adults, Tango or Yoohoo the drink for teenagers.Reason? This refers to the elements, literal or inwrought, that support the hireed benefit.A brand against whom? In todays warlike context, this question defines the main competitor(s), ie those whose clientele we think we can partly capture. Tuborg and other valuable imported beers thus also compete against whisky, gin and vodka. post is a crucial concept (Figure 7.2). It reminds us that all consumer choices are make on the basis of comparison. Thus, a product will only be considered if it is clear part of a selection process. Hence the cardinal questions that help gear up the new product or brand and make its character nowadays obvious to the customer. fix is a two-stage processFirst, indicate to what agonistical set the brand should be associated and examined.Second, indicate what the brands essential difference and raison dtre is in comparison to the other products and brands of that set.Choosing the warring set is essential. While this may be quite easy to do for a new toothpaste, it is not so for very true and unique products. The Gaines burger launched by the Gaines company, for instance, was a new weenie food, a semi- desiccated product presented as red ground meaning in a round shape like a hamburger. unconnected commonplace canned pet foods, moreover, it did not need to be refrigerated, nor did it ooze out that ruler open-can smell.Given these characteristics, the product could be positioned in several different ways, for example byattack the canned pet food market by appealing to well-to-do dog owners. The gist of the message would so be the can without the can, in other words, the benefits of meat without its inconveniences (smell, freshness constraints, etc).Attacking the dehydrated pet food segment (dried pellets) by fling a product that would help the owner not to feel guilty for not liberal meat to the dog on the basis that it is just not practical. The fresh-ground, round look could justify this put.Targeting owners who feed leftovers to their dogs by presenting Gaines as a complete, nutritive supplement (and no longer as a main meal as in the two former strategies).Targeting all dog owners by presenting this product as a nutritious treat, a phase of doggy Mars bar.The choice between these alternative strategies was make by assessing each one against certain measurable criteria (Table 7.1).The firm ended up choosing the fir st gear lay and launched this product as the Gaines burger.What does the identity concept add to that of place? Why do we even need another concept? In the first place, because status focuses more on the product itself. What then does arrangement mean in the case of a multiproduct brand? How can these quatern questions on status be answered if we are not focus on one particular product category? We know how to position the various Scotchbrite scrubbing pads as well as theScotch videotapes, but what does the set concept mean for the Scotch brand as a whole, not to mention the 3M corporate brand? This is precisely where the concept of brand identity comes in handy.Second, position does not reveal all the brands fertility of meaning nor reflect all of its potential. The brand is peace of mindricted once reduce to four questions. Positioning does not help fully differentiate Coca-Cola from Pepsi-Cola. The four view questions thus fail to encapsulate such nuances. They do n ot allow us to fully explore the identity and singularity of the brand. worse still, positioning allows communication to be all dictated by fanciful whims and current fads. Positioning does not say a word astir(predicate) communication style, form or spirit.This is a major deficiency since brands have the break of speech they state both the objective and subjective qualities of a stipulation product. The speech they deliver in these days of multimedia triumph is do of words, of course, but even more of pictures, sounds, colours, movement and style. Positioning controls the words only, going away the rest up to the unpredictable outcome of creative hunches and pretests. Yet brand language should never result from creativity only. It expresses the brands personality and values. original hunches are only useful if they are consistent with the brands legitimate territory. Furthermore, though pretest evaluations are needed to verify that the brands message is well received, the public should not be allowed to dictate brand language its style needs to be found inside itself. Brand uniqueness often tends to get gnaw by consumer expectations and thus starts regressing to a level at which it risks losing its identity.Table 7.1 How to respect and choose a brand positioningAre the products current looks and ingredients matched with this positioning?How strong is the assumed consumer motivation behind this positioning? (what incursion?)What size of market is involved by such a positioning?Is this positioning credible?Does it capitalise on a competitors actual or potential durable weakness?What financial means are demand by such a positioning?Is this positioning specific and distinctive?Is this a sustainable positioning which cannot be imitated by competitors?Does this positioning get by any possibility for an alternative solution in case of calamity?Does this positioning justify a price premium?Is there a growth potential under this positioning?A brands message is the outward expression of the brands inner substance. Thus we can no longer split up brand substance from brand style, ie from its verbal, visual and musical attributes. Brand identity provides the ramblework for overall brand coherence. It is a concept that serves to balance the limitations of positioning and to monitor the means of expression, the unity and durability of a brand.Why brands need identity and positioningA brands positioning is a key concept in its management. It is based on one fundamental commandment all choices are comparative. Remember that identity expresses the brands manifest and intangible characteristics everything that makes the brand what it is, and without which it would be something different. Identity draws upon the brands roots and heritage everything that gives it its unique authority and legitimacy within a realm of precise values and benefits. Positioning is competitive when it comes to brands, customers make a choice, but with pr oducts, they make a comparison. This raises two questions. First, what do they compare it with? For this, we need to look at the field of competition what area do we want to be considered as part of? Second, what are we offering the customer as a key decision-making factor?A brand that does not position itself leaves these two questions unanswered. It is a mistake to suppose that customers will find answers themselves there are too many choices available today for customers to make the effort to work out what makes a particular brand specific. communication this information is the responsibility of the brand. Remember, products increase customer choice brands modify it. This is wherefore a brand that does not want to stand for something stands for nothing.The aim of positioning is to identify, and take possession of, a strong purchasing rule that gives us a real or perceived return. It implies a rely to take up a long-term position and defend it. Positioning is competition-ori ented it specifies the scoop way to attack competitors market care. It may change through time one grows by expanding the field of competition. Identity is more shelter and long-lasting, for it is fastened to the brand roots and fixed parameters. Thus Cokes positioning was the original as long as it competed against other colas. To grow the business, it now competes against all yielding drinks its positioning is the most refreshing bond between people of the worldly concern, whereas its identity remains the symbol of America, the essence of the American way of life.How is positioning achieved? The standard positioning formula is as followsFor (definition of target market) Brand X is (definition of effectuate of reference and subjective category) Which gives the most ( tell or consumer benefit) Because of (reason to believe).Let us look at these points in detail. The target specifies the nature and psycho-logical or sociological indite of the individuals to be influenced, that is, buyers or potential consumers.The frame of reference is the subjective definition of the category, which will specify the nature of the competition. What other brands or products effectively serve the same purpose? This is a strategic decision it mark out the field of battle. It must not under any component part be confused with the objective description of the product or category. For example, there is no real rum market in the UK, yet Bacardi is very popular. This is because it is dead possible to drink Bacardi without realising that it is a rum it is the party sociable par excellence.Another example illustrates the strategic importance of defining the frame of reference. objectively speaking, Perrier is fizzy mineral water. Subjectively, however, it is also a drink for adults. Seen in the light of this field of reference, it acquires its strongest competitive expediency a slight earthy quirkiness. As we can see, the choice of the field of competition should be as sured by the strategic value of that field how big, how fast growing, how profitable? plainly it also lends the brand a competitive advantage through its identity and potential. perceive as water for the table, Perrier has no significant competitive advantage over other fizzy mineral waters, even though this market is a very large one. However, when viewed in relation to a field of competition defined as drinks for adults, Perrier becomes competitive again it has strong differentiating advantages. What are its competitors? They take alcoholic drinks, Diet Coke, Schweppes and tomato juice.The third point specifies the aspect of difference which creates the preference and the choice of a decisive competitive advantage it may be expressed in terms of a scream (for instance, Volvo is the strongest of all cars) or a benefit (such as, Volvo is the safety brand).The fourth point reinforces the promise or benefit, and is known as the reason to believe. For example, in the case of the p lunk brand, which promises to be the most moisturising, the reason is that all of its products contain 25 per cent of moisturising cream.Positioning is a necessary concept, first because all choices are comparative, and so it makes sentience to start off by stating the area in which we are strongest and second because in marketing, perception is reality. Positioning is a concept which starts with customers, by putting ourselves in their place faced with a embarrassment of brands, are consumers able to identify the strong point of each, the factor that distinguishes it from the rest? This is why, ideally, a customer should be capable of paraphrasing a brands positioning besides Brand X will do this for me, because it has, or it is No instrumentate is entirely neutral. The above formula was created by companies such as Kraft-General Foods, Procter Gamble, and Unilever. It is knowing for businesses that base competitive advantage on their products,and works perfectly for the lOra l congregation which, with its 2,500 researchers worldwide, only ever launches new products if they are of demonstrably quality performance. This fact is then promoted through advertising.There are cases where the brand makes no promise, or where the benefit it brings could sound trivial. For example, how would you define the positioning of a odourise such as infantile fixation by Calvin Klein in a way that all the way equal its true nature and originality? It would be wrong to claim that Obsession makes any specific promise to its customers, or that they will get any particular benefit from the product apart from feeling right(a) (a space which is common to all perfumes). In reality, Obsessions attractiveness stems from its imagery, the imaginary world of inflammatory androgyny which it embodies. In the same way, Mugler appeals to young people through its inherently neofuturistic world, and Chanel stands for timeless elegance.What actually sells these perfumes is the sati sfaction derived from participating in the symbolic world of the brand. The same is true of alcohol and spirits goose Daniels is merchandising a symbolic participation in an eternal, authentic untamed America. To say that Jack Daniels is selling the satisfaction of being the finest choice would be a mere commonplace, like the tired old clich that customers are satisfied at having made a choice that set them apart from the masses (a absolute benefit stated by small brands attempting to emphasise their advantage over large ones).Faced with this conceptual dilemma, there are three possible adventes. The first of these is to define positioning as the sum of every point that differentiates the brand. This has been Unilevers approach the 60page mini-opus known as the Brand primeval, which explains how to define a brand across the entire world, starts with the phrase Brand Key builds on and replaces the brand positioning statement . There are eight headings to Brand Key1. The competit ive environment. 2. The target. 3. The consumer brainwave on which the brand is based. 4. The benefits brought by the brand. 5. Brand values and personality. 6. The reasons to believe. 7. The differentiator (single most have reason to choose). 8. The brand essence.Fundamentally, therefore, this collection forms the positioning of a brand. However, the concept that most closely resembles positioning in the strict sense of the word is referred to here as the discriminator. McDonalds also adopts a similar conclude (see Figure 7.3). Larry Light defends the idea that positioning is defined when this image of means-ends is sinless (this is a parallel concept to the ladder moving from the tangible to the intangible)My position is that two tools are needed to manage the brand. One defines the brands identity, succession the other is competitive and specifies the competitive proposition made at any given time in any given market. This is the brands unique compelling competitive propo sition (UCCP). Thus the tool called brand platform will comprise, first, the brand identity, that is to say, brand uniqueness and singularity throughout the world and some(prenominal) the product. Brand identity has six facets, and is therefore larger than the mere positioning. It is represented by the identity prism. At its centre one finds the brand essence, the central value it symbolises.Second, the brand platform comprises brand positioning choosing a market means choosing a specific angle to attack it. Brand positioning must be based on a customer insight relevant to this market. Brand positioning exploits one of the brand identity facets. Positioning can be summed up in four key questions for whom, why, when and against whom? It can be represented in the form of a rhombus, the positioning diamond (see Figure 7.2, page 176).In positioning, the brand/product makes a proposition, convinced(p) (necessarily) a promise. The proposition may additionally be supported by a reason t o believe, but this is not essential. Marlboro presents its smoker as a man a real man, symbolised by the untamed cowboy of the anomalous West. No support is offered for this proposition no proof is necessary. It is true because the brand says so. And the more often it is repeated, the more credible it becomes.In this way the brands proposition, which forms the basis of the chosen positioning at a given moment in a particular market, may be fuelled by various edges contained within the brands identitya differentiating attribute (25 per cent moisturising cream in Dove, the volubility and grip of Mars bars, the bubbles of Perrier)an objective benefit an iMac is user friendly, Dell offers invincible value for moneya subjective benefit you feel limit with IBMan aspect of the brands personality the mystery of the Bacardi bat, Jack Daniels is macho, Axe/Lynx is coolheadedConcepts of Brand Identity and PositioningConcepts of Brand Identity and PositioningA brand is not the name of a product. It is the vision that drives the creation of products and services under that name. That vision, the key belief of the brands and its core values is called identity. It drives vibrant brands able to create advocates, a real cult and loyalty.Modern competition calls for two essential tools of brand management brand identity, specifying the facets of brands uniqueness and value, and brand positioning, the main difference creating preference in a specific market at a specific time for its products.For existing brands, identity is the source of brand positioning. Brand positioning specifies the angle used by the products of that brand to attack a market in order to grow their market share at the expense of competition.Defining what a brand is made of helps answer many questions that are asked every day, such as Can the brand sponsor such and such event or sport? Does the advertising campaign suit the brand? Is the opportunity for launching a new product inside the brands boun daries or outside? How can the brand change its communication style, yet remain true to itself? How can decision making in communications be decentralised regionally or internationally, without jeopardising brand congruence? All such decisions pose the problem of brand identity and definition which are essential prerequisites for efficient brand management.Brand identity a necessary conceptLike the ideas of brand vision and purpose, the concept of brand identity is recent. It started in Europe (Kapferer, 1986).The perception of its paramount importance has slowly gained worldwide recognition in the most widely read American book on brand equity (Aaker, 1991), the word identity is in fact totally absent, as is the concept.Today, most advanced marketing companies have specified the identity of their brand through proprietary models such as brand key (Unilever), footprint (Johnson Johnson), bulls eyes and brand stewardship, which organise in a specific form a list of concepts related to brand identity. However, they are rather checklists. Is identity a sheer linguistic novelty, or is it essential to understanding what brands are?What is identity?To appreciate the meaning of this significant concept in brand management, we shall begin by considering the many ways in which the word is used today.For example, we speak of identity cards a personal, non-transferable document that tells in a few words who we are, what our name is and what distinguishable features we have that can be instantly recognised. We also hear of identity of opinion between several people, meaning that they have an identical point of view. In terms of communication, this second interpretation of the word suggests brand identity is the common element sending a single message amid the wide variety of its products, actions and communications. This is important since the more the brand expands and diversifies, the more customers are inclined to feel that they are, in fact, dealing with several di fferent brands rather than a single one. If products and communication go their separate ways, how can customers possibly perceive these different routes as converging towards a common vision and brand?Speaking of identical points of view also raises the question of permanence and continuity. As civil status and physical appearance change, identity cards get updated, yet the fingerprint of their holders always remains the same. The identity concept questions how time will affect the unique and permanent quality of the sender, the brand or the retailer. In this respect, psychologists speak of the identity crisis which adolescents often go through. When their identity structure is still weak, teenagers tend to move from one role model to another.These constant shifts create a gap and force the basic question What is the real me?Finally, in studies on social groups or minorities, we often speak of cultural identity. In seeking an identity, they are in fact seeking a pivotal basis on wh ich to hinge not only their inherent difference but also their membership of a specific cultural entity. Brand identity may be a recent notion, but many researchers have already delved into the organisational identity of companies (Schwebig, 1988 Moingeon and Soenen, 2003).There, the simplest verbal expression of identity often consists in saying Oh, yes, I see, but its not the same in our company In other words, corporate identity is what helps an organisation, or a part of it, feel that it truly exists and that it is a coherent and unique being, with a history and a place of its own, different from others.From these various meanings, we can infer that having an identity means being your true self, driven by a personal goal that is both different from others and resistant to change. Thus, brand identity will be clearly defined once the following questions are answeredWhat is the brands particular vision and aim?What makes it different?What need is the brand fulfilling?What is its p ermanent nature?What are its value or values?What is its field of competence? Of legitimacy?What are the signs which make the brand recognisable?These questions could indeed constitute the brands charter. This type of official document would help better brand management in the medium term, both in terms of form and content, and so better address future communication and extension issues. Communication tools such as the copy strategy are essentially linked to advertising campaigns, and so are only committed to the short term. There must be specific guidelines to ensure that there is indeed only one brand forming a solid and coherent entity.Brand identity and graphic identity chartersMany readers will make the point that their firms already make use of graphic identity bibles, either for corporate or specific brand purposes. We do indeed find many graphic identity charters, books of standards and visual identity guides. Urged on by graphic identity agencies, companies have rightly sou ght to harmonise the messages conveyed by their brands. Such charters therefore define the norms for visual recognition of the brand, ie the brands colours, graphic design and type of print.Although this may be a necessary first step, it isnt the be all and end all. Moreover, it puts the cart before the horse. What really matters is the key message that we want to communicate. Formal aspects, outward appearance and overall looks result from the brands core substance and intrinsic identity. Choosing symbols requires a clear definition of what the brand means. However, while graphic manuals are quite easy to find nowadays, explicit definitions of brand identity per se are still very rare. Yet, the essential questions above (ie the nature of the identity to be conveyed) must be properly answered before we begin discussing and defining what the communication means and what the codes of outward recognition should be. The brands deepest values must be reflected in the external signs of re cognition, and these must be apparent at first glance. The family resemblance between the various models of BMW conveys a strong identity, yet it is not the identity. This brands identity and essence can actually be defined by addressing the issue of its difference, its permanence, its value and its personal view on automobiles.Many firms have unnecessarily constrained their brand because they formulated a graphic charter before defining their identity. Not knowing who they really are, they merely perpetuate purely formal codes by, for example, using a certain photographic style that may not be the most suitable. Thus Nina Riccis identity did not necessarily relate to the companys systematic adherence to English photographer David Hamiltons style.Knowing brand identity paradoxically gives extra freedom of expression, since it emphasises the pre-eminence of substance over strictly formal features. Brand identity defines what must stay and what is free to change.Brands are living syst ems. They must have degrees of freedom to match modern market diversity.Identity a contemporary conceptThat a new concept identity has emerged in the field of management, already well versed in brand image and positioning, is really no great surprise. Todays problems are more complex than those of 10 or 20 years ago and so there is now a need for more refined concepts that allow a closer connection with reality.First of all, we cannot overemphasise the fact that we are currently living in a society saturated in communications. Everybody wants to communicate these days. If needed, proof is available there have been huge increases in advertising budgets, not only in the major media but also in the growing number of professional magazines. It has become very difficult to survive in the hurly-burly thus created, let alone to thrive and successfully convey ones identity. For communication means two things sending out messages and making sure that they are received. Communicating nowada ys is no longer just a technique, it is a feat in itself.The second factor explaining the urgent need to understand brand identity is the pressure constantly put on brands. We have now entered an age of marketing similarities. When a brand innovates, it creates a new standard. The other brands must then catch up if they want to stay in the race, hence the increasing number of me-too products with similar attributes, not to mention the copies produced by distributors. Regulations also cause similarities to spread. Bank operations, for example, have become so much alike that banks are now unable to fully express their individuality and identity. Market research also generates herdism within a given sector. As all companies base themselves on the same life-style studies, the conclusions they reach are bound to be similar as are the products and advertising campaigns they launch, in which sometimes even the same words are used.Finally, technology is responsible for growing similarity. W hy do cars increasingly look alike, in spite of their different makes? Because car makers are all equally concerned about fluidity, inner car space constraints, motorisation and economy, and these problems cannot be solved in all that many different ways. Moreover, when the models of four car brands (Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda) share many identical parts (eg chassis, engine, gearbox), for either productivity or competitiveness purposes, it is mainly brand identity, along with, to a lesser extent, whats left of each car, which will distinguish the makes from one another.Diversification calls for knowing the brands identity. Brands launch new products, penetrate new markets and reach new targets. This may cause both fragmented communications and patchwork images. Though we are still able to discern bits and pieces of the brand here and there, we are certainly unable to perceive its global and coherent identity.Why speak of identity rather than image?What does the notion of ident ity have to offer that the image of a brand or a company or a retailer doesnt have? After all, firms spend large amounts of money measuring image.Brand image is on the receivers side. Image research focuses on the way in which certain groups perceive a product, a brand, a politician, a company or a country. The image refers to the way in which these groups decode all of the signals emanating from the products, services and communication covered by the brand.Identity is on the senders side. The purpose, in this case, is to specify the brands meaning, aim and self-image. Image is both the result and interpretation thereof. In terms of brand management, identity precedes image.Before projecting an image to the public, we must know exactly what we want to project. Before it is received, we must know what to send and how to send it. As shown in Figure 7.1, an image is a synthesis made by the public of all the various brand messages, eg brand name, visual symbols, products, advertisements , sponsoring, patronage, articles.An image results from decoding a message, extracting meaning, interpreting signs.Where do all these signs come from? There are two possible sources brand identity of course, but also extraneous factors (noise) that speak in the brands name and thus produce meaning, however disconnected they may actually be from it. What are these extraneous factors?First, there are companies that choose to imitate competitors, as they have no clear idea of what their own brand identity is. They focus on their competitors and imitate their marketing communication.Second, there are companies that are obsessed with the willingness to build an appealing image that will be favourably perceived by all. So they focus on meeting every one of the publics expectations. That is how the brand gets caught in the game of always having to please the consumer and ends up surfing on the changing waves of social and cultural fads. Yesterday, brands were into glamour, today, they are into cocooning so whats next? The brand can appear opportunistic and popularity seeking, and thus devoid of any meaningful substance. It becomes a mere faade, a meaningless cosmetic camouflage.The third source of noise is that of fantasised identity the brand as one would ideally like to see it, but not as it actually is. As a result, we notice, albeit too late, that the advertisements do not help people remember the brand because they are either too remotely connected to it or so radically disconnected from it that they cause perplexity or rejection.Since brand identity has now been recognised as the prevailing concept, these three potential communication glitches can be prevented.The identity concept thus serves to emphasise the fact that, with time, brands do eventually gain their independence and their own meaning, even though they may start out as mere product names. As living memories of past products and advertisements, brands do not simply fade away they define their own are a of competence, potential and legitimacy.Yet they also know when to stay out of other areas. We cannot expect a brand to be anything other than itself.Obviously, brands should not curl up in a shell and cut themselves off from the public and from market evolutions. However, an obsession with image can lead them to capitalise too much on appearance and not enough on essence.Identity and positioningIt is also common to distinguish brands according to their positioning. Positioning a brand means emphasising the distinctive characteristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. It results from an analytical process based on the four following questionsA brand for what benefit? This refers to the brand promise and consumer benefit aspect Orangina has real orange pulp, The Body Shop is environment friendly, Twix gets rid of hunger, Volkswagen is reliable.A brand for whom? This refers to the target aspect. For a long time, Schweppes was the drink of the r efined, Snapple the soft drink for adults, Tango or Yoohoo the drink for teenagers.Reason? This refers to the elements, factual or subjective, that support the claimed benefit.A brand against whom? In todays competitive context, this question defines the main competitor(s), ie those whose clientele we think we can partly capture. Tuborg and other expensive imported beers thus also compete against whisky, gin and vodka.Positioning is a crucial concept (Figure 7.2). It reminds us that all consumer choices are made on the basis of comparison. Thus, a product will only be considered if it is clearly part of a selection process. Hence the four questions that help position the new product or brand and make its contribution immediately obvious to the customer. Positioning is a two-stage processFirst, indicate to what competitive set the brand should be associated and compared.Second, indicate what the brands essential difference and raison dtre is in comparison to the other products and br ands of that set.Choosing the competitive set is essential. While this may be quite easy to do for a new toothpaste, it is not so for very original and unique products. The Gaines burger launched by the Gaines company, for instance, was a new dog food, a semi-dehydrated product presented as red ground meat in a round shape like a hamburger. Unlike normal canned pet foods, moreover, it did not need to be refrigerated, nor did it exude that normal open-can smell.Given these characteristics, the product could be positioned in several different ways, for example byAttacking the canned pet food market by appealing to well-to-do dog owners. The gist of the message would then be the can without the can, in other words, the benefits of meat without its inconveniences (smell, freshness constraints, etc).Attacking the dehydrated pet food segment (dried pellets) by offering a product that would help the owner not to feel guilty for not giving meat to the dog on the basis that it is just not pr actical. The fresh-ground, round look could justify this positioning.Targeting owners who feed leftovers to their dogs by presenting Gaines as a complete, nutritious supplement (and no longer as a main meal as in the two former strategies).Targeting all dog owners by presenting this product as a nutritious treat, a kind of doggy Mars bar.The choice between these alternative strategies was made by assessing each one against certain measurable criteria (Table 7.1).The firm ended up choosing the first positioning and launched this product as the Gaines burger.What does the identity concept add to that of positioning? Why do we even need another concept? In the first place, because positioning focuses more on the product itself. What then does positioning mean in the case of a multiproduct brand? How can these four questions on positioning be answered if we are not focusing on one particular product category? We know how to position the various Scotchbrite scrubbing pads as well as theS cotch videotapes, but what does the positioning concept mean for the Scotch brand as a whole, not to mention the 3M corporate brand? This is precisely where the concept of brand identity comes in handy.Second, positioning does not reveal all the brands richness of meaning nor reflect all of its potential. The brand is restricted once reduced to four questions. Positioning does not help fully differentiate Coca-Cola from Pepsi-Cola. The four positioning questions thus fail to encapsulate such nuances. They do not allow us to fully explore the identity and singularity of the brand. Worse still, positioning allows communication to be entirely dictated by creative whims and current fads. Positioning does not say a word about communication style, form or spirit.This is a major deficiency since brands have the gift of speech they state both the objective and subjective qualities of a given product. The speech they deliver in these days of multimedia supremacy is made of words, of course , but even more of pictures, sounds, colours, movement and style. Positioning controls the words only, leaving the rest up to the unpredictable outcome of creative hunches and pretests. Yet brand language should never result from creativity only. It expresses the brands personality and values.Creative hunches are only useful if they are consistent with the brands legitimate territory. Furthermore, though pretest evaluations are needed to verify that the brands message is well received, the public should not be allowed to dictate brand language its style needs to be found within itself. Brand uniqueness often tends to get eroded by consumer expectations and thus starts regressing to a level at which it risks losing its identity.Table 7.1 How to evaluate and choose a brand positioningAre the products current looks and ingredients compatible with this positioning?How strong is the assumed consumer motivation behind this positioning? (what insight?)What size of market is involved by suc h a positioning?Is this positioning credible?Does it capitalise on a competitors actual or latent durable weakness?What financial means are required by such a positioning?Is this positioning specific and distinctive?Is this a sustainable positioning which cannot be imitated by competitors?Does this positioning leave any possibility for an alternative solution in case of failure?Does this positioning justify a price premium?Is there a growth potential under this positioning?A brands message is the outward expression of the brands inner substance. Thus we can no longer dissociate brand substance from brand style, ie from its verbal, visual and musical attributes. Brand identity provides the framework for overall brand coherence. It is a concept that serves to offset the limitations of positioning and to monitor the means of expression, the unity and durability of a brand.Why brands need identity and positioningA brands positioning is a key concept in its management. It is based on one fundamental principle all choices are comparative. Remember that identity expresses the brands tangible and intangible characteristics everything that makes the brand what it is, and without which it would be something different. Identity draws upon the brands roots and heritage everything that gives it its unique authority and legitimacy within a realm of precise values and benefits. Positioning is competitive when it comes to brands, customers make a choice, but with products, they make a comparison. This raises two questions. First, what do they compare it with? For this, we need to look at the field of competition what area do we want to be considered as part of? Second, what are we offering the customer as a key decision-making factor?A brand that does not position itself leaves these two questions unanswered. It is a mistake to suppose that customers will find answers themselves there are too many choices available today for customers to make the effort to work out what mak es a particular brand specific. Communicating this information is the responsibility of the brand. Remember, products increase customer choice brands simplify it. This is why a brand that does not want to stand for something stands for nothing.The aim of positioning is to identify, and take possession of, a strong purchasing rationale that gives us a real or perceived advantage. It implies a desire to take up a long-term position and defend it. Positioning is competition-oriented it specifies the best way to attack competitors market share. It may change through time one grows by expanding the field of competition. Identity is more stable and long-lasting, for it is tied to the brand roots and fixed parameters. Thus Cokes positioning was the original as long as it competed against other colas. To grow the business, it now competes against all soft drinks its positioning is the most refreshing bond between people of the world, whereas its identity remains the symbol of America, the e ssence of the American way of life.How is positioning achieved? The standard positioning formula is as followsFor (definition of target market) Brand X is (definition of frame of reference and subjective category) Which gives the most (promise or consumer benefit) Because of (reason to believe).Let us look at these points in detail. The target specifies the nature and psycho-logical or sociological profile of the individuals to be influenced, that is, buyers or potential consumers.The frame of reference is the subjective definition of the category, which will specify the nature of the competition. What other brands or products effectively serve the same purpose? This is a strategic decision it marks out the field of battle. It must not under any circumstances be confused with the objective description of the product or category. For example, there is no real rum market in the UK, yet Bacardi is very popular. This is because it is perfectly possible to drink Bacardi without reali sing that it is a rum it is the party mixer par excellence.Another example illustrates the strategic importance of defining the frame of reference. Objectively speaking, Perrier is fizzy mineral water. Subjectively, however, it is also a drink for adults. Seen in the light of this field of reference, it acquires its strongest competitive advantage a slight natural quirkiness. As we can see, the choice of the field of competition should be informed by the strategic value of that field how big, how fast growing, how profitable? But it also lends the brand a competitive advantage through its identity and potential. Perceived as water for the table, Perrier has no significant competitive advantage over other fizzy mineral waters, even though this market is a very large one. However, when viewed in relation to a field of competition defined as drinks for adults, Perrier becomes competitive again it has strong differentiating advantages. What are its competitors? They include alcoholic dr inks, Diet Coke, Schweppes and tomato juice.The third point specifies the aspect of difference which creates the preference and the choice of a decisive competitive advantage it may be expressed in terms of a promise (for instance, Volvo is the strongest of all cars) or a benefit (such as, Volvo is the safety brand).The fourth point reinforces the promise or benefit, and is known as the reason to believe. For example, in the case of the Dove brand, which promises to be the most moisturising, the reason is that all of its products contain 25 per cent of moisturising cream.Positioning is a necessary concept, first because all choices are comparative, and so it makes sense to start off by stating the area in which we are strongest and second because in marketing, perception is reality. Positioning is a concept which starts with customers, by putting ourselves in their place faced with a plethora of brands, are consumers able to identify the strong point of each, the factor that disting uishes it from the rest? This is why, ideally, a customer should be capable of paraphrasing a brands positioning Only Brand X will do this for me, because it has, or it is No instrument is entirely neutral. The above formula was created by companies such as Kraft-General Foods, Procter Gamble, and Unilever. It is designed for businesses that base competitive advantage on their products,and works perfectly for the lOral Group which, with its 2,500 researchers worldwide, only ever launches new products if they are of demonstrably superior performance. This fact is then promoted through advertising.There are cases where the brand makes no promise, or where the benefit it brings could sound trivial. For example, how would you define the positioning of a perfume such as Obsession by Calvin Klein in a way that clearly represented its true nature and originality? It would be wrong to claim that Obsession makes any specific promise to its customers, or that they will obtain any particular benefit from the product apart from feeling good (a property which is common to all perfumes). In reality, Obsessions attractiveness stems from its imagery, the imaginary world of subversive androgyny which it embodies. In the same way, Mugler appeals to young people through its inherently neofuturistic world, and Chanel stands for timeless elegance.What actually sells these perfumes is the satisfaction derived from participating in the symbolic world of the brand. The same is true of alcohol and spirits Jack Daniels is selling a symbolic participation in an eternal, authentic untamed America. To say that Jack Daniels is selling the satisfaction of being the finest choice would be a mere commonplace, like the tired old clich that customers are satisfied at having made a choice that set them apart from the masses (a classic benefit stated by small brands attempting to emphasise their advantage over large ones).Faced with this conceptual dilemma, there are three possible approaches. T he first of these is to define positioning as the sum of every point that differentiates the brand. This has been Unilevers approach the 60page mini-opus known as the Brand Key, which explains how to define a brand across the entire world, starts with the phrase Brand Key builds on and replaces the brand positioning statement . There are eight headings to Brand Key1. The competitive environment. 2. The target. 3. The consumer insight on which the brand is based. 4. The benefits brought by the brand. 5. Brand values and personality. 6. The reasons to believe. 7. The discriminator (single most compelling reason to choose). 8. The brand essence.Fundamentally, therefore, this collection forms the positioning of a brand. However, the concept that most closely resembles positioning in the strict sense of the word is referred to here as the discriminator. McDonalds also adopts a similar reasoning (see Figure 7.3). Larry Light defends the idea that positioning is defined when this chain of means-ends is completed (this is a parallel concept to the ladder moving from the tangible to the intangible)My position is that two tools are needed to manage the brand. One defines the brands identity, while the other is competitive and specifies the competitive proposition made at any given time in any given market. This is the brands unique compelling competitive proposition (UCCP). Thus the tool called brand platform will comprise, first, the brand identity, that is to say, brand uniqueness and singularity throughout the world and whatever the product. Brand identity has six facets, and is therefore larger than the mere positioning. It is represented by the identity prism. At its centre one finds the brand essence, the central value it symbolises.Second, the brand platform comprises brand positioning choosing a market means choosing a specific angle to attack it. Brand positioning must be based on a customer insight relevant to this market. Brand positioning exploits one of th e brand identity facets. Positioning can be summed up in four key questions for whom, why, when and against whom? It can be represented in the form of a diamond, the positioning diamond (see Figure 7.2, page 176).In positioning, the brand/product makes a proposition, plus (necessarily) a promise. The proposition may additionally be supported by a reason to believe, but this is not essential. Marlboro presents its smoker as a man a real man, symbolised by the untamed cowboy of the Wild West. No support is offered for this proposition no proof is necessary. It is true because the brand says so. And the more often it is repeated, the more credible it becomes.In this way the brands proposition, which forms the basis of the chosen positioning at a given moment in a particular market, may be fuelled by various edges contained within the brands identitya differentiating attribute (25 per cent moisturising cream in Dove, the smoothness and bite of Mars bars, the bubbles of Perrier)an objec tive benefit an iMac is user friendly, Dell offers unbeatable value for moneya subjective benefit you feel secure with IBMan aspect of the brands personality the mystery of the Bacardi bat, Jack Daniels is macho, Axe/Lynx is cool