Normal Branding Theory - Promoting Brand Identity - Essay Example

Normal Branding Theory - Promoting Brand Identity The normal branding theory, to start with, is the way through which brands come to the fore and are plucked by customers off the shelves in a very direct and easy manner. The brands can only be remarked as successful when they are available in the first place. If they are missing from the eye level of the customers, there is a strong enough possibility that the brand will vanish away from the minds of the customers, if at all it has not by now from the eyes. The manner in which brands are coming in the markets is something to gain insight, more so in the light of different markets and their changing patterns. The behavioral mannerisms of the audiences, both primary and secondary are significant since these shape up the sale of these brands or as exclusively one can state, the marketing of the same. (Jackson, 2004) Brands have overtaken the retail units by storm. They seem to be everywhere. One brand is ‘in’ today and it might just be replaced or cannibalized by its smaller unit the very other week. This means that there is a lot of diversification which is taking place and if seen from the competitive standpoint, this is something that boosts competition and gives rise to a healthy one. (Keller, 2003) But then again, there are drawbacks in such a situation. Since how many brands can remain in the awareness set of the consumer that the brand is actually hitting upon? The answer to this is not only confusing but also perplexing to state the least. (Faust, 1994) Further, Douglas (2004) has asserted the way in which brands have attained the position of icons in their own due right and place. They have outsmarted the manner in which other brands are perceived and this is a significant basis for their long term success within the relevant markets nonetheless. The normal branding theory thus speaks of the ways through which brands are propagated across a number of different channels and whether these communicate the essence of the product in entirety or otherwise. The proliferation of brands in a tremendous amount is a tantamount to serious market activity and shuffling in of brands at a breakneck speed which is all the more pleasing for the market indicators and the business as a whole. The manner in which this proliferation has come about has brought serious and grave concerns on the minds of the people who are in charge of running the whole show but then again it is in direct proportion with the supply and demand theory which we discuss in the coming lines. (Brache, 2007) Brands offer some sort of value to a particular set of audience and it is up to the brand manager and his team that this audience is narrowed down as far as possible. (Mira, 1993) The reason for this is that it helps at understanding the basics of the brand itself and the manner in which it can best satisfy the needs and wants of the audience which is being targeted courtesy the brand itself. (Finucan, 2002) A brand manager needs to decide as to how he will cope with the demands of the market and whether he should come up with variants of all shapes and sizes or stick to the single offering that has been made when we talk about the brand in question. Brands have their own identity and associations which need to be transferred from the company down to the consumers but it is the image that the brand receives from the consumers which is equally significant. (Foxman, 1990) More so, when we talk about the brands in a 360 degree marketing scenario, the ideal position is one when the identity given out by the company of the brand matches or is equal to the image that is created of the brand itself by the consumers. (Balmer, 2003) In such a situation, the revenue spending needs to be adjusted in a manner that the shortfall in the gap between identity and image does not become apparent and also that the budget has to be focused on what the exact offering would bring in the next quarters for the relevant brand and the company in entirety. Branding theory is remarked as incomplete if the financial measures are not taken care of in the truest sense and when there are more losses attached with the different campaigns which are initiated and pursued with, as regards to the peculiar brand under question. On the same token of financial attachments with the brands, the notion of investments overlapping each other in the wake of brand cannibalization is an interesting proposition to say the least as this brings to light the whole idea of brand understanding and insight. (Hogna, 1997) The investment opportunities need to be aligned in a manner that could only be remarked as something spent in a correct and rightful manner and the wastage has to be accounted for with all issues owing to the brand in advance. The investment opportunities must be focused on the aspect of a shared understanding between the brand itself and the position it wants to attain in a perfect brand situation, one that can only arise in the wake of proper investment opportunities on the part of the company and the relevant business unit to narrow it down a bit. The correct way of this investment drive is to understand whether or not bringing different variants and similar products under the same brand could bring in more revenue and if the consensus is reached upon with solid research to go along with the very same, then we can easily fathom that this indeed is an exercise which will reap rich dividends for not only the brand but also the company in the longer scheme of things. Thus the aspect of proper fixation of budgets is quintessential here as it outlines the real issues of the brand position and where it wants to reach at a particular moment of its lifetime. More than that, there is the adequate placement of advertising and marketing plan which goes along with the promotion of the brand and this is indeed some that is termed very pivotal and especially more so in the current frame of branding opportunities, so as we may speak. (Asher, 1997) What brand cannibalization does and the same being the worst case scenario, is that the consumers become confused in this whole tussle. They start feeling that the company is going too way with their current offering and it needs to slow down a bit so that the customer can properly give time to what has been provided by the company. (Huffman, 2000) The brands that fail to understand the conformance principles in line with the normal branding theory also at times remain successful within the marketing and advertising domains. (Lazer, 1971) This is because these brands have something ‘different’ right from the onset of their launch. Either their message that is conveyed through a host of media avenues, vehicles and outlets has a differentiating strategy that has been made use of or there are other issues related with its positive rapport with the different publics for which it is brought into the market in the first place. (Parker, 1999) All these salient aspects make it tick in the long run and this indeed is the subject that comes under consideration, more so when the talk goes out loud regarding the non-conformance with the normal branding regimes that are in place. Also the single umbrella brand within this theory has attained a very quintessential role with the passage of time. Bringing in more and more brands under a single umbrella brand only means more confusion and a company with a vision which is not that strong to say the least. Thus in the long run, only the process of smooth flowing of the company’s policies gets affected and this is something that needs to be understood properly by the marketers and the people at the top of the company cadre – the top management. The irony attached with this process is that the marketers know that more often than not their brand would see failure looming large on its economic basis but then again they continue with the trend since it is the ‘in’ thing with the brand managers and marketers alike. (Varey, 2001) Also the fact that it pays to do what is considered a norm in a particular market literally kills the creative juices of the marketing people and the persons involved with the brand in one way or the other. They aim for short term incentives which come in the name of tactics rather than going after the long term growth of the brand and taking it along the BCG matrix where a cash cow is considered much better than a dog which has no basis in the matrix and hence the market environs for that matter. The tactics thus need to be replaced by the strategies since the latter ensure in all fairness a growth pattern of the brand which starts from the introduction phase and continues in its growth and hence the maturity is guaranteed in such an activity. On the other hand, in order to earn the short term goals, which are indeed the revenues and fast returns, the brand becomes diluted as a result and there is as such no recognition of the brand within the target market of the same. Also it starts becoming somewhat of a confused nature where focus remains more on providing the consumers with too many offerings without any such difference so as to speak. (Sharma, 2005) The centralization strategy can be more effective in such a situation which would ensure that the brand does not come up with too many offerings and thus become competitors for its own brand and the related category. Though this cannibalization process can bring some profits in the short term, but the risk of brand dilution in such a state is pretty high and it is better to do away with this risk once and for all rather than keeping up with it day in day out. Thus centralization must be the buzzword in such a situation, one that demands understanding and insight from the marketers and the business units alike. They should think of the market dynamics right from the view of the consumer since he is the right person who can judge as to how a particular brand is faring in the open market and when competition is at its best. This requires proper planning and sound controlling mechanisms need to be in place so that the shortcomings which do occur along the way are minimized and the strength is composed in the whole business process related with the specific brand. Portfolio could be made strong not only by adding more and more brands in a length and width manner but also by offering the same quality present in two or three variants or sub brands in a single brand which could cover for more demand and the supply mechanism would also fasten up as a result. This would ensure that the consumers buy more of the brand rather than being at crossroads over the selection of a certain sub brand and thus ending up buying another brand as there was a lot of confusion with the initial one. Consumer lifestyles within the wake of globalization helps at improving the cultural exchange across a wide cross section of regions scattered all over the world. It helps in playing its due part in the multiculturalism concept where the individuals within it have easy access to the cultural diversities of one another. There is a lot to learn and adapt in the wake of the same. At times, the imported culture literally takes over the reigns and the basis of the local culture of the time within a place or region for that matter and this is a testament big enough to prove of the origins of globalization and the same playing its full effect in the related scheme of things. Then there is the travel and tourism concept and not to forget the immigration subjects which are discussed every now and then. (Ulrich, 2007) It is best to identify what the market segment is actually demanding for, from the brand’s perspective itself. This is indeed very imperative since it can provide for quite a wide cross section of demands, some being very vague and irrational while others coming as a direct source of research that could facilitate the brand in understanding itself and not only that but also getting an insight into the demands of the consumer from the respective brand the hopes and aspirations related with it. (Nilson, 2003) The economic analysis and related fiscal figures could thus be drawn up as a result of these insights and it is best to gauge what the consumers think only after the adequate positioning of the consumers is done beforehand. This research also finds out what the core and primary consumers of the brand want from its different offerings and whether or not they want anything from it is also a related concern. With that, we get to know what the core consumers suggest in their different ways and means and by their distinct behaviors. (Chung, 1997) This could include their complete disapproval of the sub brands which are just offering different line extensions for the heck of it and thus abandoning on the whole brand category as a result. This could definitely be considered as a very harsh step on the part of these core consumers and one that must not go very well with the brand manager and his entire team. It also provides a dipstick as to how the primary users of the brand can turn against it and more than that offers a mechanism at the manner in which they can be saved nonetheless. The growth opportunities thus need to be aligned within the brand development team’s plans in such a fashion that it does not upset the whole fabric of the core consumers’ buying patterns and the efforts have to be geared in a manner that only brings more light to the whole situation in which positive selling is ensured rather than turning away the ‘hardcore loyals’ away from the whole equation. (Casson, 2001) In the end, it is pretty reasonable to state that a brand is better off if it does not bring in different line and brand extensions. It should rather focus on introducing new brands and look to create their respective basis than anything else. Relying on a single brand for the hope and destiny of another in pipeline not only destroys the new brand but also ensures that the investments done on the original one go at a loss. (Vermillion, 2004) This is a recipe for disaster on all accounts. It is significant to comprehend the fact that the branding theory would not be deemed as necessary if all the brands start disobeying its marketing and philosophical basis in essence. There is a need to find out whether or not a brand comes in line with the branding theory in place and how this brand can do its utmost to achieve success both from the shorter scheme of things as well as in the long run. Bibliography ASHER, Joseph. (1997). Promoting Brand Identity: What's Your Name Again? 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