8 8 Enduring Principles to Help Boost Your Brand Performance
INTRODUCTION
Superior Product & Compelling Promise
Invest for Growth
Know your People inside Out
The North Star
GROWING GREAT BRANDS
Logocal Portfolio Segmentation
Stay Relevant
Fresh Consistency
Price - Value Equation
INTRODUCTION “A question I get a lot is how has marketing evolved over the years and what does that mean from a capability building point of view? If you take that question at face value, of course marketing, or the way how we do marketing, has changed and evolved drastically this past 10 to 15 years. Looking at the question from a capability point of view, here we deal with a dichotomy: on one hand companies are clear that their marketers need to acquire the latest skills so they can remain competitive, so their brands stay relevant and grow. Not surprisingly there is a huge demand and there are many trainings around digital marketing, social media strategy, in-market connection planning. However, unfortunately many companies take the basic principles of brand positioning and strategy for granted…and there is where the problem is as by not making sure you first and foremost apply your basic marketing skills, the foundations upon which all your other skills should be built, you risk going of track and create confusion/dissonance amongst your consumers which will affect of course your equity. So my recommendations to companies, big or small, would be to secure an investment in brand marketing trainings that lay the foundations of the basic principles and then – or in parallel if budgets allow – to also look at the other skills, the more execution-related skills. To make the point that the 8 brand marketing principles that we capture in our BrandGrowth bootcamp are enduring, I always refer to The Brand Report Card by Professor Kevin Lane Keller who captures the 10 traits to measure the strength of any brand. However, as a little caveat, it has been over 20 years since he published his report card in the Harvard Business Review.
INTRODUCTION What is interesting though is that most of the principles ring true still today and a lot of what Keller says – then - is still relevant today. But of course, when looking at the examples he uses, or at the details and prompting questions of the scorecard, then you realize that it was created in a much simpler world. Our own 8 BrandGrowth Brand Marketing Principles are of course in line with today’s fast evolving world of marketing. If you want to learn more about the marketing principles I am referring to, and you want to see how your brand or company is faring on them, I encourage you to download the BrandGrowth Marketing scorecard and you can do a audit on how you think you are performing as a marketer, or how the brand is doing across these 8 foundational marketing principles so that you can identify the capability gaps, and therefore strategize how to build on those missing skills. We cover the principles in much greater detail in our brand positioning and strategy bootcamp, bringing case studies, frameworks and tools to demonstrate how these principles come to life. If you are interested in learning more, head to our website to find out more. But for now, try the checklist. I encourage you to try the audit yourself! Over to you, An
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO USE THE SCORECARD Under each principle there are a set of Yes/No questions to answer. There is a recommended action and tool depending on the number of YES’s you answer. Ideally you do this exercise with your team, so you can then use the scores to generate a discussion about the results in a way that should help you identify areas where you excel, but also recognize those areas in which you need improvement. The challenge is that ideally you should try to do this exercise through the eyes of your consumer, to get more honest feedback. We often are very much in love with what we do, and we think we are doing a great job. However, the real judge here is the consumer who gets exposed to everything you put out there, not knowing what the internal discussions are and the thinking that has gone behind it. A real test of equity. You could also do that same exercise for your competitor’s brands, looking at their strengths and weaknesses. This would be a great outsider equity exercise as you would start from the perspective how you perceive their brand from a spectator’s perspective. Additional questions to ask yourself when using the score card: 1. Do you think some principles are more important than others? For your brand, how would you rank them? 2. On the capability gaps, do you have a clear plan of action on how to upskill yourself? Would be great to see how you get on! An
1 SUPERIOR AND COMPELLING PROMISE The brand offers a superior product and compelling benefit that people truly desire. YES
NO
Do you know what makes your brand superior against the competition? Do you know what about your brand your consumer buys into above and beyond the product? Do you understand your brand's consumers in the context that they live in and how that influences their attitudes, beliefs and behaviours? Can you articulate your brand's distinctive point of view that sets them apart from competitors? Do you use your brand's distinctive point of view to generate engagement and talkability? Do you know what your brand's inception story is? Do you know the key defining moments of your brand's history in your market? Do you know how to connect your brand to your target on a functional level? Do you know how to connect your brand to your target on an emotional level? Do you know how to connect your brand to your target by relating to issues that matter to them socially? Can you articulate your product's features?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 3 of the questions:
It is very important for a brand guardian to know everything about their product/service, beyond the functional aspect of the product and its features. Make sure you anchor your product and brand benefits in deep-rooted consumer understanding. Only when you get this right, your target will notice you and will see how your brand will be relevant to them, answering their needs, problems and desires.
2
If you answered yes to 4 - 7 of the questions:
So you may know the background of your brand, but do you know the different ways it can connect with consumers? The Stepping Stone tool gets you to go down into the additonal layers of your brand, which pushes you to explore and articulate not only the functional benefits and features of your brand, but also the emotional and social benefits. These are vital to ensuring your brand is relevant to your target.
3
If you answered yes to 8 - 11 of the questions:
It looks like you have a very clear idea on how your brand can be distinctive and stand out against the competition! But don't forget that contexts, categories, competitors and people's expectations change so stay on the pulse of what is happening to stay on top of the changing trends. Using both the SWOT analysis and the Life Circle tool can help you anticipate changes in the market.
2 THE NORTH STAR The brand has a distinctive positioning that guides marketers to make the right decisions to drive long term and short term growth. YES
NO
Do you know what are the benefits of having a strong brand positioning?
Do you know how to leverage your brand's positioning for a growth strategy?
Do you know how your brand's positoning is related to your brand's equity?
Do you use your brand's positioning to guide strategic decisions? Are you clear about how your core business is aligned to your brand positioning? Are you clear about how your brand extensions and stretches are aligned to your brand positioning? Do you know what your competitors are doing? Their strengths and weaknesses?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 2 of the questions: Being a brand manager means that you have to be aware of all aspects of your brand, and have foresight into what may affect it. First of all get fully reacquainted OR develop your brand's positioning - this will guide you in all decisions you make for your brand. The BrandGrowth Positioning Blueprint not only provides a structured approach to the development process, but also it encompasses the vital building blocks of your brand's positioning. After that, a SWOT Analysis helps you take stock of your brand's strengths and weaknesses, as well as discover the market's threats and opportunities. This helps you make your brand stay relevant.
2
If you answered yes to 3 - 4 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 5 - 7 of the questions:
Your positioning should guide you in everything
Brands are putting more importance in establishing a purpose as
you decide for your brand, however even with your
consumers are expecting brands to go beyond the service and
best intentions it may not always work out. Consider
product they offer. The world's great brands all have a purpose, a
trying the Positioning-Equity MindCapsule tool to
reason to exist that addresses an important issue in society. When
visually check the consistency of your brand
thinking of your purpose, remember it has to be true to your
development and execution, but also to understand
positioning as this will help communicate your brand's distinctive
what your consumers are seeing so that you can
point of view in an authentic way. Craft your purpose in line with
bridge the gap between the two if needed.
your positioning so you have a recognisable and credible voice.
3 FRESH CONSISTENCY The brand is sharp in execution yet freshly consistent. YES
NO
Do you know what your brand's distinctive core assets are?
Do you execute against your brand guidelines consistently so any brand engagement is recognisable to your brand?
Do you know how to assess the gap between your brand's positioning and equity?
Do you know what are your brand's "personality traits"?
Does your brand's tone of voice embody the brand personality?
Do you know if your target resonates with your brand's personality and tone of voice? Do you execute your brand's personality and tone of voice consistently across all touchpoints?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 2 of the questions:
2
If you answered yes to 3 - 4 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 5 - 7 of the questions:
Every brand manager knows that
Your brand should have a brand
It is great that you are actively trying
their activites and exeuctions should
guideline document that dictates how
to ensure that your brand executes
be recognisable to the brand.
you should and shouldn't execute
with consistency. Remember it is not
Consider trying the Positioning-
your distinctive key brand assets.
just visual consistency that you should
Equity MindCapsule tool to visually
However have you considered how
be thinking about, but also your
check the consistency of your brand
much value they are really giving your
brand's personality should be part of
development and execution, but also
brand? The Keep, Lose, Update,
every execution. Don't forget to create
to understand what your consumers
Create tool is a useful exercise to asset
a list of personality traits, and even
are seeing.
the value of each asset. It is not to say
imagine your brand as a person using
you should change your assets
the Party question tool. It is a fun
regularly, but this is the time to have a
exercise!
good hard look at your assets and see if things need to change in order to help you grow.
4 STAY RELEVANT The brand stays relevant in line with the market's changing context. YES
NO
Are you aware that it is your responsibility to deepen the meaning of a global brand positioning to ensure it is relevant to your local market?
Do you know how to "localise" the global brand positioning to make it more relevant to your local target?
Have you identified what is going on in your consumer's lives that may influence their habits, beliefs, behaviour and desires?
Do you know which trends are happening in the market that may influence those habits, beliefs, behaviours and desires?
Are you clear how purpose can make your brand more relevant to your people by being more meaningful in their lives?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 1 of the questions:
2
If you answered yes to 2 - 3 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 4 - 5 of the questions:
Gathering data on your target
It is great that you have started
It is great that you have a defined and
audience is a vital part of a brand
understanding who your target
articulated understanding of your
manager's role, and it is definintely
audience is, and that you know what to
audience. However in today's world,
worth every effort to understand
do to ensure your brand positioning
consumers are being more loyal to
their desires, motivations,
and executions stay relevant to your
brands that deliver over and above
behaviours, and also where your
target audiences. However have you
their superior product and compelling
brand can play a role in their life. If
considered deepening your consumer
promise; they expect brands to
you don't have this understanding
understanding for your local audience?
contribute or support issues that
already, experiment with the
Unsure how to do that? Dig deeper
matter in society. Crafting a purpose
Exploring Needs and Moments/
into the different facets of local culture
with the meaningful purpose
Occasions Interrogation tools to start
to make your insight even more
framework helps your brand to be
articulating them. If you already have
relevant. The Life Circle framework
more meaningful to your target, and is
a general articulation, try sharpening
will push you to explore your insight
also a useful storytelling device.
it with the prompts from the tools.
articulation across different contexts to make it sharper and more relevant.
5
PRICE - VALUE EQUATION
Pricing strategy is based on consumer’s value perception of the brand/product. YES
NO
Do you know how your product/service answers a need or desire for your audience, for which they are ready to pay for?
Can you articulate the total brand experience you are providing, which creates value for your target audience?
Are you aware of how brands can add value by tackling or supporting important issues to society?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 1 of the questions:
2
If you answered yes to 2 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 3 of the questions:
The question is, how are you
Once you know exactly what your
Consumers are expecting more than
currently communicating your
brand's benefits are, you need to
just the product from a brand; the
brand's value? People buy your brand
ensure that your target audience
more holistic a brand experience is,
because it has to satisfy a functional
believe you; they need to trust your
the more likely they are going to
need, but what is it about your brand
brand so they trust the value you are
experience the full value your brand is
that makes them choose your brand
offering them. There are different ways
offering. On top of that, if a brand is
over the competition? The Stepping
to communciate why they should trust
able to be more meaningful by
Stone tool gets you to go down into
your brand and this shouldn't be
tackling or supporting issues that
the additonal layers of your brand,
rushed because you need to know what
matter to society, it will substantially
pushing you explore and articulate
matters to your audience in order to
increase the brand’s scope to add
not only the functional benefits and
craft Reasons-to-believe that they will
value and therefore command
features of your brand, but also the
trust, and create value they will pay for.
premium pricing. Use the meaningful
emotional and social benefits. The
Try the RTB Exploration to find the
purpose framework to discover how
brand's value starts with these
effective and personalised RTB that
you can add value to your brand
different layers, and if compelling
will successfully support the value
positioning.
enough, helps drive conversion.
your brand claims to provide.
6 LOGICAL PORTFOLIO SEGMENTATION The brand architecture is well-defined and based on consumer understanding in order to maximise growth opportunities.
YES
NO
Do you know when and where your brand should be competing?
Do you know what are the benefits and disadvantages of the different architecture structures? Have you been able to identify how your brand architecture or portfolio can drive optimum and profitable growth for the long term? Can you articulate which brand architecture you currently work with and how it will help you expand your business? Have you defined your core business in terms of equity, volume size and source of profit? Do you know how that contributes to the results of the wider portfolio?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 1 of the questions: If your portfolio is currently not organised, a way to start is to understand the category and try to formulate an organisational methodology from this. It isn't just about which category your brand is automatically associated with, but the layers from that core category. You can map out the categories your brand could naturally migrate to using the Category Circles, an even the spaces (or stretch) that provide opportunities that would require new expertise and capabilities.
2
If you answered yes to 2 - 3 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 4 - 5 of the questions:
Sharpen the organisation of your portfolio by
It is great that you have an established brand architecture and
incorporating in-depth consumer understanding to
you have a vision to how you grow your brand. Watch out with
define the segmentation better. You can use the
your brand stretches. Although the opportunities may seem
Exploring Needs and Moments/Occasions
exciting and attractive, make sure they don’t distract or
Interrogation Tool to get an understanding of your
compromise your core business as that will be costly in the long
consumer a level above the category understanding.
term. The Category Circle tool is a useful asset to help you
This can help provide a roadmap to extending your
assess where you are at risk of going out of scope.
business
7 KNOW YOUR PEOPLE INSIDE OUT Brand guardians understand what the brand means to the people it serves. YES
NO
Do you know what your consumers are doing, or have been doing, and why? Do you know what challenges, frustations and problems they are encountering?
Do you know how they overcome those challenges?
Do they like the solutions to overcome those challenges?
Does your brand provide a solution to those challenges?
Do you know how to write a sharp and attitudinal target description?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 2 of the questions: Knowing your audience is much more than the demographics. You need to know what they are doing and why they are doing it. Additionally to not go too narrow on this understanding in the first instance, what is the changing cultural context that is influencing the habits, attitudes and behaviours? We suggest that you try the What, Why and Context framework to break this down. Try experiment with this tool by using the assumptions of what you think about your target first, and you can increase the level of accuracy with data from research to validate your assumptions.
2
If you answered yes to 3 - 4 of the questions:
Move beyond the first level of your consumer understanding and keep breaking it down to find out more. It is definintely worth every effort to understand their desires, motivations, behaviours, and also where your brand can play a role in their life. If you don't have this understanding already, experiment with the Exploring Needs and Moments/Occasions Interrogation Tool to start articulating them. If you already have a general articulation, try sharpening it with the prompts from the tools.
3
If you answered yes to 3 - 6 of the questions:
Once you have made your signficant effort to gather all the levels of information about your target consumer, the key thing is to package it up into a well-articulated and descriptive description. If you write an attitudinal target description, the target consumer becomes more specific and helps separates your brand from your compeitiors. Above all, your description or consumer persona should reflect your brand's positioning.
8 INVEST FOR GROWTH The brand is given proper support to drive growth, and never at the expense of the core. YES
NO
Have you identified the strategic role for your brand and have you understood how that will impact your investment strategies?
Based on your brand's strategic role, do you know what challenges your brand is experiencing?
Do you know the benefits of growing your core?
Do you know the implications of neglecting your core business?
Do you know how to support extending your business without it affecting your core business?
1
If you answered yes to 0 - 1 of the questions: Feeling stagnant about growing your business? It is tempting to think "outside the box" when growing your brand but the core still offers many opportunities that are worth exploring. Many brands have found ways to grow their core business in engaging and refreshing ways including new routes to market, and creating strong memory associations. Research how other brands have done it, and see what lessons you can take for your own business.
2
If you answered yes to 2 - 3 of the questions:
3
If you answered yes to 4 - 5 of the questions:
Opportunities may not always be obvious, and
You seem to have a good understanding of what makes a
sometimes it will require you to go outside your core
sound and effective growth strategy. This will surely help
category. You can map out the categories your brand
you have a well-performing brand in the market. One
could naturally migrate to using the Category Circles,
thing to keep in mind is that in a highly competitive world
and even the spaces (or stretch) that provide
like today, it would be beneficial to adopt a “challenger”
opportunities that would require new expertise and
mindset even if you are already the market leader. This
capabilities.
keeps you on your toes and hungry to stay relevant to your audience.