Week 1: Brand Management 101
What is brand management?
An ongoing process of curating a brand to define and maintain an identity which in turn should drive sales and customer loyalty. This can extend beyond the specific offering to other offerings connected to the brand. (Business Dictionary 2018.)
By creating an identity, an organization should be able to relay their value proposition to the customer in a concise way, allowing the company’s customers to engage with the brand in relative shorthand. The Canadian Marketing Association recommends the creation of 4-5 brand “personality traits” to guide the creation and maintenance of this identity (2018).
What are the brand manager’s tasks and responsibilities?
Recruitment gurus Robert Walters plc (2018) break down a brand manager's key responsibilities into 7 categories.
How does the brand manager work in cooperation with the company management, the employees and external consultants? (What are their roles?)
As described above, a brand manager should ensure that the brand stays true to the mission put forward by senior management and works toward the vision they have put forward. It is also critical that the brand manager acts as a brand ambassador to employees throughout the organization. Employees must understand and believe in the brand if they are to communicate it effectively to entities further down the value chain and ultimately the end customer. The roles of external consultants cannot be understated. They can provide invaluable insight from an impartial and knowledgeable viewpoint. This perspective can ensure that the brand doesn’t inadvertently drift from its core values.
An ongoing process of curating a brand to define and maintain an identity which in turn should drive sales and customer loyalty. This can extend beyond the specific offering to other offerings connected to the brand. (Business Dictionary 2018.)
By creating an identity, an organization should be able to relay their value proposition to the customer in a concise way, allowing the company’s customers to engage with the brand in relative shorthand. The Canadian Marketing Association recommends the creation of 4-5 brand “personality traits” to guide the creation and maintenance of this identity (2018).
What are the brand manager’s tasks and responsibilities?
Recruitment gurus Robert Walters plc (2018) break down a brand manager's key responsibilities into 7 categories.
- The strategy for the brand overall. This can include style guides and vision statements.
- Management of all communication and PR channels.
- Taking part in development and roll-outs of all new offerings.
- Creation and curation of all brand-related marketing materials
- Budgeting for marketing campaigns
- Analysing market conditions.
- Analyzing products sales and other relevant figures for forecasting purposes.
Relation to our assigned trigger
The job description is not as all-encompassing as the responsibilities listed above. This makes sense since Coca-Cola is such a large company with an enormous brand portfolio, they will keep most of the branding decisions within its Atlanta headquarters. So for this position, the job duties will pertain to implementation of branding initiatives rather than creating them. This would require a great deal of communication between Coke’s marketing department, bottlers, distributors, retailers and so on. Maintaining a localized brand/style guide for the applicable brands and ensuring its compliance with the company’s overarching guides would be a large part of this manager’s responsibilities. Other activities could include (but are not limited to) collecting local data and making suggestions to develop the brand in the local market.
The job description is not as all-encompassing as the responsibilities listed above. This makes sense since Coca-Cola is such a large company with an enormous brand portfolio, they will keep most of the branding decisions within its Atlanta headquarters. So for this position, the job duties will pertain to implementation of branding initiatives rather than creating them. This would require a great deal of communication between Coke’s marketing department, bottlers, distributors, retailers and so on. Maintaining a localized brand/style guide for the applicable brands and ensuring its compliance with the company’s overarching guides would be a large part of this manager’s responsibilities. Other activities could include (but are not limited to) collecting local data and making suggestions to develop the brand in the local market.
What are the steps in the brand definition process?
The following will be an analysis of Maria Chiara Riondino’s model (pictured below) as featured in the book, Living the Brand by Nicolas Ind.
The brand model created by Maria Chiara Riondino featured in Nicholas Ind’s book Living the Brand (2008).
The first step in the branding process is to gain an understanding of the identity of the organization as a whole. Analysis of core components such as mission, vision, and values should be done along with a deeper look at the corporate philosophy and culture. After all, this is the beating heart of any organization and will deeply influence anything that will come out of it.
The next step is the brand idea. This should be a product of the above mentioned corporate soul-searching. Riondino’s model suggests that while the birth of the initial brand idea should come from an analysis of the organization’s overall structure and aspirations, it should also be informed by the organization's employees as well. The employees will be the most significant curators of the brand itself, so alignment between management and employee identity is crucial for success. If there is no employee buy-in, the brand will be a list of hollow adjectives and nothing more.
Next is the development and/or analysis of products and services attached to the brand idea. Once more, this is interconnected with the feedback from those actually carrying out the activities. As the model shows, this step will also inform the employees’ view of the organization. Along with developing the organization’s offering, a marketing and communication strategy should be formulated. As with product development, employee buy-in will be key. People must understand and believe the messaging in order to effectively communicate it.
After building and supporting the brand idea, the brand's image needs to be formed. Many stakeholders will view brands from many different angles. Suppliers may see things different than customers. Different segments of customers may see the brand radically different from one another. This image profile should be built with all stakeholders in mind and useful feedback from these stakeholders should be folded into the image profile. As with many parts of this model, most roads are a two-way street. As seen in the model, the image may then reflect and help to reform the identity. The goal here is a seamless blend of identity and image, uniting each of the component parts to create a complete and holistic brand.
These steps will inform how the brand will be positioned. Communication surrounding positioning will, in turn, influence the previous steps as further development may be necessary. Once the brand is fully formed, curation of the brand is critical. Reputation needs to be measured based off of feedback from all participants to maintain its status (Ind 2008.)
Analysis related to the assigned trigger
The parent company Coca-Cola: The name in the beverage industry. Bills itself as a “total beverage company”. Has a brand that appeals to the widest demographics and has a powerful nostalgia effect on most people.
The brand idea - Minute Maid: Began as a product designed for American G.I.’s at the end of World War 2, became the affordable way for families to enjoy orange juice year round and currently occupies nearly all of the mid-tier juice space. After years of dominance in the concentrated-juice space, it has morphed into a brand that occupies the premium juice market, as well as a staple in the sugary soft drink space, all while maintaining its original space as a home for affordable concentrated drinks. Through various input from stakeholders and analysis of the market environment, Minute Maid has evolved with the times, while staying true to its original mission of bringing juice to the masses.
The following will be an analysis of Maria Chiara Riondino’s model (pictured below) as featured in the book, Living the Brand by Nicolas Ind.
The brand model created by Maria Chiara Riondino featured in Nicholas Ind’s book Living the Brand (2008).
The first step in the branding process is to gain an understanding of the identity of the organization as a whole. Analysis of core components such as mission, vision, and values should be done along with a deeper look at the corporate philosophy and culture. After all, this is the beating heart of any organization and will deeply influence anything that will come out of it.
The next step is the brand idea. This should be a product of the above mentioned corporate soul-searching. Riondino’s model suggests that while the birth of the initial brand idea should come from an analysis of the organization’s overall structure and aspirations, it should also be informed by the organization's employees as well. The employees will be the most significant curators of the brand itself, so alignment between management and employee identity is crucial for success. If there is no employee buy-in, the brand will be a list of hollow adjectives and nothing more.
Next is the development and/or analysis of products and services attached to the brand idea. Once more, this is interconnected with the feedback from those actually carrying out the activities. As the model shows, this step will also inform the employees’ view of the organization. Along with developing the organization’s offering, a marketing and communication strategy should be formulated. As with product development, employee buy-in will be key. People must understand and believe the messaging in order to effectively communicate it.
After building and supporting the brand idea, the brand's image needs to be formed. Many stakeholders will view brands from many different angles. Suppliers may see things different than customers. Different segments of customers may see the brand radically different from one another. This image profile should be built with all stakeholders in mind and useful feedback from these stakeholders should be folded into the image profile. As with many parts of this model, most roads are a two-way street. As seen in the model, the image may then reflect and help to reform the identity. The goal here is a seamless blend of identity and image, uniting each of the component parts to create a complete and holistic brand.
These steps will inform how the brand will be positioned. Communication surrounding positioning will, in turn, influence the previous steps as further development may be necessary. Once the brand is fully formed, curation of the brand is critical. Reputation needs to be measured based off of feedback from all participants to maintain its status (Ind 2008.)
Analysis related to the assigned trigger
The parent company Coca-Cola: The name in the beverage industry. Bills itself as a “total beverage company”. Has a brand that appeals to the widest demographics and has a powerful nostalgia effect on most people.
The brand idea - Minute Maid: Began as a product designed for American G.I.’s at the end of World War 2, became the affordable way for families to enjoy orange juice year round and currently occupies nearly all of the mid-tier juice space. After years of dominance in the concentrated-juice space, it has morphed into a brand that occupies the premium juice market, as well as a staple in the sugary soft drink space, all while maintaining its original space as a home for affordable concentrated drinks. Through various input from stakeholders and analysis of the market environment, Minute Maid has evolved with the times, while staying true to its original mission of bringing juice to the masses.
How does the brand manager work in cooperation with the company management, the employees and external consultants? (What are their roles?)
As described above, a brand manager should ensure that the brand stays true to the mission put forward by senior management and works toward the vision they have put forward. It is also critical that the brand manager acts as a brand ambassador to employees throughout the organization. Employees must understand and believe in the brand if they are to communicate it effectively to entities further down the value chain and ultimately the end customer. The roles of external consultants cannot be understated. They can provide invaluable insight from an impartial and knowledgeable viewpoint. This perspective can ensure that the brand doesn’t inadvertently drift from its core values.
Analysis of Marvel Comics brand management
For an analysis of a company’s brand management, we’ll take a look at Marvel Comics. Marvel built its brand with characters at its foundation and continues to do so today. First a little bit of history.
The pre-Marvel logo
Founded in 1939 under the name Timely Comics, the proto-Marvel publisher started with the standard tropes of the then newly-booming comics market. While some iconic characters were brought forward during this time (e.g. Captain America, Namor, the Human Torch, etc.), the company would not really become the IP powerhouse that we know now until the 1960’s. Superheroes had begun to fall out of fashion after World War 2 and by the 60’s they were nearly dead. Timely’s main competitor, DC comics, had found success in refreshing/rebooting old superhero characters in the late 50’s and created the first shared-universe in the industry with the publication of the Justice League. These developments led to Timely rebranding itself Marvel Comics and almost immediately built the brand we know today.
Stan the man
A young Stanley Lieber, the man who would himself rebrand as Stan Lee, was stuck in a rut as editor for the recently-christened Marvel Comics. Genres such as horror, romance, and westerns dominated his output. Stanley was about to leave the company when his publisher asked him to work on a team book that could compete against DC’s Justice League publication. Knowing that his time with the company was probably short, Stan decided that he would finally write the book he wanted. At the time, comics were written specifically for the 8-10 year old demographic. Lee knew that there was a larger audience in teens and young adults that were hungry for stories written for them, not to mention a demographic that actually might have money to spend.
For an analysis of a company’s brand management, we’ll take a look at Marvel Comics. Marvel built its brand with characters at its foundation and continues to do so today. First a little bit of history.
The pre-Marvel logo
Founded in 1939 under the name Timely Comics, the proto-Marvel publisher started with the standard tropes of the then newly-booming comics market. While some iconic characters were brought forward during this time (e.g. Captain America, Namor, the Human Torch, etc.), the company would not really become the IP powerhouse that we know now until the 1960’s. Superheroes had begun to fall out of fashion after World War 2 and by the 60’s they were nearly dead. Timely’s main competitor, DC comics, had found success in refreshing/rebooting old superhero characters in the late 50’s and created the first shared-universe in the industry with the publication of the Justice League. These developments led to Timely rebranding itself Marvel Comics and almost immediately built the brand we know today.
Stan the man
A young Stanley Lieber, the man who would himself rebrand as Stan Lee, was stuck in a rut as editor for the recently-christened Marvel Comics. Genres such as horror, romance, and westerns dominated his output. Stanley was about to leave the company when his publisher asked him to work on a team book that could compete against DC’s Justice League publication. Knowing that his time with the company was probably short, Stan decided that he would finally write the book he wanted. At the time, comics were written specifically for the 8-10 year old demographic. Lee knew that there was a larger audience in teens and young adults that were hungry for stories written for them, not to mention a demographic that actually might have money to spend.
The Brand Idea
FF #1
With the publication of Fantastic Four #1 in November of 1961, Lee birthed the philosophy of the brand we know as Marvel almost fully formed. Lee set his characters in the real world. Unlike the competitor’s Superman in the fictional Metropolis or Batman’s Gotham, the FF would be based where Lee was living, Manhattan. Lee capitalized on interest around the scientific boom of the post-WW2 age and made his characters astronauts. But most importantly, he gave his new heroes problems. Personal problems. Problems that older readers could identify with. Reed and Sue had relationship issues and would bicker like a real couple. Johnny was a hothead, incapable of controlling his impulses. And as close to a puberty parable that one could find, Ben hated the looks that his new powers had brought him and felt like an outcast. This philosophy is the driving force behind the Marvel brand we know today. Our heroes have problems just like us.
Management
The Marvel-age of comics
Marvel owned the 60’s comic book market, just like it owns the superhero cinematic space today. Lee would go on to pen a litany of heroes in this mold throughout the 60’s. He created a man whose rage turned him into a beast, echoing the hormonal mood swings of his target audience with the Hulk. The following year, he introduced what would become the face of the brand in a teenager whose powers only magnified his high school drama and romantic troubles with the debut of Spider-Man. In ‘63, the X-Men would touch upon the country’s growing issues with race and appeal to everyone who felt that they were an outcast. Each new character from then on would be defined not only by a backstory and a power set, but a defining issue to struggle against. This is as apparent in the cinematic universe as it was in the sixties. Marvel’s movies are not just about struggling against some verbose supervillain, more often than not their struggle is with each other and themselves.
Sources:
Business Dictionary (2018). What is brand management? definition and meaning. [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/brand-management.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2018].
Canadian Marketing Association. (2018). Brand Management. [online] Available at: https://www.the-cma.org/disciplines/brand [Accessed 26 Aug. 2018].
Ind, N. (2008). Living the Brand: How to Transform Every Member of Your Organization into a Brand Champion. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: Kogan Page Limited, pp.79-83.FF #1
With the publication of Fantastic Four #1 in November of 1961, Lee birthed the philosophy of the brand we know as Marvel almost fully formed. Lee set his characters in the real world. Unlike the competitor’s Superman in the fictional Metropolis or Batman’s Gotham, the FF would be based where Lee was living, Manhattan. Lee capitalized on interest around the scientific boom of the post-WW2 age and made his characters astronauts. But most importantly, he gave his new heroes problems. Personal problems. Problems that older readers could identify with. Reed and Sue had relationship issues and would bicker like a real couple. Johnny was a hothead, incapable of controlling his impulses. And as close to a puberty parable that one could find, Ben hated the looks that his new powers had brought him and felt like an outcast. This philosophy is the driving force behind the Marvel brand we know today. Our heroes have problems just like us.
Management
The Marvel-age of comics
Marvel owned the 60’s comic book market, just like it owns the superhero cinematic space today. Lee would go on to pen a litany of heroes in this mold throughout the 60’s. He created a man whose rage turned him into a beast, echoing the hormonal mood swings of his target audience with the Hulk. The following year, he introduced what would become the face of the brand in a teenager whose powers only magnified his high school drama and romantic troubles with the debut of Spider-Man. In ‘63, the X-Men would touch upon the country’s growing issues with race and appeal to everyone who felt that they were an outcast. Each new character from then on would be defined not only by a backstory and a power set, but a defining issue to struggle against. This is as apparent in the cinematic universe as it was in the sixties. Marvel’s movies are not just about struggling against some verbose supervillain, more often than not their struggle is with each other and themselves.
Sources:
Business Dictionary (2018). What is brand management? definition and meaning. [online] Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/brand-management.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2018].
Canadian Marketing Association. (2018). Brand Management. [online] Available at: https://www.the-cma.org/disciplines/brand [Accessed 26 Aug. 2018].
Robert Walters (2018). The role of a brand manager. [online] Available at: https://www.robertwalters.com.br/en/career-advice/the-role-of-a-brand-manager.html [Accessed 26 Aug. 2018].
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