Brand Communications
Communications for the brand is a two-way process; first you must build the brand internally and then, second, integrate it into general communications externally (1999). Brand communications commenced with revealing your brand. This can be done through an integrated branding process (‘how tos’) which includes, logically: 1) the realization of the how company can sell on the integrated brand model; 2) setting-up a brand team and identifying who should be on it; 3) conducting a successful brand environment audit; 4) developing a brand environment you can act upon; 5) creating preliminary brand tools which can stimulate team thinking; 6) facilitating successful brand meetings; 7) developing and establishing a practical brand structure (1999); and 8) conducting brand planning and benchmarking ().
Developing marketing strategies for the brand must mean integrating the brand principle in creating a strong distinctiveness while the mission sets boundaries for all the marketing strategies. The principle contributes at setting an approach to those identified boundaries. Consequently, values impact on what a will and would not do so as to build the customer trust. The story conveys the meaning and the perspective and the personality purports on recognizing underlying behaviours and voice to sales and marketing communications as well as building the corporate culture. Lastly, associations intensify the distinctive concept which helps boosts distributing while necessitating an effective marketing communications ().
In creating a brand-driven marketing, the company must begin with a strong naming strategy that reflects the promises of the brand. In addition, branding must unite with distribution. As a foundation for sales, direct selling () will be the most appropriate. The distribution system may also use retailing, dealerships, reselling and system integrating channels. The key for a successful third-party relationship in business is making them understand of the brand principle, brand values and the brand personality (). All these distribution techniques may apply online and cataloging methods as brand conveyors ().
Communicating the brand means to use marketing communications vehicle. Since the goal of brand communications is conveying a brand message that strengthens the brand, the marketing communication plan must start with a creative brief or creative platform (). A marketing communications plan is a design that incorporates brand meaning, visuals and messages in a logical, systematic way () and must contain objectives and overall strategy. If possible, the company can converge with the media, analysts, award-givers, satisfied customers and newsgroups.
The company must also create a basic toolbox to arrive at desired consistency level for all visual communications. The visual element hierarchy: headline or image, logo, product name, product brand template, background and colors. Color is the most easiest and recognizable feature of a brand, setting it apart from others (). Association usage is an abstract (the most common is the Nike swoosh) that connects the brand with the audience. Association advents the company in eliciting memories and benefits to the customer’s mind. Visual templates create a strong consistency and background reinforces brands while allowing flexibility in the creative process. To wit, most companies use watermarks to facilitate consistent communication (). The image treatment, in particular, must pass the visual test as this adds memorability of the brand through creation of printed or electronic toolbox (). As such, public relations add believality and depth to the brand messages by means of creating awareness and acceptance from customer influencers () and building connections.
However, the most powerful way to communicate brand is through advertising. Advertising conforms to a paid, one-way communication through a medium. Strategically, anywhere that provides visual access can be an advertising portal. There are four significant players in the advertising process: the advertiser, the advertising agency, the media and the target audience ().
Table 1. ATHLETIX MARKETING PLAN
Brand Equity
Brand equity can be defined as “everything the consumer walks into the store with” (1993). Brand equity is a mental association () that reflects the concept as a broad and influential aspect which can be attained through sport marketing. Sport marketing, in this sense, is exceptional. Such refers to three main objectives as: to sell sport as an entertainment; to build sport participation; and to use sport to sell non-sport products and services (2004). Many arguments arose claiming a unique concern with marketing sport as another form of entertainment. As such, the product life cycles curve in sports and sporting events are deemed to be lengthier than that of other products and services. For many, the curve is even diatonic since popularity of the endorsers in increasingly becoming irrefutable based on the steady fanship. Sport celebrities engender a level of personal identification that does not seem to reflect the brand; as iconographic representatives. The development of a deep emotional attachment, from a fanatical perspective, necessitates the need to foster it and ways to capitalize on it through sport marketing ().
The importance of athlete endorsements enhances the product or in particular context the brand. An increased return for the companies is another consideration as well as building a recognizable image or boosting viewers recall for a particular company, product or service (). Thus, celebrity endorsement can bring an added value for the brand’s equity while also creating an emotional bond (2004). The risks, however, is the enablement towards event sponsorship. The endorsement fee is another aspect for star athlete endorsements. Though the appeal of celebrity endorsements appeal more specifically to younger consumers, the perception and the latter changes in endorser’s attitude may affect the bankability of him/her as an effective endorser ().
Since sports entail a more physical activity, marketing for sport participation demanded for a social response. And as social marketing campaigns are strengthened, so as the sport marketing while creating a social climate that support a sport subculture. Moreover, the technique of marketing non-sport merchandises through sports making sports a leeway for sponsorships. Though there are consequences for sponsorship, it had been the core element of entertainment through sport marketing per se while considering the concept of athlete endorsements. At the realm, sponsorship requires an audience or the people’s participation ().
Brand Measurement Approach
Brand strength refers to as utility beyond functional product characteristics – the physical attributes of the product; set of associations – the ‘positive’ brand knowledge acquired via different distribution channels; and (relative) consumer preference – the extent to which a brand is “attractive” to consumers ().
BRAND STRENGHT INDICATORS
YES/NO
REMARKS
Value-added Attributes
- non-duplication
- distribution
- promotion
- pricing
- customer service
- access
Brand Knowledge
- levels of familiarity
- image awareness
- customer recalls
Brand Preference
- individual motivation
- ability to purchase
- attitudes and behaviors toward consumption
-levels of attachment
Table 2. BRAND STRENGTH CHECKLIST FOR ATHLETIX
The evaluative construct of brand strength conforms to a measurement-driven approach and added value-approach. In whichever method used, the basic consideration would be: TOTAL UTILITY minus FUNCTIONAL UTILITY equals BRAND UTILITY (or brand strength) () as to correspond to the usefulness/necessity construct. Brand strength measures and models are consumer-based () and financial-based frameworks.
An equity scoreboard is a ladderized methodology that provides managers an instrument to evaluate specific strengths and weaknesses of a brand based on a competitive consumer-based context ( 2001).
From (date)
Estimate- Decision A
Estimate- Decision B
To (date)
BRAND EQUITY
1 Bridge
2 Scarcity
3 Borrowed
4 Prestige
5 Promotional
6 Latent
DISTRIBUTION EQUITY
1 Buyer Proximity
2 Channel Power
RESOURCE- CONTROL EQUITY
1 Raw material
2 People
Table 3. CONSUMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY MEASUREMENT FOR ATHLETIX
A financial equity scoreboard is also a ladderized method which mainly concerns brand as an asset.
From (date)
Estimate- Decision A
Estimate- Decision B
To (date)
ASSETS
1 Intangible
2 Conditional
3 Beneficial
MONETARY
1 Stock Price Performance
2 Return on Investment (ROI)
3 Return on Sales
4 Cash Flow (ROI)
Table 4. FIANCIAL-BASED BRAND EQUITY MEASUREMENT FOR ATHLETIX
Other methods to measure brand equity and identify financial performance is through:
PURCHASE OCCASION
Baseline Sale
Promotional Sale
Incremental Sale
& of Total Incremental Sale
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TOTAL
Table 5. SALES_BASED BRAND EQUITY MEASUREMENT FOR ATHLETIX
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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