What Are The Factors Affecting Brand Image
What Are The Factors Affecting Brand Image
What Are The Factors Affecting Brand Image
Image?
By BMS Team on June 6, 2012 in Special Studies in Marketing
BRAND IMAGE &VARIOUS FACTORS AFFECTING IT
Brand Relationship = Brand Image + Brand Attitude
Brand Image = Brand Associations + Brand Personality
Brand Associations = Link up in memory with brands attributes benefits and looks
Brand Looks = Brand Symbol + Brand Name
Brand Symbol = Brand Character + Brand Logo
First and foremost, the agency must be known. Previously unknown agencies are not
preferred.
Secondly, the agency must have creativity. Creative people are a little crazy, nonconformists. Creativity does not follow any logical pattern. Creative people are like naughty
children. The secret of creativity is simplicity.
Thirdly, the agency must have a sound track record, a good deal of experience. Fourthly, the
accounts executive must have ability to understand the clients problems.
Fifthly, you may look t the accounts they handle, and the accounts they have gained and
lost. In other words, the work they have produced for other clients does matter.
Sixthly, the personal equation of the client with the agency also matters. If you know them
personally, they are compatible with you.
Seventhly, their ability and presentation may make you opt for them. Premier Auto
(the company that makes Fiat cars) was shopping around for an agency to launch its 118 NE.
It invited presentations from various agencies and then shifted its account from its old
agency Sistas to Ulka. More and more clients prefer to invite presentations for
campaigns of new products and then award the campaign to the agency who they
think has made the best presentations.
Lastly, there are some unique considerations, some prefer a small, some a medium,
some a large agency. Increasingly, clients prefer to fragment their business, giving
different products to different agencies.
Other factors that need consideration is the staff of the agency and its caliber, its flexibility,
practical and consumer oriented approach, the use it makes of MR, its media understanding,
the attention it gives to the client, its growth, the ability to handle below-the-line publicity
and its international tie-ups.
So creativity, commitment to client and the quality of its top management go a long way in
the selection of an agency. Unfortunately many think Creativity is just another way of
saying, I like the agency.
Big agencies like JWT, O&M, and LOWE are called full service advertising agencies
because they are ONE STOP SHOP for all services that are offered to the clients. Todays
agencies are providing total communications packages for the client brands. They are
acting as the custodians of the brands of the clients.
2. THE CREATIVE DEPARTMENT: Under the Creative Director there are a team of
Copywriters and Visualisers who arrive at the BIG IDEA. Accordingly the
storyboard is prepared and script work is done. The final layout is sent to the client for
approval.
4. THE MEDIA DEPT.: The Media Planner along with the Media manager and brand
manager/media dept of the client prepares the final media budget and purchases
Insertions for print media (space buying) or purchases radio spots if its for Radio
or purchases TV time if its on television. Appropriate media mix is developed.
5. RESEARCH DEPT.: In fact Research dept functions before and after a commercial
is made; for pre-testing and post-testing of media respectively consumer insights and brand
usages are also tested at times according to client in many situations
6. THE FINANCE DEPT (ACCOUNTING): This dept looks after the accounts
(financial records) for the agency.
ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
Account Management is the pivot on which the entire agencys work revolves. Also called
as Client Servicing or suits, it is the agencys big window to the outside world. The
suits are the agencys face to the client. They interact with the clients, take briefs and
understand the marketing issues involved.
Internally, they brief the creative and media on the jobs and co-ordinate the entire work
processes inside the agency. They evaluate the ad campaign and media plan internally and
often present these to the clients.
ACCOUNT PLANNING
CREATIVES
Creative form the third core function of the agency. They are also at the core of the
production process of the agency as they are the ones who create ads. Generally, the
copywriters write the headline and copy and the art directors do the visualizations and
layouts. But often they ideate and work together. A headline may come from the art
person and visualizations from the writer. Creatives are the agencies lifeline the one who
can make or break the agency.
Media forms the fourth and the last core function of an agency. With increased media
fragmentations, media planning and media buying have emerged as two specialized
functions within media. Sometimes the planners may also extend expertise to the both.
Media
planning
involves
a lot of
number
crunching
and good
quantitative abilities are a critical requirement. Media Buyers not only look other
media relations and negotiate rates but also supervise the media operational word
like sending release order and ad material to the respective media. They also monitor
releases.
&
SAATCHI COMPETITORS
LONDON(US
10809
EURO RSCG,
An outsiders perception of the work in an ad agency is one of glamour and glitz. It is often
assumed that working in an ad agency means being surrounded by glam dolls and
hunks. That it is a profession of high profile and high living with a lot of showmanship,
socializing and partying. Till a few years ago people would have ranked it second
only to the world of films in terms of the glamour co-efficient. But politics and
fashions world have pushed it down the ladder a bit since.
Well, the real world of advertising is most certainly a world of high and intensity but in a
different way. Though at a first glances an ad agency would seem like any other corporate
office, often the similarity would end at the office reception. Once inside, you are in the battle
zone.
The decibel levels and chaos is often striking arguably second only to the commodity
and stock exchange pits. So is the pressure of deadlines, client calls and chasing of work and
people both inside and outside the agency. Usually a working day in the agency for
most people is long, hectic, unpredictable, stressful, full of drama, yet loads of fun, often
including the weekends.
FIVE Ms OF ADVERTISING
MISSION
First of all the marketing manager must be clear on the companys purpose for advertising.
Increase in sales figure will be a very broad and to a certain context a vague
objective. According to Mr. Philip Kotler, a renowned authority in this field, there can be
three possible objectives behind advertising:
Information- when a new product is launched, the purpose should only be to inform people
about the product
Persuasion- Persuading people to actually go out and buy the product. This objective
is of paramount
importance because of cutthroat competition. Any
advertisement must be persuasive in nature, attracting consumers towards the brand
MONEY
After the objective has been decided upon, the next step is to decide upon the budget.
There are several methods for deciding on the advertising budget. The most common
among them is the percentage of sales method. Under this method, a certain
percentage of sales are allotted for advertising expenditure. Though this method is used
widely, there are some problems with this method. The first issue is what percentage the
company should take? Even if a company somehow decides a percentage figure, this would
mean increase in advertising expenditure when sales are up and less spending when sales
are down. This in some ways is quite paradoxical, because logically the reverse should
happen. The company needs to spend more on advertising when sales are down. But
this method uses circular reasoning and views sales as cause for promotion. In fact sales
are a result of promotion. Another method suggests that a company should spend as much as
its competitors are spending. This method claims that it would prevent promotional wars.
But then like each individual each company is also different. It may not make any
sense in spending like your competitor because competitor might be on a different footing.
MESSAGE
As a common experience, we love some advertisements, while the others just irritate
us. An appealing advertising will win consumers and will consequently induce them to
purchase the product. On the other hand, irritating advertising will create an adverse
effect. This is why many companies hand over this task to advertising agencies, which has
professionals to make impact -making ads. The message that company wants to convey
should be put in a manner that will arouse interest. Moreover it should convincingly
highlight upon the products USP. What is said is definitely important but what is more
important is how it is said. The tone should be appealing. Words used should be catchy and
retentive. These days both electronic as well as print media are overflowing with ads.
People have no time to read or see them, and therefore they have to be attractive enough to
target audiences attention. This is the job of message.
MEDIA
Selecting the proper media vehicle for communicating the message goes a long way in the
success of any kind of advertising. Each media vehicle has its positive and negative points
with a different reach and impact. Therefore a company has to be very clear about its
target audience. Choices available are Internet, TV, newspapers, magazines, direct
mails, radio and hoardings. Everyone of this has its advantages and disadvantages.
Companies often go in for a media mix, i.e. they select more than one of the available
choices. Timing is of great significance here. Many industries face seasonal
fluctuations and pass through cycles. Therefore advertising should be timed that way to
take care of these fluctuations. A limited budget should be prudently allotted among these
media vehicles.
MEASUREMENT
It is necessary that effectiveness of any advertising be judged. Only on the basis of this
measurement, can further decisions regarding continuation or termination of the particular
advertising campaign be taken. An ad can be judged on the basis of its reach and
impact on sales. Good advertising is one that generates brand awareness and
consequently brand preference. How much of sales can be attributed to advertising, is a
difficult question to answer. Sales are influenced by many factors besides advertising. It
is not easy to isolate the impact of advertising on sales. Nonetheless there are some
advanced statistical techniques available that can be used with the help of computer
softwares like SPSS. Thus a systematic and balanced understanding of these five Ms of
advertising will help in designing better advertising campaigns that create a favorable
impact on the target audience.
First, exposure to the advertisement can create awareness about brand, leading to a feeling
of familiarity with it. Second, information about the brands benefits
& the attributes on which the benefits are based can register with the consumer can also
result from exposure to the ad. Third, advertisements can also generate feelings in an
audience that they begin to associate with the brand or its consumption. Fourth,
through the choice of the spokesperson & image for the brand, often called brand
personality. Fifth, the advertisements can create the impression that the brand is favored
by the consumers peers, or experts- individuals & group the consumer likes to emulate.
This is often how products & brands are presented as being fashionable. These five effects
can create favorable liking, or attitude, towards the brand, which in turn should lead to
purchasing action. Sometimes the advertisers will attempt to spur purchasing action directly
by providing a reminder or by attacking reasons why the consumer may be
postponing that action.
These two models help us to understand how & why consumers acquire process &use
advertising information. It is also important to at the planning stage to develop a good
understanding of where advertising fits into the total pool of information & influence
sources to which consumer is exposed. Understanding information processing invariably
leads to the need for understanding a wide range of other important psychological
constructs, such as perception, learning attitude formation & change, source of effects,
brand personality & image.
Examine overall marketing plan & objectives Role of advertising & promotions Competitive
analysis
Assess environmental influence
External analysis
Internal analysis
Market Segmentation & Target
Promotional department Organization
Marketing
Firms ability to implement
Promotional program
Review of previous program result
BUDGET DETERMINATION
DIRECT MARKETING
Set direct marketing objectives Determine direct marketing budget Develop direct marketing
message Develop direct marketing media strategy
INTERACTIVE/INTERNET MARKETING
Set interactive/internet marketing objectives Determine interactive/internet marketing budget
Develop interactive/internet message
Develop interactive/internet media strategy
SALES PROMOTION
PUBLIC RELATION/PUBLICITY
PERSONAL SELLING
Set personal selling & sales objectives
INTEGRATE
STRATEGIES
&
IMPLEMENT
MARKETING
COMMUNICATIONS
EVALUATE &
PROGRAM
ADVERTISING
SALES
PUBLIC
PERSONAL
PROMOTION
RELATIONS SELLING
MARKETING
Print and
Contests,
Press Kits
Catalogues
Broadcast Ads
Games,
Sweepstakes,
Lotteries
Packaging
Premiums and
Sales
DIRECT
Presentations
Speeches
Sales
Mailings
Outer
gifts
Packaging
Sampling
Meetings
Seminars
Inserts
Motion Pictures
Brochures and
Annual
shows
Report
Exhibits
Charitable
Donations
Shows
Demonstrations Sponsorships
Coupons
Rebates
Publications
Community
Relations
Billboards
Low interest
Lobbying
Financing
Display Signs
Entertainment
Identity
Media
Point-of-
Trade in
Company
purchase
allowances
Magazine
Displays
Continuity
Events
Programmes
Audio Visual
Material
Symbols and
logos
Video Tapes
Telemarketing
Programmes
Booklets Posters
and Leaflets
Directories
Reprints of Ads
Incentive
Tie ins
Samples
Electronic
Shopping
It is a form of mass
When a market or a firm has developed a product to satisfy market demand after thoroughly
analyzing the market, there is a need for establishing contact with the target market to
eventually sell the product. Advertising helps in reaching to the target market.
In modern times, advertising prevails in all walks of life. It has acquired the
distinction of being the most visible & glamorous method of marketing
communication. It is the worlds fifth largest industry. Oil, Automobiles,
Computers & Agriculture follow advertising in that order. Today it is a million dollar
business.
The source of a message in the advertising communication system is the point of which the
message originates. There are many types of sources in the context of advertising, such as
the company offering the product, the particular brand or the spokesperson used.
MESSAGE:
The message refers to both the content and execution of the advertisement. It is the totality of
what is perceived by the receiver of the message. The message can be executed in great
variety of ways for e.g. the use of humor & fear
CHANNEL:
The message is transmitted through some channel from the source to the receiver. The
channel in an advertising communication system consist of one or more kinds of media,
such as radio, TV, newspaper, magazines, billboards, point-of-purchase display, &so
on. The impact of the communication can be different for different media.
RECEIVER:
The receiver in an advertising communication system is also called the target audience. Thus,
the receiver can be described in terms of audience segmentation variables, lifestyle, benefits
sought, demographics, & so on. Of particular interest might be the receivers involvement in
the product & the extent to which he/she is willing to search for and/or process information.
It is the characteristics of the receiver-the demographics, psychological, & social
DESTINATION:
The communication model in above diagram does not stop at the receiver but allows for the
possibility that the initial receiver might engage in word-of mouth communication to the
ultimate destination of the message. The receiver then becomes an interim source & the
destination becomes another receiver. Word-of- mouth communication resulting from
advertising can be a critical part of a campaign. The reality is that for some products
the absence of word-of-mouth communication can be fatal. It is only the word-of-mouth
communication that has credibility, comprehensiveness, & impact of affect the ultimate
behavior of a portion of the audience. Advertising can actually stimulate word-ofmouth activity, even when it cannot stimulate it, knowledge of its appropriateness and power
can be very helpful.
An advertising message can have a variety of effects upon the receiver. It can: Create
awareness
Communicate information about attributes & benefits Develop or change an image or
personality Associate a brand with feelings & emotions
Create group norms
Precipitate behavior
Write a note on Brand Equity
In todays environment, building strong brands and establishing brand equity is becoming
more and more challenging. A strong brand acts as a promise, leading faithful customers to
pay a premium over competitive products. The most important assets of any business
are intangible: its company name, brand, symbols, perceived quality, name
awareness, patents, trademarks etc. these assets comprise brand equity, a primary source
of competitive advantage.
Most evaluations of brand equity involve utility estimations. Value (utility) of a product
features and price level and also measuring the overall utility of a product, including
brand name. The difference between total utility and utility of product features is the value
of the brand. Monetary value, intangibles and perceived quality are also used in the brand
equity measurement.
Brand Equity can provide strategic advantages by: Use leverage when introducing new
products.
Brand can be linked to a quality image that buyers want to be associated with
Can lead to greater loyalty from customers. Offer a strong defence against new products and
new competitors.
Can lead to higher product trails and repeat purchasing, due to buyer awareness of the
brand.
6) Advertising = any paid form of non- personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods
and services by an identified sponsor.
7) Consumer products = products of daily use such as soaps, detergents, toothpaste, and so
on which have direct, regular and elastic demand
8 ) Account for advertising agency = advertising agency is an independent business
organization, composed of creative and business minded people, who develop, prepare and
place advertising media for sellers seeking to find customers for their goods and services.
Account means a client
9) DAGMAR = Defining Advertising Goals for Measuring Advertising
Results/Effectiveness. It states advertising has to perform a particular communication task
and the task has to be accomplished among a well-defined audience within a specified period
of time
10) AIDA = Attention , Interest, Desire, Action. Advertising as a tool of marketing
communication is especially meant for a group of users of product called target audience
11) Components of attitude = cognitive (knowledge, awareness and comprehension),
Affective component (linking, evaluation), Conative (Action and tendency)
12) Advertising objectives based on attitude = use of persuasive process of communication
as attitude change constantly and exact knowledge of consumer behavior as consumer
behavior is the result of consumer attitudes
13) Steps required for developing an advertising programme = advertising objectives,
prepare creative personnel and product offer-target audience, copy and layout design,
copy/layout test, creative strategy and tactics
14) Public relations = philosophy and function of management expressed in policies and
practices which serve the public to serve its understanding and goodwill
15) Corporate advertising = aims at creating market reputation and good image of the
company among all social groups
16) Pre-testing methods for measuring effectiveness of advertising = checklist method,
consumer-jury survey, sales-area test, portfolio test, mechanical/lab test
17) Post-testing methods = inquiry and coupon response, readership survey test, recall test,
attitude measurement test method, sales-test method
18) Brand equity = incremental value of a business above the value of its physical assets due
to the market position, achieved by its brands and the extension potential of the brand
19) Brand personality = brand develops a specific personality to the product and the brand
personalities correspond to their target market personalities
20) Brand image = opinion/impression which the consumers cultivate about a particular
brand provided by a manufacturer