Branding in Asia: The creation, development and management of Asian brands for the global market

by Paul Temporal
John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York; 2000; ISBN 0-471-83576-5; 261pp; hardback; $29.95

This book exceeded my expectations which were mainly about redressing the balance on geographical origins of brand case studies. Our literature suffers from being far too US centric. This imbalance is unfortunate for several reasons including: Living in the USA for the last 2 years has taught me how atypical the US consumer is of any other I have met in 25 countries that I have worked. From the oldest brand models (which assumed brands were advertising led) to the newest e-brand models, theres a huge share of voice reecting the culture of corporate America and the case theories of its business schools. These powerful systems shouldnt be unquestioningly exported as being de facto paradigms for local organisational excellence or social value. My expectations were exceeded because this book unlike most on the brand which start with chapters on advertising and marketing communications opens up from the very beginning on the leadership importance of branding. Here we are on pages 12: Strong brands endure

many challenges. This is becoming increasingly relevant in an era of unprecedented change, upheaval and uncertainty. This change is strategic, unlike the incremental change of more predictable times, and therefore requires a strategic response. Brand building is exactly such a response. If successful, it can be the strongest weapon in a companys armory and the best guarantee of corporate survival. The challenge that lies ahead is that of change management. And by page 4, were invited to join in a cataloguing of worldwide changes to marketing: the breakdown of market boundaries; globalisation and the development of global brands; increasing market fragmentation; product diversity and shorter life cycles; greater customer sophistication; digital business; economic instability and market volatility. So this book ies, and yet, at the same time, when you read it you will continually pick up useful advice whether your brain is looking for
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HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1350-231X BRAND MANAGEMENT VOL. 8, NO. 1, 7784 SEPTEMBER 2000

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Table 1:

Some brand strengths audited by Paul Temporal Customer experience focus Multi-usage created by strong target user Understanding of market segments Differentiation Innovation Speed of response Pre-emptive symbolism Brand name Unique personality backed by the brand experience Excellent animation in communicating brand values Good use of PR in brand building Location choices Heritage Professionalism Consistency Authenticity

Founders or CEOs vision Leadership teams brand passion Persistent attention to brand culture Living the vision, mission and values Obsessive brand guardianship Choosing the right partners Strategic positioning Emotional and aspirational positioning strategy Brand analysis and implementation Cost Leadership Quality product Value for money Reliably high service standards Global and local adaptation Long-term brand investment Consumer focus

practical or academic stimulation. For example, the book closes with an appendix of very worthwhile brand exercises, and it resonates with case studies, 24 in all. Each case study ends with a summary of that brands strengths. The Table shows a partial compilation of these strengths which I have made to illustrate the scope of this book and indeed of brand change leadership. This book will be good for you whether this is the rst one you read on branding, or as in my case the twentyrst, including two of my own. For example, I learnt a lot from Temporals consistently strong advice on brand values. Heres just one extract. In dening brand values, it is not good enough to simply select the corporate brand personality characteristics and inform everyone they now exist. Personality characteristics must be dened at two distinct levels: company-wide level: so that employees can see how they t into the vision and mission of the organisation, and understand each
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characteristic or value. It is important that employees are informed of the corporate personality and the reason for it, and why the behaviours included in the denitions are so important to the branding process; individual level: every employee from the CEO downward must attempt to live the brand personality in the job that he or she does. The reason for this is simple an employee may understand the new corporate personality and general descriptions attached to it, but what he or she really wants to know is what it means for his or her particular job. Above all, the customer has to experience the brand through every employee. Training is an integral part of achieving good performance on brand values. However well dened the brand values are, staff may need to learn new skills in order to perform well. It is important to look at each value and decide what these skills are. A fruitful way to

HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1350-231X (2000) BRAND MANAGEMENT VOL. 8, NO. 1, 7784 SEPTEMBER 2000

BOOK REVIEWS

do this is by analysing the behaviour of staff who have been identied to be performing to a very high standard on one value. Look at the critical incidents that have happened to that person when he or she has to bring that value into action; nd out how that person did it. Also interview people who knew about the incident. As an example, the following is the results of a series of interviews with the employees of an Asian bank on the value of caring: Personal skills required showing empathy; emotional resilience; suspending judgement; listening; giving positive and negative feedback; self-discipline; openness and honesty; combining formality with informality;

Organisational implications encouraging openness, honesty; strengthening coaching, counselling; training in interpersonal skills; developing teamwork. If this book has any weaknesses, I havent been able to spot them, apart from one that goes back to the geographical issue. Pauls Asia seems to be largely the South East, and its urban consumers. Dont expect to nd very much on China or India, or on the rural majority whose lot the future corporate citizens of Asia will need to work a lot harder on.

Chris Macrae Editorial Board (e-mail webn007@easynet.co.uk)

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