Choosing Brand Elements to build

Brand Equity

Smita Sharma, LBSIM Delhi

Brand knowledge structures depend on:

The initial choices for the brand elements

The supporting marketing program and the manner by

Building
Customer-Based
Brand
which the
brand is integrated into
it Equity

Other associations indirectly transferred to the brand

by linking it to some other entities

Brand Elements

Brand Elements are trademark able devices that serve

to identify and differentiate the brand.

Brand elements are visual or verbal information that

serve to identify and differentiate a product.

Brand Elements

Slogans

Brand
names

URLs

Elements
Characters

Packaging

Logos &
Symbols

JinglesMusic/
sound

Choosing Brand Elements

Brand elements - brand equity relation

The test of the brand-building ability of these
elements is what consumers would think or feel
about the product if they only knew about the
brand element.

Why are brand elements so carefully chosen?

Enhance brand awareness

Facilitate brand associations
Elicit positive judgments and feelings
Select to convey message about what the brand
stands for
Enhance memorability
Communicate attributes, positioning

Criteria for Choosing Brand Elements

Memorability
Meaningfulness
Likability
Transferability
Adaptability
Protect ability

Marketers offensive strategy

to build brand equity

Defensive role for leveraging

and maintaining brand equity

Criteria
Memorable
Easily recognized
Easily recalled

Brand elements should inherently be memorable and

attention-getting, and therefore facilitate recall or
recognition.

Criteria
Meaningful

Descriptive
Persuasive
Brand elements may take on all kinds of meaning, with either descriptive or
persuasive content.

Two particularly important criteria

General information about the nature of the product category
Specific information about particular attributes and benefits of the brand

The first dimension is an important determinant of brand awareness and

salience; the second, of brand image and positioning.

Criteria
Likable
Fun & Interesting
Rich visual & verbal imagery
Aesthetically pleasing

Do customers find the brand element aesthetically appealing?

Criteria
Transferable

How useful is the brand element for line or category extensions?

To what extent does the brand element add to brand equity across
boundaries and market segments?

Within & across product boundaries

Across geographic boundaries & cultures

Criteria
Adaptable
Flexible
Updatable

The more adaptable and flexible the brand element, the easier it is to update it
to changes in consumer values and opinions.
For example, logos and characters can be given a new look or a new design to
make them appear more modern and relevant.

Criteria
Protectable
Legally registered trade mark
Marketers should:
Choose brand elements that can be legally protected
internationally.
Formally register chosen brand elements with the appropriate
legal bodies.
Vigorously defend trademarks from unauthorized competitive
infringement.

Brand Names & URLs

Useful for Brand Awareness & Brand Associations

Descriptive Singapore Airlines, Hit, Gati

Suggestive suggests a benefit or function
Colorstay lipsticks, Head & Shoulders, Mop & Glo,
Aquaguard, Eveready, Sugar Free, Sunsilk

Classical based on Greek, Latin or Sanskrit words

Arbitrary no relationship with the company/Product Apple,

Camel

Brand Names

Compound
RedHat
PriceWaterhouse
Coopers

Fanciful (imaginative
words)
Vodafone
Wochardt

Classical
Vedanta
Balaji Telefilms

Arbitrary (real words

without direct connection)
Apple
Orange
Mango

URLs

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are used to specify locations of pages

on the Web, and are also commonly referred to as domain names.
Anyone wishing to own a specific URL must register and pay for the
name with a service (Register.com)
Large companies are now carefully monitoring the Web for unauthorized
use of their brands
URLs domains are com., net.,

and org., biz., info.

Logos & Symbols

Corporate names & Trademarks Coca-Cola,

Nestle, Tata, Maruti, Johnson & Johnson

Abstract or non-word mark logos are also known as

symbols- Mercedes star, Rolex crown, Nike swoosh,
Olympic rings

Word logos- McDonalds Golden Arch, FedEx

Benefits

Visual nature of logos & symbols easy recognition

& recall

Versatile- can be updated, transferred across cultures

Can be appropriate for a range of product categories

Apple Logo

Original
logo

1976-1998

1998-2000

Think Different

2000-2007

Currently

Characters
A symbol that takes on human or real life characteristics

McDonalds Ronald
Disney Characters
Asian Paints Gattu
Pillsbury Doughboy
Kellogg's Bear
Frosted Flakes -Tony the Tiger
Duracell Bunnies
Amul Girl (Polka dot girl)

Brand Elements: Characters

Characters represent a special type of brand symbol- one that
takes on human or real-life characteristics
They can play a central role in ad campaigns and package
designs
Animated
Live action figures
They are often colorful and rich in imagery, attention
getting.
The human element of brand characters can help to create
perceptions of the brand as being fun, interesting, and so
forth. (relationship)
They often must be updated over time so that image and
personality remains relevant to the target market

Benefits

Enhance brand personality & build relationship with

customers Disney for kids

Valuable Licensing properties Barbie dolls,

Spiderman, Superman etc., All Disney Characters

Can be updated to suit the changing times

Slogans

Short phrases that contain descriptive or persuasive information

Adds verbal reinforcement
Design of slogans
To build awareness and image
Product sense and beyond
(zindagi ke saath bhi .. zindagi ke baad bhi)
Updation of slogans
Find out contribution of existing slogan
Find out what more you wish to enhance
Retain good qualities of earlier slogan and build up on that

Slogans

Just Do it
Applying thought
No more tears
Diamonds are forever
Eat healthy think better
On time every time

Benefits

Often rich and colorful attention getting and help in

creating brand awareness
Help Brands in breaking through the clutter in the
market
Communicate a key product benefit

Slogans/Taglines
Nike
Ad Taglines:
What are you getting ready for
Why sport
I can
Brand Slogan: Just do it
Slogans can be more expansive and enduring than taglines.

Jingles

Musical easy recall - Airtel

Reinforce brand positioning and enhance PODs or
POPs
Useful when designing ad campaigns
Helps in repetitive reminding

Packaging

Identify the brand strong brand association with

packaging style
Convey descriptive & persuasive information
Facilitate product transportation & protection &
storage
Assist at-home storage (bottles and refill)

Packaging

Aid Product consumption (screw-on cap in soft

drink)
Innovations can boost sales Soft drink cans, 2 litre
bottles, chocolates in smaller packs, shampoos and
hair oils in sachets enhance product usage &
consumption

Packaging

Heineken beer green bottle

Cadbury- purple
Kit-Kat red
Kodak films yellow
Pepsi - blue