Brand Lifecycle

Applying the Mootee's (2001) Brand Lifecycle Model, this progressive and systematic development may be observed. However, it is mandatory to mention, that this model portrays a successful and almost ideal case of brand development, not including the downfalls and failures a brand usually experience. 

Applying this model to the branding visual aspect, such as logo for instance, we can observe the Brand Lifecycle stages on examples of Starbucks and Nike:

1971 Nike - Product Brand

1978 Nike - Experience Brand

1985 Nike - Corporate Brand

current Nike - Global Brand

1971 Starbucks - Trademark

1987 Starbucks - Service Brand
1992 Starbucks - Personality and Ingredients Brand
2011 Starbucks - Global Brand

Reference:

Mootee, I (2007) Innovation Playground [online] Available URL: http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/advanced_branding_strategy_masterclass/page/2/, Accessed on 8.11.2011

Brand Architecture

" As the pace of business quickens and the number of brands multiplies, it is customer, not companies, who decide which brands live and which brands die"
                                                                                        - Marty Neumeier (2007), Zag, Peachpit Press


1. Brand Extensions
 According to Serena Gossain (2011), brands are expanding gradually over the years of existence by creating Subbrands, Masterbrands, Superbrands, Megabrands and other brand extensions.

Sub Brand / Brand Siblings - a new subsidiary brand of a Parent Brand or a Corporate Brand in the brand system (For example Sony Playstation, or Taurus for Ford, or Accord for Honda)

Master Brand - historically used to be the dominant brand in the hierarchy and the only brand in the system. It is a specified overarching brand that attempts to create a strong association between company's products and the main brand image. (For example: Intel, which produces the following products Pentium, Centrino and Core Duo)

Parent Brand / Umbrella Brand / Family Brand - is a brand that is expanded into more than one category (For example Honda, Ford, or P&G)

Corporate Brand - always bearing the company name and is the highest in the hierarchy (For example: Ford, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Virgin, Kingfisher-a beer and an airline, Mitsubishi-a car, a bank, and a canned fish, etc.)



2. There are three main Brand Architecture Types:

• Monolithic / Stand alone brand - the single business identity. The organisation uses single name and visual system throughout (For example: Chanel, HSBC, Yamaha, Virgin, BMW, Harrods)

 

• Endorsed  - the multiple business identity. The organisation owns a variety of brands, each of which is endorsed by the group name or visual style (For example: Nestle, Banco Santander, Marriott)

• Branded / Free Standing Brand - the brand-based identity. The organisation owns a number of brands or companies that are unrelated to each other as well as to corporation. The organisation stays "invisible"to the consumer (For example: P&G, RBS, General Motors, LVMH, Pfizer)

3. House of Brands vs Branded House

	House of Brands	Branded House
Pros	+ Distinctive positioning for each brand + Dominating niche markets	+ Minimal investment in new entries + Brand leveraging by parenting brand
Contras	-Absence of economies of scale - Absence of brand leveraging for new entries	-Harder to target specific audiences - Bigger risk involved in case of failure of the main brand

Exercise:
Define a type of brand architecture for the following brands: Cadbury, Regents School, Fiat.

Cadbury - Branded House/Endorsed - many products reinforced by a parenting brand name
Regent's School - Stand alone brand - though various products are produced they are all under the same brand name, logo and identity
Fiat - House of Brands - as it holds the biggest stake in Ferrari (90%) and Chrysler (54%), it is considered to own the companies, however, these brands portray absolutely different images and do not intersect in the minds of consumers.  

Reference:
Ollins, W (2008) The Brand Handbook. pp.44-53. London: Thames & Hudson

Investopedia ULC (2011) "Masterbrand" [online] Available URL: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/masterbrand.asp#axzz1ffKvjQqj, Accessed on 8.11.2011

Riches, E (2009) "Comparison Test: 2010 Ford Taurus vs 2009 Honda Accord". Edmunds Inc. [online] Available URL: http://www.insideline.com/honda/accord/2009/comparison-test-2010-ford-taurus-vs-2009-honda-accord.html, Accessed on 8.11.2011

The Core Idea

According to Ollins (2008), the basic notion around which the brand should be build is a core idea, that must be clearly seen in everything that an organisation is doing, everything it produces and owns. Consistent performance and straightforward concept must be obvious to every single representative of the potential consumer public. Such consistency of the vision and organisational purpose is forming a strong base for developing a successful branding programme.
The four main areas through a brand emerges are the following:
                    

In this particular concept introduced by Ollins (2008), the four vectors of brand tangibility are described as follows:
Product - stands for what the organisation manufactures or sells
Environment - includes the physical ambience of the brand (such as store and office layouts)
Communication - the way that the company portrays its image to the external as well as internal audience
Behaviour - the deeds and actions of the employees of the company, organisational culture   


It is believed that every organisation is getting into a slowdown period when the previously informal or not stressed out core idea needs to be revealed or rediscovered. And that is exactly the time when the comprehensive and self-aware branding programme must be introduced. "The corporate brand makes the organisation's core idea and strategy visible and tangible"- suggesting Wally Ollins in The Brand Handbook (2008). 

Reference:
Ollins, W (2008) The Brand Handbook. pp.24-43. London: Thames & Hudson 

Brandversation-creative idea

A thought-provoking version of couples of two competing brands merged into one unit was created by Romanian designer Stefan Asafti:

“There have always existed disputes among the competing parties, divergent opinions, while the fans of each brand were convinced that theirs was the best product. Last, but not least, the rivals have even conducted ad campaigns against the competing brands. This project mostly approaches the visual “conversations” between the company logos and the ways that they influence each other, hence the name of the project, Brandversations. It is a parallel between the modern and the old, some of the slogans dating back to the 40s and 50s.” — STEFAN ASAFTI

The idea behind the project was to reveal what is more impactful on a mind of consumer:

• the logo

or

• the brand name

Even though the actual research has never taken place and no results were published, it may be observed instantly how on some images the eye catches the sign-logo, but on some the actual name can be seen immediately. The power of one brand over the other may be noticed undoubtedly, even if sometimes the logo of a competitor is bigger in size. 

Reference:LogoDesignLove (2011) Brandversations. [online] Available URL:http://www.logodesignlove.com/brandversations, Accessed on 2.11.2011

PROJECT A - situational analysis

1. Current situational analysis for Pedigree:

2. Current situational analysis for Baskin Robins:

Brand Example of Country of Origin

One of the most distinctive and successful Moldovan brands is BUCURIA: 

It is the largest enterprise producing confectionary in the republic, with the strongest heritage and history behind it.

The translation of the brand name is Joy. The slogan "Cu noi viata e mai dulce" translation is the following:  Life is sweeter with us. Thus, everything incircles around delight, pleasure, happiness, and felicity. 

The colour as well as the logo itself is very recognisable and strong. The meaning has an instant positive association in the mind of consumers speaking local language. 

The web site is an exceptionally exemplary for cheerful and positive associations with the brand, especially with targeting their primary audience: children, families, teenagers and pleasure-loving local culture representatives. At the same time a good quality is clearly demonstrated through consistent exposition of awards-winning international performance and sustainable-ethical investments.  

LOGO as a Brand Component

Logo is a component of symbols component of a brand. It refers to visual representation of a brand and is necessary in delivering a clear strategic message to prospective audience (Wheeler, 2006).

Logo may consist of graphical depiction of a Brand Name, or only some letters (like abbreviator), or the picture or shapes only. One or a mix of factors mentioned above form an emblem that promotes instant public recognition and is meant to form and evoke specific associations, both rational and emotional.

By analysing evolutional development and change of most of the long-established logotypes, very informative conclusions may be made. For example, looking at Audi logo historical amendments we may notice the ownership changeovers, as well as reorganisations and reshaping of the company:

Observing Pepsi logotype change we may see how the brand name gradually depreciated and the graphical representation is the only portrayal that is left nowadays:

After taking a closer look at a big number of logotype evolution chain, using the following web link: http://best-ad.blogspot.com/2008/08/evolution-of-logos.html, which was provided by the lecturer, the following conclusions were generated:

• logos are becoming more simple with time
• colours used are becoming brighter and more distinct
• the font is transforming into more clear, plain, and straightforward
• the number of words used (if any are used) is diminishing
• modern technologies allowed a 3-dimentional and volumetric graphical portrayal
• as the brand matures it becomes more recognisable and thus allowing taking off the brand name itself (example of Starbucks recent logo amendment) 
• as brands are becoming global their names and symbols are becoming more internationally safe in terms of words and images that are being changed in order to compel any culture and language

A recent innovation in logotype development is the introduction of Dynamic Logos, which change and adapt to every specific occasion, whilst preserving their distinctive features. A good example of such would be a pioneer in this particular area MICHELIN logo:

The followers of Michelin logo strategy are such well-known brands as Google, MTV, Morton Salt, Saks Fifth Avenue and many others. 

References:

Wheeler, A (2006) Designing Brand Identity. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 4, ISBN 978-0-471-74684-3

Rawsthorn, A (2007) The new corporate logo: dynamic and changeable are all the rage. [online] Available URL: http://global.nytimes.com/?iht, International Herald Tribune (Retrieved 15 October 2011).