Brand Manager: Brand Identity and Brand Image

I/ Brand identity VS Brand image

Consumer associations are influenced by the way the perceive themselves (culture, age, gender, socioeconomics factors…)

“Focus on bran identity, the brand image will follow” (Management Study Guide, 2012)

According to Kapferer, the brand should know what to send and how to send their identity. The received message is decoded by the customer which contributes to the brand image

A gap may appear between what the brand communicates and how the brand is perceived. This causes ineffective brand management

1/ Brand identity:

HOW A COMPANY WANTS TO BE PERCEIVED?

Elements such as name, vision and mission, values, beliefs, tagline, logo associations and symbols make the brand identity more clear and understandable. It is the end objective; it represents what the brand aspires to stand for. It enables to distinguish the brand value from other brands. It impacts a company’s reputation

In 1992, Kapferer suggested three qualities of brand identities (durability, coherence, realism).

In 1998, Keller suggested five criteria (memorability, meaningfulness, transferability, adaptability, protection through patents)

A brand identity is not effective until the stakeholders of a company perceive it the same way it is communicate by the company

TRIGGER2:

The brand identity of Finnmatkat changed while its brand image did not. Customers were not aware and prepared, the process has to be slow and to be implemented step by step but they get confused because the brand image does not correspond to the brand identity anymore.

2/ Brand image:

HOW CUSTOMERS PERCEIVE THE BRAND?

The set of perceptions about a brand which come to the consumer’s mind when a brand name is mentioned. It can be either a reasoned or emotional perception depending on beliefs Influenced by external (country image) and internal factors (customers’ personal characteristics). A brand image must correspond to the company’s business strategy. The idea is that the consumer is not only buying a product, but also the image associated to the brand. The image of a brand does not stay the same, it changes as the brand shape changes

Marketing tools can be used to establish a brand image (sales force, social media, packaging, logo, colours, brand name, retailer, promotion, pricing, country of origin…)

II/ Different brand identity models

Kapferer developed a model, representing externalisation (physique, relationship and reflection) and internationalisation (personality, culture and self-image)

III/ Visual identity based on the brand identity

They must represent an idea beyond the product.

- Audience

- Catch the eye (3 C’s: colour, control, consistency), size of the text and design, avoid clutter

- Make it personal (interactions, direct mail)

- Create an experience which lasts (emotion)

- Use visual clues to suggest abstract ideas (fancy)

- Stay easy to understand

- Good logo, presence on social media

Changing a visual identity can renew a company, modernize it and showing an evolution. Yet, like changing a brand identity, changing a visual identity has to be done step by step. In fact, a fast change in visual identity can confuse the customer and make her/him lose her/his marks