Master branding strategy
Samsung has managed to avoid excessive and unrelated diversification and channeled their resources around one or two dominant businesses. Samsung was previously engaged in manufacturing lower-end consumer electronics under a handful of brand names including Wiseview, Tantus, and Yepp, none of which meant much to consumers. To counter this negative trait, Samsung’s management decided to move up the value chain in an attempt to build a stronger identity; the company ditched its other brands consolidating all its resources behind the Samsung name.
This incisive management decision has paid off over the past five years; at number 20 Samsung has posted the biggest gain in value of any Global 100 brand, with a 186% surge. Last year Samsung surpassed No. 28 Sony, a far more entrenched rival that once owned the electronics category, in overall brand value.
Focus on product design
Samsung currently has about 450 people on their design staff. Four or five years ago, it was about 100 or less. In addition Samsung has a further six design centers around the world.
By bringing design into everyday products such as mobile phones Samsung is able to bring coolness into the fray and are also able to price up because of the coolness factor which is integral to their marketing strategy. A multisensoral approach to design is undertaken by Samsung implying that when you open up the user interface, whether it is a phone or a TV, those user interfaces will signal the same sound.
For example, we introduced a global advertising campaign, called "Imagine," and at the end of the commercials there's a Samsung logo and a sound effect. And that sound is supposed to be the new Samsung sound. In this light,
Samsung is able to achieve the same kind of sound and look and feel throughout their products ensuring it all works toward one Samsung brand.
Customer focused innovation
The firm has created an elite CNB Group (short for