Brand Identity: Facets of Brands' Uniqueness and Value
Brand identity specifies the facets of brands’ uniqueness and value. The common element sending a single message amid the variety of products, actions and communications. Brand positioning is the main difference creating preference in a specific market at a specific time for its products. For existing brands, identity is the source of positioning, or the angle used by the products of that brand to attack a market in order to grow their market share at the expense of competition.
What is the organisation’s mission and aim? What makes it different? What need is the brand fulfilling? What is its permanent nature? What are its values? What is its field of competence? What are the signs which make the brand recognizable?
Formal aspects, outward appearance, overall look result from the brand’s core substance and intrinsic identity. A brand’s deepest values must be reflected in the external signs of recognition, and these must be apparent at first glance. Brand image is determined by the receiver, the result of interpretation of identity through decoding messages, extracting meaning and interpreting signs. Extraneous factors include imitators, chasing fads instead of staying true to identity. Fantasized identity is how the brand wants to be seen, but not as it actually is
Distinguishing brands according to positioning emphasises the distinctive characteristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. Positioning can be based on benefit, target market (e.g. for adults, for teenagers), reason (the elements, factual or subjective that support the claimed benefit), Competitors (against whom?). The product will only be considered if it is part of a selection process. Positioning focuses on the product itself, not necessarily identity
Four questions that help position the new product or brand:
1. Why
2. For whom?
3. When?
4. Against whom?
Two stage positioning process:
1. What competitive set should the brand be associated and
What is the organisation’s mission and aim? What makes it different? What need is the brand fulfilling? What is its permanent nature? What are its values? What is its field of competence? What are the signs which make the brand recognizable?
Formal aspects, outward appearance, overall look result from the brand’s core substance and intrinsic identity. A brand’s deepest values must be reflected in the external signs of recognition, and these must be apparent at first glance. Brand image is determined by the receiver, the result of interpretation of identity through decoding messages, extracting meaning and interpreting signs. Extraneous factors include imitators, chasing fads instead of staying true to identity. Fantasized identity is how the brand wants to be seen, but not as it actually is
Distinguishing brands according to positioning emphasises the distinctive characteristics that make it different from its competitors and appealing to the public. Positioning can be based on benefit, target market (e.g. for adults, for teenagers), reason (the elements, factual or subjective that support the claimed benefit), Competitors (against whom?). The product will only be considered if it is part of a selection process. Positioning focuses on the product itself, not necessarily identity
Four questions that help position the new product or brand:
1. Why
2. For whom?
3. When?
4. Against whom?
Two stage positioning process:
1. What competitive set should the brand be associated and