Branding

Most companies decide to brand their products or services by using a name, a symbol or a design to identify it and differentiate it from the rival brands. Consumers can easily recognize the brand and the brand values – what it stands for.

A brand name is the name given to a product or a range of products – goods of a similar type that are marketed together. This may be the same name as the company (for example, Coca-Cola) or it may be a different name (for example, Apple’s Pod). The trade mark is the legal protection for the brand, its logo, and its brand name.

Some people distinguish the psychological aspect of a brand from the experiential aspect. The experiential aspect consists of the sum of all points of contact with the brand and is known as the brand experience. The psychological aspect, sometimes referred to as the brand image, is a symbolic construct created within the minds of people, and consists of all the information and expectations associated with a product or service.

People engaged in branding seek to develop or align the expectations behind the brand experience, creating the impression that a brand associated with a product or service has certain qualities or characteristics that make it special or unique. A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in a advertising theme, as it demonstrates what the brand owner is able to offer in the market place. The art of creating and maintaining a brand is called brand management. Orientation of the whole organization towards its brand is called integrated marketing.

A brand manager is responsible for branding – creating, maintaining and building a brand. He or she works on all aspects of the brand:

the brand image	How the consumers see the brand: the values they associate with it.
the brand essence	One core concept which defines the brand. It is normally expressed in a short phrase or just one word. A good example is ‘Volvo equalssafety’.
the brand promise	The explicit promise the organization makes to its target audiences, including employees, about the quality and use of the brand.
the brand vision	The brand vision communicates where the brand is and where the brand can go. It talks about the values the brand has today and the values it will need in the future, as well as the communication tools needed to achieve this.

In marketing, we point out attitude branding that is the choice to represent a large feeling, which is not necessarily connected with the product or consumption of the product at all. Marketing labeled as attitude branding include that of Nike, Starbucks, and Apple Inc.

Iconic brands are defined as having aspects that contribute to consumer’s self-expression and personal identity. Brands whose value to consumers comes primarily from having identity value are said to be ‘ identity brands ’. Some of these brands have such a strong identity that they become more or less ‘ cultural icons ’ which makes them iconic brands. Examples of iconic brands are Nike and Harley Davidson. Many iconic brands include almost ritual-like behaviour when buying and consuming the products.

There are several types of brands:

• a premium brand – a high quality brand, more expensive than its competitors
• an economy brand – a brand that is cheaper than its competitors
• an own brand – a brand that is made exclusively for the retailer that sells it; also known as an own-label brand or a private label brand
• a brand leader – the best-selling brand in a particular market
• the flagship brand – the brand for which a business is best known, and which represents its image most appropriately
• a no brand – a product that doesn’t have a brand associated with it; also known as a generic brand
• co-branding – two brands working together to create a new product – for example, Intel Corporation and Apple Computers Inc.

Brand platform:

Brand management, the application of marketing techniques to a brand, was first used by Proctor & Gamble in the 1930’s. The brand strategy shows how the brand will meet its objectives. It influences the overall business strategy of a company to ensure consistent brand behaviour, meaning what the brand does and how it acts in all advertising media, and consistent brand experience – the exposure and interaction a consumer has with the brand. Total branding refers to a consistent approach to brand behaviour and brand experiences across all possible touch points – wherever the consumer has a brand experience: TV, out-of-home, at a friend’s house, etc.

Exercise 3. Answer the following questions:

1. How do most companies decide to brand their products or services?

2. What is a brand name?

3. What is trade mark?

4. What aspects of brand do you know? Explain them.

5. What is brand management?

6. Who is brand manager? What is he responsible for?

7. What do all brand aspects mean?

8. What is attitude branding?

9. What are iconic brands?

10. What types of brands do you know?

Exercise 4. Give Ukrainian equivalents of the following:

symbolic construct, brand experience, no brand, psychological aspect, touch point, in a short phrase or just one word, people engaged in branding, strong identity, integrated marketing, brand tone of voice, brand mission, to convey, legal protection for the brand, own-label brand, experiential aspect, valuable element in an advertising, out-of-home, ritual-like behaviour, competitive set, certain quality.

Exercise 5. Give English equivalents of the following:

сутність марки, послідовний підхід, відповідним чином, символічна конструкція, канонічна марка, потенційна клієнтська аудиторія, співпраця двох торгових марок з метою створення нового продукту, застосування, чітко висловлена обіцянка, засіб спілкування, націлювати, показувати, інтегральний маркетинг, суть марки, торгова марка, що найкраще продається, бути спроможним запропонувати, бути дешевшим ніж у конкурентів, загальна марка, конкуруючий бренд, високоякісна торгова марка.

Exercise 6. Match and learn the synonyms:

A: overall, objective, best-known, to contribute, to align, rival, advertising, to market, to be able to;

B: to trade, total, aim, to provide, well-known, to target, can, competitive, promotion.

Exercise 7. Match and learn the opposites:

A: possible, high quality, private, expensive, unique, particular, to integrate, legal, to identify, own, short phrase;

B: illegal, to separate, state, cheap, common, impossible, low quality, long phrase, state, to differentiate, total.

Exercise 8. Complete the sentences using the proper words from the list below:

consistent approach, consumption, integrated, align, consumers, experiential aspect, branding, ‘identity brands’

1. The … consists of the sum of all points of contact with the brand. 2. People engaged in branding seek to develop or … the expectations behind the brand experience. 3. Brands whose value to consumers comes primarily from having identity value are said to be…. 4. Total branding refers to a … to brand behaviour and brand experiences. 5. …,can easily recognize the brand and the brand values – what it stands for. 6. Orientation of the whole organization towards its brand is called … marketing. 7. In marketing, we point out attitude … is the choice to represent a large feeling, which is not necessarily connected with the product or … of the product at all.

Exercise 9. Put questions to the bold part of the sentence:

1. A brand name is the name given to a product or a range of products – goods of a similar type that are marketed together. 2. A brand is therefore one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme. 3. There are several types of brands: premium brand, economy brand, own brand, etc. 4. The brand personality means the human characteristics associated with the brand. 5. Most companies decide to brand their products or services by using a name, a symbol, or a design to identify it and differentiate it from the competitive set. 6. Some people distinguish the psychological aspect of a brand from the experiential aspect. 7. The brand tone of voice is the language the brand uses to convey its values

Exercise 10. Match terms in the left column with their definitions in the right column:

1) psychological aspect	a) is the legal protection for the brand, its logo, and its brand name.
2) iconic brands	b) brands whose value to consumers comes primarily from having identity value.
3) brand manager	c) is one core concept which defines the brand and it is normally expressed in a short phrase or just one word.
4) brand leader	d) is a brand that is cheaper than its competitors.
5) brand name	e) is the brand for which a business is best known, and which represents its image most appropriately.
6) brand personality	g) is the language the brand uses to convey its values.
7) brand promise	h) talks about the values the brand has today and the values it will need in the future, as well as the communication tools needed to achieve this.
8) brand image	i) is a product that doesn’t have a brand associated with it; also known as a generic brand.
9) co-branding	j) is the orientation of the whole organization towards its brand.
10) experiential aspect	k) is a high quality brand, more expensive than its competitors.
11) identity brands	l) referred to as the brand image and consists of all the information and expectations associated with a product or service.
12) own brand	m) is a brand that is made exclusively for the retailer that sells it; also known as an own-label brand or a private label brand.
13) brand management	n) is the explicit promise the organization makes to its target audiences, including employees, about the quality and use of the brand.
14) flagship brand	o) is the best-selling brand in a particular market.
15) brand vision	p) is the name given to a product or a range of products – goods of a similar type that are marketed together.
16) brand tone of voice	q) are defined as having aspects that contribute to consumer’s self-expression and personal identity.
17) attitude branding	r) are the human characteristics associated with the brand.
18) brand essence	s) is a symbolic construct created within the minds of people.
19) no brand	t) are two brands working together to create a new product.
20) premium brand	u) is a person who is responsible for branding – creating, maintaining and building a brand.
21)trade mark	v) is the choice to represent a large feeling, which is not necessarily connected with the product or consumption of the product at all.
22) economy brand	w) aspect of a brand which consists of the sum of all points of contact with the brand and is known as the brand experience.
23) integrated marketing	x) shows how the brand will meet its objectives.
24) total branding	y) refers to a consistent approach to brand behaviour and brand experiences across all possible touch points.
25) brand strategy	f) is the art of creating and maintaining a brand.

Exercise 11. Translate into English:

1. Використання відомої торгової марки збільшує продаж. 2. Наша фірма використала всі засоби розповсюдження реклами, щоб просунути цей товар на ринок. 3. Імідж торгової марки займає провідне місце у загальній стратегії бізнесу. 4. Інтегральний маркетинг – це нова сходинка у сфері бізнесу. 5. Розрізняють психологічний аспект та аспект, що ґрунтується на досвіді, по відношенню до торгової марки. 6. Щоб досягти успіху, ми повинні проаналізувати потенційну аудиторію клієнтів. 7. Ми обговорювали співпрацю двох торгових марок з метою створення одного продукту. 8. Товари нашої торгової марки дешевші ніж у конкурентів. 9. Бренд-менеджер відповідає за створення та підтримку бренду. 10. Наш товар є лідером на ринку і успішно продається.