Effective brand. Brand promotion. Stages of implementing effective online branding

Recently, branding issues have increasingly become the object of theoretical research and scientific research. Nevertheless, these studies remain challenged by theorists, such as the assessment of branding effectiveness. Weak theoretical elaboration of this problem is reflected in the real practice of brand management. Despite the growing need for accurate measurement of the impact of brand building and promotion activities, few companies actually apply branding performance metrics. If these indicators are used, then they measure the effectiveness of the application of only a particular branding activity (for example, the effectiveness of the use of tools marketing communications on brand promotion), rather than assessing the effectiveness of branding as a whole as a set of measures to create and develop a brand.

Thus, there is a need for a clear methodology that allows evaluating the effectiveness of various branding activities in a complex, i.e. in the integral assessment of efficiency. This article offers one of the options for possible approaches to solving the indicated problem.

The first part of the article is devoted to a brief analysis of the existing models for assessing the effectiveness of branding. In the second part of the article, an integrated approach to assessing the effectiveness of branding is proposed, a description of the structure and content of the main stages of assessment in accordance with the proposed model is given.

Differentiation of approaches to assessing the effectiveness of Branding

Branding efficiency concept. Efficiency characterizes the ratio of the obtained effect and the costs of its implementation and is “a kind of price or payment for achieving this result” [Bukhalkov, 1999, p. 341]. Thus, to define the concept of "branding efficiency" it is necessary to determine the costs of branding implementation and the resulting effect.

Branding costs are determined by summing up the costs incurred for the creation and development of the brand: the costs of its development, creation and promotion using marketing communications. Information on the costs of branding activities is usually relatively accessible and convenient for processing and analysis.

However, when calculating costs, it is necessary to evaluate the following factors:

• time period for which branding costs are calculated;
• structural components of costs when assessing cost. So, it is known that investments in advertising, on the one hand, directly lead to an increase in sales, which are measured immediately, on the other hand, these investments create brand awareness and image, which contributes to future sales;
• discount rates when adding costs (to bring past costs to the present period).

Branding effects. Each effect reflects the degree of achievement of a given result, in the assessment of which actual or expected indicators are compared with a pre-adopted goal (planned indicators). If the result is not achieved at all, then the efficiency also loses its positive economic significance. So, in the production and economic activities of a company, the efficiency indicator expresses, as a rule, the amount of income per unit of costs, for example, the profitability of products [Bukhalkov, 1999, p. 341].

In branding, it is much more difficult to define the concept of effect, since brand building is associated with the creation of not only material, but also emotional and symbolic values. Therefore, the concept of effect in branding is multifaceted. Due to the complex nature of costs and benefits, a set of branding effects should be considered when evaluating branding performance.

It appears that the effects in branding can be categorized into perceptual, behavioral, and economic effects. Perception effects are associated with the creation of brand awareness and the formation of a positive attitude towards it (through various marketing communications activities). Behavioral effects are associated with building brand loyalty. Economic (financial and market) effects are associated with an increase in sales volumes or a brand's market share, an increase in the brand equity of a brand.

Approaches to assessing the effectiveness of branding. Currently, many authors to one degree or another have raised the issue of assessing the success or effectiveness of branding, offering various approaches to solving this difficult task. A number of approaches and models for assessing the effectiveness of branding are presented below in a generalized form. It is obvious that the demonstrated short review does not exhaust all existing approaches, however, most of the proposals that remain outside its scope are to one degree or another similar to the options for assessing the effectiveness of branding below.

Model L. de Cernatoni. L. de Chernatony (L. de Chernatony) in his works focuses on the importance of a holistic approach to assessing the effectiveness of brand management. In 1998, he undertook a study that demonstrated the need to use a whole set of criteria for assessing brand success, both based on business metrics and obtained by evaluating consumer opinions.

Later, this approach was developed in the development of a matrix consisting of two columns (internal and external brand assessment) and five rows (brand vision, organizational culture, brand objectives, brand essence, implementation and search for resources for the brand).

In fig. 1 shows five categories representing the building blocks (sequential steps) of brand creation and development. Within each of them, questions were formulated (51 questions in total) to determine the effectiveness of branding at each specific stage of brand building.

The answers to these questions are given on a scale from 0 to 5 points. For each of the categories, an integral score is calculated (the arithmetic mean of the scores for the entire number of questions within a certain category). So, for example, in the case of the "Brand Vision" option, the denominator is 14.

Rice. 1. Evaluating the effectiveness of branding at various stages of brand building
Compiled from:.

The next step is the construction of a brand “health” diagram, which makes it possible to assess its viability. Thus, in the hypothetical example given by Cernatoni, the analyzed brand enjoys strong support from “ organizational culture”, However, has problems in terms of“ brand objectives ”(Fig. 2).

A thorough analysis of the brand health diagram allows professionals to identify areas in which it is necessary to take measures to improve the effectiveness of brand management.

Model M. Sherrington. M. Sherrington suggests evaluating branding performance using a Key Performance Indicator (KPI), which is tied to the company's strategy and its specific vision of the market [Sherrington, 2006, p. 220]. Sherrington emphasizes the need to highlight the dominant KPI, arguing that this is "an excellent way of focusing a business on the correct nature of growth and checking whether growth goals are being met" [Sherrington, 2006, p. 224]. On the one hand, the simplification of the system of indicators aimed at adaptation to a specific market situation is justified. On the other hand, there are certain boundaries of simplification, and therefore, it is unreasonable to reduce such a complex and multifaceted construct as a brand to one dominant indicator. In addition, such an approach still requires constant monitoring of the strength (viability) of the brand and additional verification of the sufficiency of the chosen dominant KPI, which may not simplify, but, on the contrary, complicate the assessment system as a whole.

Rice. 2. Brand health diagram (hypothetical example)
A source: .

D. Aaker's model. Brand management guru, American specialist D. Aaker believes that branding efficiency should be assessed based on the analysis of indicators of the use of brand equity assets, such as “brand awareness”, “perceived brand quality”, “brand loyalty” and "Brand associations."

Assessing the effectiveness of the use of assets allows the system of indicators (Fig. 3), which the author called "ten indicators of brand equity" ("Brand Equity Ten"). At the same time, the author believes that efficient management brands includes a system of not only financial, but also behavioral and market indicators [Aaker, 2003, p. 376-377]. It should also be noted that this “top ten” does not necessarily represent the optimal set for all possible situations and, according to the author, requires modification to be tied to a specific situation and the task being performed.

As shown in fig. 3, the first four groups of indicators are consumer estimates of brand equity assets obtained as a result of research. The fifth group uses indicators that reflect the current market situation (market share, brand representation in the distribution network). At the same time, according to D. Aaker, the core parameter of brand capital remains the consumer's loyalty to the brand, since it represents “an entry barrier for a competitor, the opportunity to receive a price premium and time for retaliatory measures when a competitor’s new products appear, as well as an obstacle to destructive price competition"[Aaker, 2003, p. 380].

Rice. 3. “Ten indicators” of brand equity Source: [Aaker, 2003, p. 380].

The approach of T. Munoz and S. Kumar. T. Munoz and S. Kumar propose to build a branding assessment system based on three classes of metrics (perception metrics, behavioral metrics, financial metrics), which make it possible to assess the effectiveness of branding. At the same time, the company itself determines which metrics will be included in these groups. The disadvantage of the proposed model is that it does not include market metrics (eg, market share and brand distribution metrics), focusing only on consumer and financial metrics.

Research by D. Lehmann, K. Keller and J. Farley. In 2008, the results of a study by D. Lehmann, K. Keller and J. Farley, devoted to the study of brand metrics, were published. The main goals of this analysis were to identify “universal” brand metrics (cleared of cross-cultural differences in brand perception) and to establish the hierarchy between them. The results obtained made it possible to form an assessment system of six key groups of brand metrics, including “brand understanding”, “ comparative advantage”,“ Interpersonal relationships ”,“ brand history ”,“ brand preference ”and“ brand loyalty ”. It also emphasizes the need to pay more attention to metrics such as “interpersonal relationships” and “brand history”. Unfortunately, this study is devoted exclusively to consumer metrics (to a greater extent - metrics of perception and to a lesser extent - metrics of behavior). Nevertheless, the formed groups of metrics can be used to build a general model for assessing the effectiveness of branding.

Model S. Davis and M. Dunn. There is another model for assessing the effectiveness of branding - the approach proposed by S. Davis and M. Dunn, on which we propose to dwell in more detail. In their opinion, in order to assess the role of the brand in achieving the strategic and tactical goals of the company, it is necessary to develop indicators (metrics) of branding efficiency - “measurable parameters for assessing the effectiveness of the actions of a brand-oriented company, i.e. a company that adheres to the rule of compliance of such decisions with the existing or desired brand policy when making strategic decisions ”[Davis, Dunn, 2006, p. 147].

To develop branding performance indicators S. Davis and M. Dunn propose to use the concept of contact branding. It is based on the fact that by identifying and controlling the points of contact between the brand and the consumer, the effectiveness of brand management can be assessed. At the same time, points of contact are understood as all those ways, using which “existing and potential consumers come into contact with the brand, and which can or are already used to influence current or future decisions related to the brand” [Schultz, Kitchen, 2004, p. 137].

To assess the effectiveness of branding, Davis and Dunn propose to analyze the formation of the consumer experience from the perspective of three groups of points of contact between the consumer and the brand, such as:

1) pre-purchase experience;

2) experience at the time of making a purchase;

3) experience after making a purchase (Fig. 4).

At the same time, the authors of the model note that the division of points of contact into these groups is very arbitrary, since the same points can appear in more than one group at the same time and affect the behavior of both potential and real buyers.

Rice. 4. "Wheel" of points of contact with the brand
Compiled from: [Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 19].

The first group of points of contact, aimed at attracting new consumers, builds knowledge about the brand before making a purchase. The experience of contacting a brand can be acquired primarily through the influence of various marketing communications tools: advertising, viral marketing, PR-actions, sales promotion. These marketing communications are aimed at, firstly, creating brand awareness; second, to shape the perception of the brand and the associated expectations; thirdly, to convey the main benefits and advantages of a branded product to a potential buyer; fourth, to achieve the inclusion of the brand in the buyer's choice kit. At the same time, in our opinion, one should not overestimate or exaggerate the expectations of buyers from the acquisition of this brand with the help of marketing communications (primarily advertising), since a negative experience of using a branded product after purchase can lead to disappointment of consumers and unwillingness to re-purchase products under the corresponding brand name. title.

The second group of contact points is formed at the time of purchase. It aims to create positive contact between the consumer and the brand at the time of the purchase. The quality of service and professionalism of the sales staff, the atmosphere in the store, merchandising, sales promotion campaigns at the point of sale (distribution of samples, tastings) influence the formation of a favorable impression of the brand.

The third group is post-purchase contacts. It is aimed, firstly, at maintaining a favorable image among consumers who have made a purchase of the brand; and, second, to achieve a high level of satisfaction from the purchase they make. After-sales activities, guarantees, service are very important to create a positive experience after the purchase. However, the main goal of shaping the post-purchase experience is to increase the number of loyal company and the brand of buyers. The realization of this goal is helped not only by the high level of service and brand support in accordance with the expectations that arose before and during the purchase, but also by loyalty programs (discount programs, sales promotion campaigns, loyalty clubs).

As a result, the effectiveness of contact branding is to ensure that the consumer receives a positive impression at all levels of contact with the brand. A customer's negative experience at one of the touchpoint levels will lead to ineffective branding in general. In other words, a favorable impression received by a customer at one of the levels of points of contact with a brand is not always able to “compensate” for a negative attitude towards it experienced at another level. Thus, poor after-sales service will erode customer confidence in the brand, and the brand promises made in the previous two stages of formation will be in vain. It is becoming apparent that it is the total amount of brand contacts that consumers accumulate over time that determines their response to branding programs that go beyond just managing individual contacts but manage the entire customer experience before, during, and after the purchase.

In this regard, it is very important for a brand manager to understand how existing and potential consumers come into direct contact with the brand.

Contact branding metrics in the model of S. Davis and M. Dunn. There are two types of metrics that, according to S. Davis and M. Dunn, should be taken into account in the company's metrics system. Tactical metrics provide diagnostics of branding performance in terms of shaping the shopper experience at the points of contact with the brand. The authors note that these metrics "help to assess the activities you carry out that are relevant to existing or potential customers, within one of three groups of points of contact with the brand" [Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 244].

Davis and Dunn classify the following branding performance metrics as tactical: brand awareness; brand awareness; brand relevance; trust in the brand; keeping brand promises; brand preference; brand consideration; ; keeping the brand promise; satisfaction with the brand; brand recommendation [Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 245-252].

Thus, the listed tactical metrics should be taken into account when assessing the effectiveness of the company's activities at the points of contact with the brand. Performance analysis provides an opportunity to identify strengths and weak sides brand and identify those points of contact with the brand that require special strengthening.

Strategic metrics, in turn, “provide a diagnosis of the brand's impact on business performance. These metrics help assess the impact of your brand building activities on the overall performance of the brand, and thus the entire company as a whole ”[Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 244].

The following six strategic branding performance metrics assess how a company's brand building efforts and touchpoints affect overall performance:

1) brand expansion;

3) retention of brand buyers;

4) brand buyability;

5) the price premium for the brand;

6) brand loyalty.

The choice of certain metrics for assessing the effectiveness of branding depends on the specific goals of the assessment. Without a clear understanding of the specific goals, the company will constantly have difficulty in determining which of the metrics is really important to it. Table 1 can provide guidance in choosing the most appropriate metrics for a company, taking into account its goals.

Table 1. Joint consideration of brand goals and metrics

A source: .

Integral model for assessing the effectiveness of branding

Each of the above approaches to assessing branding performance has its own advantages and disadvantages. Most of them are characterized by the premise of the need to use consumer and financial market metrics to obtain an adequate estimate. We share this position, however, in our opinion, none of the existing assessment models fully covers all the necessary indicators. One of the most promising approaches for the development of a new, integral model for assessing the effectiveness of branding is the contact branding model of S. Davis and M. Dunn. The choice of contact branding efficiency metrics as fundamental in the system of indicators of the effectiveness of branding activities in general is explained, in our opinion, by the fact that they:

• are practice-oriented, as they allow you to assess how a brand manifests itself outside of companies in terms of customer expectations and competitors' actions;
• provide information for making thoughtful strategic and tactical decisions for the creation, promotion and after-sales service of the brand;
• provide diagnostics of the brand impact on business performance;
• enable the company to more effectively invest in the support and development of brands;
• act as starting basic indicators (indicators of the first level effect - the effect of perception), on the basis of which it is possible to build a chain of behavioral, market and financial indicators for assessing the effectiveness of branding [Starov, 2008, p. 251].

However, we propose to structure the system of metrics proposed in the Davis and Dunn model not from the standpoint of the implementation of strategic and tactical goals, but from the standpoint of the interdependence and subordination of metrics. It seems that this approach allows you to create the basis for the development of an integral model for measuring the effectiveness of branding, where each of the 17 metrics associated with a specific category of points of contact with a brand can belong to one of the following four generalized groups of metrics identified based on marketing activities of contact branding:

1) metrics of perception;

2) behavioral metrics;

3) market metrics;

4) financial metrics (Fig. 5).

These groups of metrics make it possible to carry out integral monitoring of the effectiveness of branding (first of all, the implementation of the effects of perception, behavioral, market and financial effects), i.e. track how effectively investments in construction and brand development are used.

Perception metrics determine the degree of consumer awareness of the brand, his understanding of the advantages and benefits of its acquisition, the possibility of its inclusion in the selection set, i.e. assess consumer behavior prior to purchasing a brand.

Rice. 5. "Wheel of contacts" and branding performance metrics

Behavioral metrics assess aspects of consumer behavior mainly after the purchase, which are manifested in brand preference, repeat purchases, the formation of loyalty and the willingness to recommend a favorite brand to others.

Market metrics determine the competitive position of a brand in the market, predetermine economic and financial results branding. Indicators such as market share, brand development index, distribution level represent the main market metrics for evaluating branding performance.

Financial metrics reflect the return on investment in a brand, a financial measure of brand equity capital gains from successful contact branding events. To do this, metrics such as ROBI (Brand Investment Performance) and current brand value are used.

All these types of metrics provide an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of branding in full (Table 2). According to the well-known experts in the field of brand management T. Munoz and S. Kumar, "the key benefit of the brand assessment system is that it allows you to link branding and financial results." All of these indicators are interrelated and interdependent. Improving the target indicators of one of the metric groups contributes to the growth of the performance indicators of the other metric group.

As an example, let's trace the relationship between market and financial metrics. Strong brands have a significant market share: as a rule, the share of the leading brand is twice the share of the brand in second place, and three times that of the brand in third position in the market. The brand with the largest market share produces the highest value. According to a study of 2600 companies, the rate of return on investment for brands with a market share of 40% is, on average, three times higher than for brands with a market share of 10% [Doyle, 2001, p. 237] (Fig. 6).

Table 2. Branding performance metrics

Perception metrics		Behavioral metrics		Market metrics	Financial metrics
Awareness	Acquaintance and readiness to be included in the selection kit	Purchase decision	Loyalty	Market behavior	Cash flow generation
Are consumers aware of the brand?	What do consumers think of the brand?	How do buyers behave?	How do customers behave after purchase?	How does the brand behave in the market?	How does a brand create added value?
Guided awareness Spontaneous awareness	Brand differentiation Brand Relevance Trust in the brand Brand influence on buying decisions Understanding the brand	Acquiring shoppers with a brand Brand buyability Brand preference Price premium Brand excellence	Brand satisfaction Brand loyalty Keeping brand promises Retention of brand buyers	Brand market share Brand distribution level Brand Development Index Brand expansion	Brand value

Compiled from: [Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 245-253; Munoz, Kumar, 2004, p. 383].

Rice. 6. Relationship between market share and the rate of return on investment in a brand
Source: [Doyle, 2001, p. 238].

Let us consider in more detail the indicated groups of metrics.

Brand perception metrics (Table 3) are divided into two groups:

• awareness metrics;
• metrics of brand awareness and readiness to be included in the selection set. Measurement of this group of metrics is carried out during consumer marketing research. The perception metrics group includes both metrics commonly used in other branding performance measurement models (such as brand awareness or influence on purchasing decisions) and less common metrics (such as brand awareness).

Table 3. Metrics of brand perception

Metrics	What does it measure?
Awareness
Brand awareness and recognition	Measures the degree of visibility of a brand in the market
Getting to know the brand
Brand differentiation (uniqueness)	Measures the degree of uniqueness attributed by existing and potential buyers to a brand
Relevance (relevance) of the brand	Shows the relevance and relevance of brand value to various stakeholders, taking into account unmet market needs
Trust in the brand	Measures whether a brand's promise truly feels accurate and compelling to existing and potential buyers
Considering the brand among alternative purchase options	Shows how willing consumers are to include the brand in the final set of purchase options being considered
Brand influence on buying decisions	Demonstrates the likelihood that a brand is included in the final set of options to consider before making a purchase decision
Understanding the brand	Measures whether potential buyers really know what a brand means, what value it provides, and what benefits can be gained from the brand experience

Behavioral metrics (Table 4) are aimed at assessing the cognitive and affective attitude towards a brand that forms the general opinion about it. They can also be divided into two groups of indicators:

1) related to the purchase decision;

2) related to post-purchase behavior.

Table 4. Behavioral brand metrics

Metrics	What does it measure?
Purchase decision
Acquiring shoppers with a brand	Shows the number of new buyers a company acquires as a result of brand asset management activities
Superiority	Indicates whether buyers consider the brand under study to be unique and superior to other peers
Brand buyability	Measures the number of existing customers who have purchased more of your products or services as a result of your brand building efforts and thus earned you higher income
Price premium	Determines the size of the premium to the price that can be set for a brand relative to prices for branded products of competitors in this category
Brand preference	Determines the priority of the brand in the set of options available to customers
Loyalty
Brand loyalty	Allows you to assess whether customers are really returning to the brand
Retention of brand buyers	Measures the number of buyers a company would lose if it did not use a sound brand asset management strategy that provides an understanding of the level of loyalty that buyers have for the brand
Keeping brand promise	Measures the credibility of existing and potential consumers in brand promises
Brand satisfaction	Determines the degree to which a brand meets consumer expectations
	Shows the number of customers committed to the brand and assesses their willingness to recommend the brand to other people

Compiled from: [Davis, Dunn, 2005, p. 245-253].

Market metrics. The main market metrics that allow us to determine the effectiveness of branding include, in our opinion, the following indicators:

• brand market share;
• brand development index;
• brand distribution level;
• brand expansion.

Brand market share is one of the most important marketing indicators the effectiveness of branding, reflecting the competitiveness of the brand, its ability to attract potential and actual buyers.

The brand's market share can be determined using the formula proposed by G. Dowling [Dowling, 2006, p. 102]:

Brand market share = Penetration rate x (Frequency of purchases x Amount of purchases). (1)

Based on formula (1), we can conclude that three strategies should be used to increase market share:

1) an increase in the amount of purchased branded goods in one visit to the store (through the use of various sales promotion techniques, in particular, the sale of packages containing several units of branded goods at the price of one unit, as well as the use of coupons at sales promotion points of sale;

2) an increase in the frequency of brand purchases in the market (a strategy aimed at persuading people to use branded goods more often and more intensively);

3) an increase in the degree of brand penetration (the percentage of buyers of the desired brand from the total number of buyers purchasing goods of a certain category to which this brand belongs).

The dynamics of switching between brands and market share. Market share and dynamics can be monitored based on the analysis of brand switching. In this regard, the study of this problem, carried out by J.-J. Lambin (J.-J. Lambin).

For ease of switch analysis, Lambin limited himself to a market of two competing brands. As shown in fig. 7, from the point of view of dynamics, each specific purchase has three options for the outcome:

1) purchase of brand A goods;

2) purchase of brand B goods;

3) refusal to purchase.

Rice. 7. Dynamics of switching between two brands

Modern market realities create a situation in which competing companies are forced to fight for a buyer. Today, a wide range of products is offered in all areas, numerous brands have flooded the market. Before making a major purchase, people look not only at the characteristics of a product, but also at the brand to which it belongs. Therefore, the creation marketing concept on the promotion of goods and services should occupy the first positions in the activities of the company.

A company's brand is promoted in several common ways.

• Application of advertising campaigns within the media. In this case, we are talking about the positioning of the organization in the press, on television, on the radio (it may be interesting -).
• Application of promotion via the Internet. Companies create official websites, forums, use social networks, portals .. Here you can get acquainted with the latest economic news, learn new business knowledge and skills, advertise a product, tell about the company, and also publish an article with a link to the company.
• The formation of a marketing policy is another effective way. As part of its application, the creation of rational pricing and the formation of a set of shares are taken into account.
• Taking part in seminars, exhibitions, profile presentations, and so on.
• Sponsoring, in order to maintain the reputation of the brand, the owners of large organizations are involved in charity events and become sponsors.

So, promoting a company's brand is not an easy task that requires the organization to maximize its impact and make certain decisions. Choosing the best promotion method, coupled with perseverance and adherence to goals, will allow you to achieve optimal results.

The program related to the launch of a new brand on the market is quite extensive. It includes several key stages.

1. Research. Specialist for this stage must collect diverse information that will act as the basis for events. This moment includes the assessment of the brand, its merits, the analysis of competitors.
2. Target setting. In this case, the data taken from the previous stages is used as a basis. Traditionally, the popularization of a new name includes several basic goals - increasing brand awareness, creating an image with a positive connotation, and conquering the market.
3. Consumer choice. In this case, it is necessary to focus on meeting the needs of the potential audience. There are several groups of aspects of maximum interest in the course of building marketing and PR connections. These are directly employees, partners, customers.
4. The choice of instruments of influence. These are various marketing techniques that include creating service centers services, registration of the design part, the creation of long-term mutually beneficial relationships with investors (see).
5. Strategy Development. After obtaining the necessary information and passing other stages, a moment comes within which other parameters are determined. These include the type of market, the people the strategy is targeting, the stage of brand development.
6. Determination of the budget. In this case, every detail of the developed promotion plan is considered on an individual basis. Are carried out detailed calculations, estimates are drawn up, further effective planning is being built. Then the strategy is put into practice.
7. Evaluation and analysis of effectiveness. This is the final stage, which involves evaluating the effectiveness of the measures taken and determining the level and quality of achieving the set targets.

The promotion of the company's brand is carried out in stages in order to correctly implement each of the most important points. There are many methods of this type of activity, but modern and progressive companies are guided by PR on the Internet.

Brand promotion on the Internet: the most effective ways

The Internet acts as a rational way to maintain a proper brand. Often it is he who becomes the best option introducing a marketing concept and winning over a consumer. Promotion in social networks, creation of corporate websites and their optimization - all this helps the company to take a leading position in the market and become memorable. Therefore, a special role is assigned to this type of promotion.

SEO optimization (search engine promotion) and traffic promotion

This is a method that allows you to bring the advertised resource to the first positions of the search results / increase the traffic of the resource. This method allows not only to increase the level of sales, but also plays several other important roles. It serves as a PR, website promotion, improvement of consumers' attitude to the company. The direction allows to achieve the growth of the company's attendance, as well as its recognition among the broad masses. So, SEO is an affordable way to promote any business, including small businesses. Such brand promotion on the Internet will allow a business owner to "kill two birds with one stone", in particular - to target strategic perspectives and get tactical benefits.

Contextual advertising and contextual media advertising

If it is necessary to achieve a prompt result, the ideal way of action is to create contextual advertising... It does not require constant verification of some indicators, unlike the CEO, but the return will not be so long-term and promising. That is, you will see the result while you are advertising your own resource. The obvious advantages of this tool lies in the clear focus on target audience, instant launch of an advertising campaign, well predictable, transparent statistics and there is the possibility of quick adjustments to your advertising promotion. But as a key promotion method, this option is used less often - it is expensive. Its main goal is to increase sales and increase awareness.

Interactive advertising

Currently, this method of promotion is subject to constant improvement, more and more new types with formats appear, methods of such promotion are being updated. Currently, leaflets, huge posters and other ART directions are in demand, which not only attract attention, but are also remembered for a long time by representatives of the target audience. And this is the optimal support in the formation of the brand concept.

The key to the success of any brand is the correct presentation. Someone comes up with an innovative design, while the other takes the design of Soviet goods and, slightly modifying it for modern trends, uses the stylistics familiar to many in their products. Both options are winning, but only their implementation does not always meet expectations. Let's say you have an idea how to arrange your product - beer, as an example. It would seem that it is simpler: a bottle and a sticker. But no. Look at the beer cans in the store, and you will see that they all differ, sometimes even in the shape of the container. All this is done so that the buyer remembers the product, and even in the dark, by touch, he could determine what brand of beer he is holding in his hands.

And this applies to any brand. Giants like Apple and Microsoft have an entire staff of marketers and brand managers who work tirelessly to ensure their prosperity. But now you have recently opened your own business, and it is unprofitable to have employees in your company who will be exclusively engaged in product design development. So, it is better to turn to the studios for brand development that have created dozens of concepts and have successfully brought them to life. So, we present to you three workshops, from under the experienced hands of which famous brands come out.

Antre

Antre is a design studio that develops brands, rebrands, restyles, creates trademarks, logos, concept design of packaging, assortment design and creative for advertising. But since the article is about branding, we will focus on this type of service. They solve case-based marketing tasks for the development and concept of a product: a new brand, a new product group or category, product modernization, and repositioning.

For corporate branding, they offer a variety of creative concept services if you've already come up with a brand concept yourself.

One of the features of the Antre design studio is the low price. Yes, it sounds trite, but many Moscow agencies offering either the same price or lower, often work with one-time orders and do not consider cooperation in the long term. Antre work for a long time and systematically and cooperate on an ongoing basis with many well-known companies.

In addition, they have a few more features that are only available in their studio:

1. Model of systematization of the target audience 5w. They analyze what, who, when, where and why.
2. A universal model of a brand platform. Beliefs, barriers, reasons for brand trust, and brand character.
3. Stages of brand development and business objectives. Brand objectives during periods of development.
4. Map of behavior through perception. Change "current - desired" or new behavior.
5. Description of the elements of the brand platform defined by the product. Functional and rational benefits, as well as the reason for trust.
6. Types of reasons for brand trust.
7. Description of the elements of the brand platform, determined by the target audience.
8. Types of gain barriers in order of decreasing complexity.

In the gallery of works you can see the completed orders. They create packaging and develop concepts for many well-known brands, including Faberlik, Letual, Svoboda, Man, Schroeder and others. If such large companies trust the studio, then this clearly indicates the quality of the tasks assigned to the design studio.

Rolling Press

Rolling Press - studio graphic design with an extensive knowledge base in the field of branding. He is engaged in the development of naming, visual system of the company's identity, as well as the creation of a brand strategy and brand platform.

The studio has its own large-format printing house.

Rolling Press designers prefer live communication with the customer when discussing project details, scope of work and further cooperation... Also Rolling Press is always happy to help its clients in the implementation of the project.

The process of developing a visual brand identity consists of several stages. First comes the briefing, and then the transcript of the brief. After that, the studio conducts an analysis of competitors and target audience. This is followed by the stage of developing the brand concept: a unique idea will be presented in the form of a presentation, which will show how this idea works on key media.

And the final stage is the development of a brand book.

One of the most important steps is design. Good design can be equated with a ship: the stronger and more reliable, the better it will float. Rolling Press will create a unique brand image that will be recognizable to the consumer.

All studio projects are based on simple geometric shapes and a clear mesh design system.

Rolling Press is a good choice for those who are ready for bright and bold ideas that will help solve marketing problems and achieve their goals.

Levon Grigoryan Branding

Levon Grigoryan Branding uses the Rainbow Brand Effect Interdisciplinary Brand Design Algorithm to develop brands.
The main components of the algorithm are the brand communication platform, brand metaphor and brand interface. Brand development takes place in 9 stages:
1. At the first stage, in-depth diagnostics using the SCORE model is carried out to synchronize vision. Interviews are conducted both with business owners, top management and key employees, and with representatives of the target audience.
2. Research is carried out in four areas: product / service, target audience, competitors and market. Information is collected on the consumer characteristics and benefits of the product. A portrait of the core of the target audience is drawn up, an external audit of competitors' positioning is carried out, and market trends are studied.
3. General conclusions are drawn. What the company gives in contrast to competitors, taking into account the needs of the target audience and market opportunities.
4. Positioning is being developed based on the findings. That is, who the company wants to gain a foothold in the mind of the consumer.
5. Based on the same conclusions, a brand platform is developed: vision for the future, brand values, mission and brand character.
6. A brand metaphor is being developed, which connects the communication platform with the imaginative part of the brand, sets the directions for the development of the name, slogan, logo, corporate elements, key visual, stylistic solutions and so on. The metaphor helps the message to be quickly remembered and consolidated in the mind.
7. With the help of the brand metaphor, the strategic part is reflected verbally. Names, slogan and descriptor are created.
8. A system of visual identification is being developed: logo, color palette, fonts, style-forming element, photo style and corporate identity media.
9. A brand book is created, which describes the brand strategy, rules and principles governing the use of branded elements.

This approach allows you to develop an effective brand with a communication label that will set it apart from the crowd and fix it in the minds of the target audience.
Levon Grigoryan Branding services are suitable for those who need not only good design, but also a real brand that works and makes money.

How to promote a brand?

Any brand at different stages of development sometimes needs artificial promotion. Often it is required on the initial path of the company, but they do not disdain it even in stupid moments when the brand's popularity falls or does not increase naturally. Actually, there is nothing wrong with this method, and marketers often resort to exactly this solution to problems with popularity. The demand for such a promotion lies in the structure of social networks and services, where all indicators are expressed in numerical values. Such data is easily deformable and strongly influences the behavior of the target audience, which, as we said earlier, attracts ordinary buyers. For such services, you can contact the professional marketing agency ISMM. Promotion on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vkontakte, Google+ and other popular services, promotion of likes, reposts and subscriptions is the main activity of the agency.

What will the development and promotion of a brand give you?

Will you start buying goods with packaging, seeing which Artemy Lebedev will cross himself several times? A beautiful brand, a catchy name and bright packaging are what will attract buyers. Well, the more consumers there are, the higher your profit. And when demand rises, you can raise the price of the product.

In addition, a good-looking brand is a guarantee of trust. When the design of your products is not worse than the products of well-known brands, then this magically influences the desire of investors to invest their money in your business. In addition, the brand will constantly rise in price, so if you decide to sell your business, the transaction price will be calculated in seven- or even eight-digit amounts.

So, if you are starting your own business or have been on the market for a long time, but want to update your brand, then order the development in professional brand agencies and be sure to actively promote it.

A modern store is not just a territory where a person makes purchases, but also a place where he gets new experience and sensations. In order for the customer to experience positive emotions at all stages of the purchase, the stores must have a special atmosphere that creates positive attitude... It can be ensured by trade branding - a set of measures aimed at creating an original concept and comfortable conditions for buying.

You will learn:

• What is trade branding.
• What are the goals of trade branding?
• When to do trade branding.
• What tools does trade branding use?
• What stages does the process of creating your own brand consist of?
• What mistakes should not be made when conducting trade branding.

Trade branding, or retail branding, is first of all a unique, powerful idea that allows a retail network, store or a particular product to stand out from competitors. At the same time, trade branding does not require large investments, and its business benefits are significant and beyond doubt.

Best article of the month

We surveyed businessmen and found out what modern tactics help to increase the average check and frequency of purchases. regular customers... We have published tips and practical cases in the article.

Also in the article you will find three tools to determine the needs of customers and increase the average check. With these methods, employees always fulfill the up-sales plan.

What is trade branding

Competition among organizations for the attention and finances of buyers is fierce in almost all areas. Sometimes one and the same product is essentially presented on the market by dozens of names. Creating, entering the market and promoting a product requires a sophisticated, thoughtful approach to branding. Brand development is one of the key stages for a company that wants to trade in the market stably and profitably in the future.

In the domestic economy, the concepts of "brand" and "trade mark" are most often used, but with the arrival of these values ​​from Western economic literature, these definitions, identical in meaning, began to be interpreted in different ways, confusing the legally different "trade mark" and "trade mark" ...

Let us clarify right away that "trade mark" and "brand" in the West mean the same thing, while in our country the concept of a trade mark most often means a trade mark.

The American School of Marketing defines the interpretation of the word brand as follows: naming, word, meaning, finished design, symbol or combination of all of the above, which together form a product (service) recognizable on the market, offered by an individual seller or their group. A prerequisite the success and end in itself of the brand is to provide customers with an intuitive opportunity, thanks to a recognizable symbol, to distinguish the product from those presented by competitors.

The concept of "trade mark" carries the same meaning. We can say that a brand is a trade mark that is consistently recognizable by customers.

The purpose of branding is considered to be the development of a design, a name, a slogan - a whole range of solutions aimed at creating a trademark that the consumer associates with a qualitative set of characteristics and attributes of the company. A properly developed brand allows the product to be easily recognizable in the market and evoke positive associations among buyers. Also, the main task of the brand is to serve as a kind of marker that distinguishes the product from other competitors on the market. Additionally, product branding is indirectly aimed at customer retention and long-term loyalty.

Why trade branding is necessary

Shoppers among a variety of different products in the same category are most often looking for a single brand that they once liked. Let's consider by what criteria we choose “our” product.

1. Price... Undoubtedly, for most, the main reason for choosing a product is its cost. A person who comes to a store usually has already limited himself in advance to the price framework in which he makes a choice of goods.
2. Quality, product composition... Comparing products of the same price category, we prefer the highest quality. For example, the main criterion for choosing food products is their composition - a minimum of artificial components, a maximum of benefits.
3. Brand awareness... Surely, when we come to the store, we will intuitively look for products of either a previously tested brand, or those about which we have heard positive reviews from our friends. If we do not find any names of goods known to us at all, then, most likely, we will choose the brand about which we have heard at least some information, even if it was a very long time ago. We almost always make a choice in favor of a brand we are familiar with.
4. Appearance, design... When choosing a product, we certainly pay attention to its appearance... It is by the design of the packaging that we often judge the quality of the goods. If a manufacturer, for example, declares his product as environmentally friendly and natural, then the design must comply with these statements. Already at the first stage of getting to know the product, we must understand its properties and characteristics.

The branding of a product and its success in the market are directly related. How does a brand affect sales?

• Price... With its design and pricing policy, the brand is remembered by the buyer as a product from a certain price category, and the next time a person may not even look at the cost, focusing on the design and knowing that this is a product from a suitable price category.
• Quality... Once we buy a product that has satisfied us with its quality, we remember its design. Next time, for example, out of dozens of types of shampoo presented in the window, we will most likely take the brand that suits us in quality without hesitation.
• Notoriety... This is often used by large concerns that produce cosmetics and household chemicals. Despite the wide range of names and designs of each separate group of goods, they are all linked by one easily remembered and recognizable brand. "Chamomile shampoo" and "sea buckthorn soap" from such corporations always carry a single recognizable brand. Having bought a good soap that has a famous brand on its packaging, we, most likely, will not hesitate to buy shampoo if we see the same sign on its bottle.
• Appearance, packaging design... Most buyers perceive products by packaging. If a product is selected with a competent, interesting and bright design, if it evokes certain emotions in a person, then this is an excellent incentive for making a purchase. Psychologically, the client first of all evaluates the appearance of the product, and only by it begins to judge its quality characteristics, which means that the correct packaging design is the key to successful sales of the product.

No matter how pragmatic a person is in his purchases, he is still guided by his brand, design, recommendations of friends when choosing an already familiar product or when shopping “for trial” of something new. We are under the influence of trade branding all the time, it just comes in different forms and with different levels of influence on the final purchasing decision. The world around us is the world of brands, trade marks, recognizable and little-known, already forgotten or just conquering markets.

Expert opinion

The brand must sell

Ilya Balakhnin,

CEO and Managing Partner of Paper Planes Consulting Agency

When developing a brand, it must be remembered that its main goal is to increase sales. At the same time, the brand should be visually beautiful and easily recognizable. But you shouldn't rely only on the appearance: first of all, the brand must sell.

When forming it, three fundamental components are taken into account:

1. Resonance. The brand must have a resonant effect. The buyer, having familiarized himself with the new brand through the brochures, advertising companies Having received information on the site, he must understand exactly what kind of product or service is offered to him, which categories of consumers need them and how they can be used. In short, the brand should give the buyer an understanding of why he needs this product and how it will help him in his life and work.
2. Differentiation. It should be clear from the advertisement how the company's brand differs from competitors' offers. The consumer needs to show what characteristics and quality the product has in relation to competitors' products. In this case, a brand can be formed through a unique selling proposition that makes it profitable to purchase this particular product.
3. Faith. The brand must earn the trust of the buyer. The manufacturer needs to clearly understand how the client will make his choice. It is necessary not only to approve some theses about the product, but also to be able to prove to the buyer that this product has exactly the properties that were declared.

If the client answers that he does not need it, then the resonance is not created. It is necessary to think over how best to tell and demonstrate to the client the benefits of the product (service), its positive characteristics needed by the buyer.

If the client claims that the price is too high, in his opinion, then the differentiation has not been fully implemented. The buyer does not understand why he should pay more if competitors have a lower price and the product has the same characteristics as yours. This means that you did not show and did not prove to the client that your product is better, more useful, of higher quality than that of competitors, and even overpayment for it will make sense for the buyer.

If the potential client answers that he is not yet ready to purchase your product, then you have missed the segment of faith: the buyer does not believe that your product will be useful to him and will turn out to be better than that of competitors. Doubting customers need to be convinced by examples that your product really deserves their trust.

What are the goals of trade branding?

Social studies have found that Europeans, having once chosen a certain brand, remain faithful to it for a long time. The purpose of trade branding is to build consumer confidence in the brand, and for this it is necessary to constantly interest buyers, maintaining the quality of the product or service at a good level.

Branding is a complex and time-consuming procedure, which is based on the creation and implementation of a positioning concept. In the process of trade branding, the name, design, image, symbolism and ideology of the future brand are developed. It is also necessary to think over ideas for further advertising campaigns, allowing to create a holistic brand image, making the brand memorable and loved by consumers.

When trade branding is needed and implemented

Brand development is essential when a new product or service enters the market and there are already competitors present. Branding in this case is used to emphasize the advantageous, but not obvious features of a product or service.

For example, your company enters the regional market for packaged tea. If you are the only one who offers customers special, rare varieties of teas, then it makes no sense to invest a lot of money and spend time on trade branding.

If you enter the market with ordinary tea bags, even if they differ in composition (for example, without the use of artificial flavors), then brand development is vital for your product - not every customer will read the composition of your tea, and its peculiarity will remain unrecognized. As a result, the client will take the tea of ​​the brand with which he met earlier from the counter. This is where developing a brand name that differentiates your product from the competition should help.

8 tools that trade branding uses

Outlets that don't pay attention to branding tend to lose out on competitive struggle... The store, using marketing tools, must provide a beautiful presentation not only of the range of goods presented in the windows, but also of its own brand.

Tool 1. Creation of a new logo or redesign of an existing one.

When developing a logo for a retail network, it is necessary to take into account its corporate identity. Fonts and designs should be understandable to the buyer. The brand itself is obliged to intuitively tell customers about the retail network and the products that are presented in it. When developing a logo, it is very important to understand who it is intended for, what social groups will constitute the bulk of buyers.

Tool 2. Development of corporate identity.

The corporate identity contains the design of graphic and text elements, the combination of which is subject to certain rules. It is designed to help buyers navigate and choose a product among competitive brands.

The corporate identity design includes the following elements:

• trademark;
• logo;
• color palette;
• own font;
• branded packaging;
• branded printing products: booklets, calendars, notebooks, etc .;
• gift and souvenir goods.

Tool 3. Navigation system in the interior and exterior.

A well-designed navigation system allows you to reduce the distance between the consumer and the product. In order for a client to make a purchase, the product must be beautifully presented to him. A retail space design and orientation system is an essential branding element and demonstrates that you care about your customers.

Tool 4. Shop interior design and exterior decoration.

The interior design of the store, which contains elements of the corporate identity of the retail brand, has a positive effect on the efficiency of its work. Correctly placed design accents make the purchase of goods for customers as attractive as possible. Exterior design is also essential for attracting shoppers to stores.

Tool 5. Branding shop equipment.

A store's image is made up of many components. Trade equipment branding plays important role in encouraging consumers to make a purchase. The design in the corporate style and graphic design of commercial equipment have an advertising function, attracting the attention of customers and arousing their interest in the product and its purchase.

Tool 6. Creation of a corporate uniform.

It is very important for a retail chain to use a branded uniform of personnel that performs a number of functions:

• uniforms demonstrate respect and attention to customers;
• increases the level of customer loyalty;
• strengthens relationships in the team and the company as a whole, raises the level of corporate culture;
• coordinates employees by seniority;
• employees in branded clothes inspire more confidence among customers, and also have a good communication base.

Tool 7. Branding of corporate transport.

Corporate transport, decorated in a single corporate identity of the enterprise, is an effective and free carrier of information about the brand.

Tool 8. Brandbook and guideline.

Brandbook - a document that describes a set of standards acceptable in brand development, as well as possible ways delivering information about it to the end consumer.

Guideline is a set of rules, due to the observance of which a common corporate style and its identity are maintained at all points of the trade network. The main task of using the guideline is to maintain a single brand idea.

Brand development in retail is focused on the emotional component of consumer thinking. At the same time, the emphasis on the quality of the product, its functionality and assortment are secondary.

5 steps to create your own brand

Stage 1. Strategy development and brand positioning.

The most important stage in brand development. It is necessary to determine the target audience, the concept and capabilities of the brand, to analyze the company and the market, to find out the ways of communication between the company and customers.

Scope of work:

• Marketing research.
• Brand positioning concept development.
• Building a strategy for its promotion.

Stage 2. Development of the brand name.

Initially, several concepts for brand names are invented. After that, each of them is tested and the most successful one is revealed, which, in the course of open research, was liked by potential consumers the most. When a client approves one of the titles, there is legal due diligence future brand.

Scope of work:

• Naming, development of the name.
• Registration of the name as a trademark.
• Slogan development.
• Development of a brand legend.
• Brand book preparation.

Stage 3. Development of visual brand identifiers.

At this stage, it is important to understand that a brand is not only a set of logos and technical documentation. It is necessary to convey to the buyer the corporate graphic features of the brand, while making a bet on its individuality. Accurately selected personal identifiers must be used on a case-by-case basis.

The minimum set of brand carriers:

• Name.
• Logo.
• Colour.

Extended range of brand carriers:

• Name and slogan.
• Logo.
• Colour.
• Branded business documentation (envelopes, folders, letterheads, brochures, business cards).

The maximum possible composition of the brand's visual media:

• Name + slogan + brand legend + brand book.
• Logo, color, corporate pattern (background, pattern), variants of the logo block.
• Own font.
• Corporate documentation (business cards, envelopes, folders, letterheads, presentations, badges, diaries).
• Advertising printing, graphic design (advertising page, annual report, banners, brochures, catalogs, leaflets, flyers, POS materials, icons, illustrations, corporate character).
• Branded packaging.
• Brand uniform and transport design.
• Souvenir products (calendars, mugs, key rings).
• Environment design (use of corporate identity in the interior and exterior, navigation, exhibition and advertising stands).
• Digital media (website, electronic presentation, mobile application, electronic communications).
• Signature melody.

When developing individual brand identifiers, it should be borne in mind that in each case, the composition and set of corporate identity carriers should be different, suitable for a specific group of goods and services.

Stage 4. Development of a passport of brand standards and guidelines for corporate identity.

For all carriers of the corporate identity developed in the previous stages, it is necessary to draw up technical documentation, carry out certification and make manuals. In addition to common protocols, it is possible to develop separate technical acts for each carrier of the corporate identity.

Stage 5. Implementation, maintenance, audit.

At the final stage, the brand is visualized. This is a very difficult and long stage, during which the brand is being implemented - personnel training, corporate identity and concept are being introduced, advertising products are printed, packaging, and PR campaigns are held.

Practitioner tells

How to effectively rebrand your store

Irina Vasyutenko,

Marketing Director of ZARINA Womenswear Brand, Melon Fashion Group

Rebranding is a complex change of the brand, its perception by the target audience, as well as the platform. As a result, the consumer's attitude towards the company changes. During rebranding, large-scale transformations take place, as a result of which the target audience of the brand, its name, logo, packaging design, company website, and corporate identity may change.

Today, rebranding has become a fashionable trend in the world of commerce. However, in the process of its implementation, an understanding of its purpose does not always come, mistakes and inaccuracies are often made. Therefore, it is worth clarifying in which cases a store needs a rebranding:

• A negative image of an existing brand.
• The transition to a new target audience of the brand, its renewal, the need to change perception.
• The brand's entry into new markets in which it has to gain consumer confidence, despite the fact that the current brand rating does not allow it to develop successfully. This is what the Soviet automaker did when it entered the world market, changing the Zhiguli brand, familiar to compatriots, to a new one - LADA.
• Moving to another price segment of the market.
• The need for brand modernization, which arose as a result of its obsolescence, when the brand ceased to be relevant and modern for its target audience.

When implementing rebranding, it is necessary to take into account that it is not so much its development that is important as the implementation process. From my experience, it takes about half a year, depending on the size of the rebranding company. It is important that it runs with full understanding by the employees of the idea for which it is being produced.

1. Preparatory stage.

When implementing rebranding, it is important to properly prepare - take into account the stocks of products, the time it will take to sell them; find out when it will be possible to completely update the design of the product and decorate the interior of the retail outlets. For example, in food sales, rebranding times are the shortest. If the company sells construction equipment, then it will take a long time to sell products under the old brand and introduce a new design.

A situation may arise when on the shelf part of the product will be presented under the old brand, and part under the new one. A number of simple measures will allow you to avoid this:

• If there are both old stocks and new ones in stock that have undergone rebranding, you can send the old ones to one region of the company's presence, and the new ones to another, thereby dividing the groups of goods.
• You can reduce the shelf life of old and new brand products by creating a packaging ordering strategy.

1. Broadcasting the concept of the updated brand to the company's employees.

For a successful rebranding of a company, all employees must participate in it. At the same time, meetings with heads of departments are very important, at which they should be explained the purpose and idea of ​​rebranding, ways of its implementation. All personnel must clearly understand why the company is rebranding and what purpose it pursues.

It is possible that ordinary employees of the company will perceive the rebranding negatively, because for the majority it turns into unnecessary problems, for example, a change in the usual work process, which people really do not like. When rebranding is important, it is important to convince employees of its need, to explain all the stages, to show what benefits it brings both to employees and to the entire company as a whole.

In my practice, when informing employees about the upcoming rebranding, I have always broken this process into three stages:

• Preparatory stage, aimed mainly at heads of departments. It includes the collection of analytics indicating the need for rebranding. This stage allows you to prepare people for changes so that they will not be unexpected for them.
• Voting and choice concept. It is important that each employee can feel their involvement in the common cause, have access to participate in the formation of the rebranding concept, and introduce their ideas into it.
• Rebranding presentation. The final stage where the performance takes place new concept brand and communicating it to all employees of the company involved in the rebranding.

Thus, by informing employees, we will involve people in the rebranding project and it will not come as a surprise to them: employees will be prepared for changes and the process will be as efficient as possible.

1. Broadcasting the concept of the renewed brand to direct clients of the company.

It is better to tell the main clients of the firm about the rebranding 1-3 months in advance, so that it does not come as a surprise to them. To inform clients, conferences are suitable, at which the concept of rebranding will be demonstrated to them, the reasons for its holding are explained and what goals it pursues and what quality indicators should change after its holding. It is also important at this stage to hear suggestions from customers and answer their questions. Some partners may perceive the rebranding very optimistically, while others will react negatively to the changes. It is important to explain to clients how rebranding can affect them and increase their bottom line.

1. Using the elements of the new brand in daily practice.

For a successful rebranding, it is important to explain to employees how their daily workflow will change, how the rebranding will manifest itself in it.

At this stage, it is important to control the implementation of rebranding in the field. This is the most difficult stage, because you need to track and check many details, gather all employees into one team and coordinate them. You can control the rebranding process using specialized computer programs.

1. Delivering the idea of ​​a renewed brand to the end consumer.

At this stage, all the materials that buyers will encounter on a daily basis should be ready: an updated website, packaging design, brochures, corporate identity in the work of employees, materials for the sales department, special forms, a renewed office, advertising brochures.

Trade branding: 5 golden rules

Rule 1. Favorable atmosphere.

Rule 2. Feeling of unity. Choosing a store of a familiar trading network, a person intuitively expects that the service in it will correspond to the usual level. To create an atmosphere of community, universal for all stores of the chain, a style is being developed that is uniform in everything - from the range of colors in which the interior is decorated, to the uniform for all employees of the store.

Rule 3. Creation of a unique image. The brand primarily carries the idea of ​​positioning - a unique offer, thanks to which customers should give preference to retail outlets networks. It is obliged to distinguish the store from competitors.

Rule 4. Target audience targeting. To attract customers, branding should be as specific as possible.

Rule 5. Practicality and convenience. Brand elements should be simple, clear, unobtrusive, but effective.

4 common mistakes that make trade branding ineffective

Mistake 1. Incorrect perception of branding.

Undoubtedly, for any company, having a strong, recognizable brand is always beneficial. A positively perceived brand can increase sales. But don't think it's just a pretty logo. A brand is, first of all, the emotions that a person experiences when buying a product or receiving a service. Good brand always creates a positive perception of your products by customers, but it is successful use the products themselves evoke the strongest emotions in people. To maintain customer loyalty, it is necessary to arrange the work in such a way that the buyer remains satisfied under all circumstances. All problems and questions that a client may have can be resolved through the website or by responding to requests for e-mail... If after a purchase a person needs to be accompanied, don't leave him: make him happy not only with the deal, but also with your brand. In this case, a satisfied client will recommend you to his friends, and this is the best advertisement.

Mistake 2. Lack of a professional designer.

Even if your brand seems perfect, beautiful and attractive to you, this does not mean that it will be successful. An amateur brand design doesn't always work well. When developing it, it is better to refer to professional designers... A specialist will help you create a design guide, prescribe the rules for applying corporate style when using a brand and understand how to work with it most effectively. The creation of the style guide should be accompanied by a decision on how it will be used in the future.

Mistake 3. Inconsistency on different platforms.

After creating a design guide, you must follow the rules written in it. At the same time, you need to adhere to these norms both in points retail sales and on the company's website and in social networks. If you don't follow these rules, your brand will be unprofessional in the eyes of potential buyers, which will give people a reason to doubt your business. The unified style of your brand, its consistency and identity at all levels will increase customer confidence and push them to purchase a product.

Mistake 4. Using an undefined message when describing your brand.

You must create a brand that will be able to convey the essence of your company to customers in a simple and understandable way. Many seemingly great brands have fallen prey to vague content that is incapable of succinctly and succinctly describing the essence of the company. Brand content is just as important as its graphic design. It is the content that should clarify potential clients the differences between your brand and those presented by your competitors. Just two simple rules will allow the brand to increase its effectiveness:

• Avoid repetitive words.
• Speak with clients in their language, use a simple conversational style.

How trade branding is developing in Russia

The issue of branding has been dealt with in the West for a long time. In our country, it is only gaining momentum and is not developing as rapidly as there. Often, foreign brands appear on the shelves of Russian stores much earlier than domestic ones. In order for our companies to successfully compete with Western ones, it is necessary to invest considerable financial resources in trade branding.

Unlike Western companies that are pioneers, Russian firms can avoid mistakes by adopting the positive experience of their foreign competitors, due to which the effectiveness of trade branding will be higher.

It is also worth considering the current situation on the market: competition between domestic companies is still at a low level, therefore, for the successful promotion of Russian brands, less financial investments are required.

Another disadvantage of domestic trade branding is the small amount of professional marketers... As a rule, most of them are people with economic education. It's great that economists have gone into branding, but this direction implies not so much an economic component as a creative one. When developing a brand, companies should not only pay attention to economic forces, but also to involve psychologists, sociologists, designers, specialists in brand promotion on the Internet in the creation of a brand and its implementation on the market. Only with an integrated approach to brand formation will the result be successful.

Brand development today involves the interaction of various specialists - professionals in the field of promotion, graphic design, marketing. Trade branding should be based on a general concept, but as its constituent elements, it is worth considering individual programs for advertising promotion, product design, its placement and presentation on the market.

Information about experts

Ilya Balakhnin, CEO and Managing Partner of Paper Planes Consulting Agency, head of educational programs at WinTheMarket and WinTheDigital, head of WebInCo Russia, vice president of IABC / Russia for innovation, editor-in-chief of Venture Business News, business coach and coach. He works with such companies and clients as the Moscow Government, the Ministry of Justice, Skolkovo, Microsoft, Rostelecom, Beeline, Megafon, Unilever, Coca-Cola Hellenic, Universal, Comstar, Bud, Kodak and others. Paper Planes Consulting Agency is a consulting agency with over 400 successful cases.

Irina Vasyutenko, Marketing Director of the ZARINA women's clothing brand, Melon Fashion Group. Melon Fashion Group is a leading Russian retailer of fashionable clothes. The company manages the brands befree, ZARINA, LOVE REPUBLIC, performing the entire cycle of the fashion business from modeling to distribution of sales and promotion. More than 100,000 people make purchases in the company's stores in Russia and abroad every day. Melon Fashion Group is successfully developing and continues to expand the geography of its presence. Each of the presented brands has its own development strategy and its own target audience, which makes it possible to effectively represent Melon Fashion Group in the main segments of the mass market.

Do not confuse brand and brand. Brand is simple corporate identity(logo, brochures, business cards, etc.), branding is aimed at creating additional value for which the consumer is willing to pay more than for less promoted products. A smartphone with a big name will always cost more than a smartphone with similar characteristics from an unknown manufacturer.

Proper branding is very important in modern world... It helps to promote a product or service, make them more expensive, and increase loyalty to the company. A striking example is a company Apple and iPhone... Someone zealously follows developments and buys the latest models of "iPhones", someone hates "Apple phones", but everyone knows about them.

Brand and branding - what is it

Branding is a complex of marketing processes aimed at developing a product brand, promoting it to the market, and ensuring its prestige. A brand is a trade mark under which a product is produced, its "mental shell" - that is, a complex of characteristics, associations, emotions and ideas about a product or service in the mind of a consumer.

Your own brand allows you to:

• increase brand awareness and consumer loyalty to the product;
• increase the cost of the product, because branded items are always valued higher than goods from "no-names";
• increase the level of expertise in the eyes of the target audience: companies with big names are always listened to.

The main directions of branding

Commodity... This area is considered one of the most successful. In this case, it is not a company that is promoted, but one product. Several brands may be used for different products of a company. A prime example is Coca-Cola. More than 1.9 billion servings of this drink are consumed by consumers worldwide every day. Although the company produces more than 3,900 other beverages, it is Cola that has gained particular popularity due to the correct branding. The brand is also important in the development of the network and.

Service branding... In this case, a specific service or a set of services is promoted. Vivid examples are Russian operators cellular MTS, Beeline, Megafon. In 2006, these names were in the top three in terms of brand value in Russia. They promote their services through various channels - through TV ads, the Internet, physical media.

Private... In this case, one person is promoted. Promotion most often occurs through the display of expertise to a wide range of people or a narrow target audience. For example, successful example personal branding was shown by David Ogilvy - the most successful advertising agent, the founder of his agencies, the founder of copywriting.

Interior... Its chain is to emphasize the role of the employee in the success of the company, to inform employees about the goals of the company, to form strong team experienced professionals. A striking example is the KFC network, in which all employees comply with the company's principles, not in words, but in deeds.

HR branding... It aims to attract to the company valuable employees with extensive experience, fresh ideas, great potential. To do this, the company opens vacancies, offering excellent working conditions - for example, recreation at the expense of the organization, extended vacation, bonuses. A prime example of such branding is Google Corporation, which offers bonuses, full benefits, bonuses, free dining and gym.

Political... The purpose of this promotion is to create an image for a political party or a specific person, politician. To do this, they increase the recognition of politicians, run them for president, and cover their participation in charity. Striking examples of political branding in Russia are Medvedev, Putin and Zhirinovsky. They are discussed, praised or condemned, but everyone knows about them.

Sports... Three areas can be attributed to it at once - the promotion of an athlete, a team and events. Vivid examples of the first direction are Maria Sharapova, Lionel Messi, Ainar Bjoerndalen. Real Madrid and Barcelona show a good result of the team's promotion. The most recognizable and promoted event is the Olympic Games.

Territorial.In this case, a specific resort, city or even region is promoted. It attracts tourists or residents. For example, Venice, Paris, Sri Lanka have good travel branding. And in Russia there is good example branding to attract residents - to Far East give out plots to almost everyone.

Website branding... This direction is responsible for website promotion. Popular sites are often mentioned on social media or other web resources. They are trusted, so they can be used as an excellent promotion tool. Vivid examples in Runet are the resources of Tinkoff Journal, Banki.ru, and Texterra.

Brand strategy development

Before you start building your brand, you need to decide on the right strategy. We will look at four main strategies.

Cobrand... This is the name given to the combination of two or more companies in order to strengthen their positions in the market, increase demand, and increase profits. Co-branding is a joint venture, for example:

• conducting joint research;
• participation in charity;
• release of a joint product.

For example, in 2006 Apple and Nike offered consumers an interesting solution. Nike has released sneakers that transmit workout information to an iPod and an arm band that can fit an iPod.

Multibrand... In this strategy, the company develops under several brands at once. Moreover, subsidiary brands - trade marks - are perceived by consumers separately from the parent ones. Usually, products under different brands are similar, but intended for different distribution channels or for different groups target audience. For example, Schwarzkopf & Henkel produces Shauma and Seborin shampoos. The former are sold in stores, the latter in pharmacies.

Monobrand... This strategy involves using a single brand companies to release products. It is usually used by companies that are 100% confident in the quality of their products, because all products come out under a single sign. A striking example is the Mercedes automobile concern.

Sub-brand... In this case, the company uses additional brands for services or products. They are slightly different from the main products, but are closely related to it. Each additional brand is usually targeted at a specific target audience. This strategy is a bit like multibranding. Its vivid example is Nestle, which creates sub-brands with a reference to the main one: Nescafe, Nesquik, Nestea.

Branding Steps - Taking the Uber Example

# 1. Market analysis

At this stage, you can find a fresh idea, analyze consumer needs or make a full market analysis. Large companies usually do serious research, using entire departments for their work: assessing supply and demand in a selected market segment, conducting market analysis, analyzing competitors, identifying a target audience and segmenting it.

Will help to understand the question:

# 2. Brand design

This stage includes both the design of the brand itself and the creation of a product - a product or service - for a brand. Brand design includes naming, corporate style development, and other events (which are in the complex). To the creation of a product - any process from launching a website to arranging a production line.

No. 3. Brand promotion

Brand promotion should be understood as various marketing tools that help increase company awareness and attract more customers, buyers, investors. For example, brands buy ad space in different sources- from websites to television. In large companies, whole marketing departments or PR departments. Startups are often forced to use less expensive promotion tools - for example, teaser ads.

No. 4. Efficiency mark

Assessing brand performance and refining it is a continuous process. It is needed for the natural growth of the company. Performance appraisals typically measure ROI, study consumer demand and adjust to it, introduce new services, or launch new product lines. All this allows you to increase consumer interest and constantly remind you of yourself.

Branding can significantly increase the level of a company's income and make it a leader in its segment, but it requires a significant investment of time and money. Do you think startups need branding and will the costs be justified?

 

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