Never Underestimate the power of branding. The way in which companies understand, build and treasure brand identity affects their performance and customers’ experience of the service or product, even when customers are not in direct contact with the brand.
This is a summary of my IBMA Masters thesis (2015). The objective of the study was to support Oy Santa Claus Licensing Ltd. to establish brand-licensing opportunities in Brazil. The study was executed in the form of a qualitative survey, with sample data collected by email and face-to-face interviews.
Before looking in to created brand identity model, I wish to share a metaphor from my thesis on how branding concepts link to one another in a form of a treasure map.
A path to a treasure is a brand’s mission, its destination where it wants to be. Navigating in stormy waters is not always easy, but being aware of the boundaries, the values that the brand represents throughout the journey, increases its chance to reach the target. Although boats have captains, they also need someone to navigate with the same boundaries, the licensee. People who are hunting for the treasure need a vehicle for crossing the waters. Ports are packed with boats. A decision upon which boat to sail with, is done according boats external features, how the crew acts, and who else is in the boat or have seen before in that boat. According to the boat’s personality and peoples’ image.
A brand is more than a product
Brand identity is the core for all activities related the brand, and is central to the brand’s strategic vision. A strong brand identity helps companies build brand equity by increasing recognition, awareness and customer loyalty. (Wheeler 2009, 23.) Brand identity does not only enable decisions but also constrains those. It limits how far the brand positioning can go without jeopardizing the brand (Johansson & Carlson 2014, 61). Even though a brand identity is supposed to guide marketing activities, the identity purpose is not to fulfil marketing goals and focus only to developing communication programs and advertising slogans (Aaker 2002, 71).
I used Aaker's and Joachimsthaler's brand identity model (2002) in the thesis focusing on the model's strategic identity system. The Santa Claus Finland brand identity framework model under visualizes the core of the brand. The core and extended identity, in the middle represent brand essence "Love", core "Good will, solidarity, unifier", and extended identity "Happy, lively, magical, lit" and how these three effect to the Finnish Santa Claus brand as product, organization, person and symbol.
The Santa Claus Finland strategic identity system also includes competitor, self and customer analysis. Value proposition is identified as functional, emotional and self-expressive benefits.
It was very rewarding to assist a company with good means to get started with a market that interest me for personal reasons. I am very thankful for Finnish Santa Claus Licensing for having this opportunity.
References:
Aaker, D. & Joachimsthaler, E. 2002. Brand Leadership. Simon and Schuster UK ltd. London.
Ferraz, Building a brand identity for the Brazilian market, 2015 (http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2015101815490).
Johansson, J. & Carlson, K. 2014. Contemporary brand management. Sage Publications. Thousand Oaks.
LePla, F.J., Davis, S., Parker, M. 2003. Brand Driven : the route to integrated branding throughout great leadership. Kogan Page Limited. London.
Wheeler, A. 2009. Designing Brand Identity. 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons. Hoboken, New Jersey.
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