This time we were reading a trigger in class related to the post office here in Finland changing their brand identity’s name back from Itella to Posti. Unlike presumed the customers weren’t satisfied with the decision to change the Posti brand to Itella and the results were not as expected. We discussed about the brand identity and how it affect the customer’s view of the brand. We came to a conclusion that our problem this time had to be related to the brand identity and the brand image and how these two terms work together. Therefore we defined our problem to be: ”How to build your brand?” while concentrating on these particular sub questions:
1. What is the difference between the brand identity and the brand image?
2. What are models of brand identity?
3. How to communicate your brand identity to the target audience?
What is the difference between brand identity
and brand image?
David Aaker
makes a clear definition distinction between these two terms in his book called
“Building Strong Brands”. He defines that a brand identity is how your
strategists want your brand to be perceived whereas the brand image is more
focused on the experiences of the customers. The brand image tells how your
customers are in fact perceiving your brand at the moment. (Aaker 2010, 68-72.)
I also watched a YouTube video linked below by Woltersworld describing the
differences between the brand identity and the brand image. (Aaker 2010, 68-72;
Youtube 2012.)
Combining
these two sources I came to a conclusion that these terms should be described
as following:
|
Brand identity consist of the things that you can/might be able control about your
brand. A so called “set of associations what the brand stands for” (Aaker
2010, 68). These being for example the creation of your brand name, the values
you want it to promote, the colors and images you want it to contain and the
ways you try to sell it (commercials). A combination of thing how you want your
brand to be presented and come to live. These elements help you to create a
promise to your customers. Then raises the question: Does your brand really fulfill
the promises made to the customer? This is when the brand image comes to the
picture. Brand image is seen as how people see your brand. This is
something that you cannot really control. You can always try to influence the
image by controlling the brand identity, but in the end the image is strongly
formed by people’s own experiences and judgment. These opinions create your
brand image and might also affect it both positively and negatively among other
people. (Aaker, 2010, 68-72; Youtube 2012.)
Clearly the
idea behind the definitions is clear. While the other is created inside the
company, the other is forms outside the company. In my opinion the brand
identity stands as the base for your brand image. Without it the image hangs in
thin air so to say. There are no facts behind it to support it or to try to
influence it. If you don’t built your own identity, someone else will do it for
you. This way the message might be something different than you hoped for. When
these two functions work together they can reinforce the message of you brand.
If the view of the identity and the image is similar it builds a unified and
strong message for your brand. However if the identity and the image aren’t
alike there might be some confusion in the public. (Aaker 2010, 68-72; Youtube
2012.)
What are models of brand identity?
I found two
especially appealing models of the brad indemnity when doing research for this
PBL. The hexagonal Brand Identity prism by Jean-Nöel Kapferer and the Brand
Identity Planning Model by David Aaker. These models explain the creation of
the brand identity clearly identifying different elements that need to be
considered while building a brand identity. Aaker’s model also amplifies the
implementation system, which I will discuss in the following sub question. (Aaker
2010, 78-90; Kapferer 2008, 182-188.)
Kapfere
clarifies that the brand identity should be represented as hexagonal prism
between the sender and the recipient. These could be represented for example as
the organization (sender) and the customer (recipient). Between these two sides
there are six different facets that define the brand identity. I have
simplified the idea of each facet under the title with a short definition to
make you understand the core idea of each facet. Like seen in the sides Kaferer
considers the brand identity’s facets to be divided into two sides: external
and internal elements. (Kapferer 2008, 182-188).
(Source:
Kapferer 2008, 183)
Whereas Aaker
on the other hand has a slightly different model for the brand identity. He
states that there are 12 dimension which needs to be considered when creating a
brand image. The identity doesn’t necessarily have to include all these
elements, but those should be considered. The elements can also be divided into
four main groups:
-
Brand
as a product (product, product attributes, quality/value, uses, users, country
of origin)
-
Brand
as organization (organization attributes, local vs global)
-
Brand
as person (personality, brand-customer relationships)
-
Brand
as symbol (visual imagery & metaphors, brand heritage)
Together
with these elements mentioned above values proposition, credibility and
brand-customer relationship form the whole brand identity system according to
Aaker. After the identity is defined it needs to be implemented to be able
succeed. This leads us to the next sub question. (Aaker 2010, 78-90.)
According
to both of the sources it is highly important to understand the brand identity
well and to make the model as simple as possible. It is not mandatory to use
every element or facet shown in the figures but it would be highly important to
at least consider them all when starting to create the identity. Kapfere states
that to imply his model effectively each facet needs to consist of only a few
different key words to help people to understand how the brand is special in
all of its dimensions. The words need to be also more than just pale words used
to really explain the specialties aimed for. He also defines that the hexagonal
prism shows the platform to build a brand identity as well as the boundaries
within it’s free to change or to develop. According to him it needs to be
remembered that these facets function together and affect each other. He states
that the brands can only exist when these facets communicate actively with each
other. (Kapferer 2008, 187-188).
How to communicate your brand identity to the
target audience?
Aaker has a clear definition for the implementation of the brand identity. He states that the process is tripartite: Brand positioning >> Execution >> Tracking.
Aaker
illustrates that when positioning the brand the company should compare the
brand identity with the brand image on different dimension to see if the
implementation will lead to the results hoped for. According to him the comparison between these
two might demonstrate one of the following functions:
- Reinforcing an image (if the image associations are consistent with the identity and strong)
- Diffusing an image (if the image is not consistent with the brand identity)
Depending
on the fact how the communication has tasks are seen the company should modify
the implementation to make sure that it will be seen as hoped. According to
Aaker an effective brand positioning will reinforce and exploit an image
strength. (Aaker 2010, 176-185.) To be able to succeed the positioning itself
is worth nothing if the execution isn’t done well. In his opinion the brilliant
execution combines generating many alternatives, symbols and metaphors as well
as testing the positive on the identity and to discover the negative reactions.
By monitoring the brands position you will be able to track how the identity
and the position functions in long-term. (Aaker 2010, 186-189.) Following these
steps seen in the figure above you should be able to implement and communicate
the brand well to your customers.
References:
Aaker, D.A.
1996. Building Strong Brands. Pocket Books, 2010. London.
Kapferer,
J-N. 2008. The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand
Equity
Long term. 4th edition. Kogan Page, London.
Youtube/Woltersworld
2012. Brand Identity vs Brand Image - Brand Management 101. URL:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytr7VyQcOrU. Accessed: 19.02.2015.
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