BM Unit 3 – Brand Communication

BRAND MANAGEMENT
Unit III
BRAND COMMUNICATION

Topics Covered – Brand image Building – Brand Loyalty Programmes – Brand Promotion
Methods – Role of Brand ambassadors, celebrities – On line Brand Promotion.

Table of Contents
3.1 Brand Image ......................................................................................................................2
3.1.1 Types of Brand Image .................................................................................................3
3.1.2 Factors affecting Brand Image .....................................................................................4
3.1.3 Brand Image and Celebrity ..................................................................................... 5
3.2 Brand Loyalty ....................................................................................................................6
3.2.1 Building the Brand Loyalty .........................................................................................7
3.2.2 Brand Loyalty Programmes .........................................................................................8
3.2.3 Measuring Brand Loyalty .......................................................................................... 10
3.2.4 Importance of Brand Loyalty ..................................................................................... 11
3.3 Brand Promotion.............................................................................................................. 12
3.3.1 Criteria for Effective sales promotion ........................................................................ 13
3.3.2 Brand Promotion Methods ......................................................................................... 15
3.3.3 Importance of Brand Promotion................................................................................. 18
3.3.4 Techniques of Brand Promotion ................................................................................ 18
3.4 Brand Ambassadors ......................................................................................................... 19
3.4.1 Brand Ambassador Responsibilities and duties .......................................................... 20
3.4.2 Importance of Brand Ambassador .............................................................................. 20
3.5 Celebrities ....................................................................................................................... 21
3.3.1 Advantages of Celebrity Endorsement ................................................................. 23
3.6 Online Brand Promotion .................................................................................................. 24
3.6.1 Components of online brands ............................................................................... 24
3.6.2 Role of Online Brand Promotion ......................................................................... 26
3.6.3 Benefits of Online Brand Promotion .......................................................................... 27

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3.6.4 Guidelines for Online Brand Promotion .................................................................... 29

3.7 Reference Books .............................................................................................................. 30

3.1 Brand Image

 The impression in the consumers' mind of a brand's total personality (real and
imaginary qualities and shortcomings).
 Brand image is developed over time through advertising campaigns with
a consistent theme, and is authenticated through the consumers' direct experience.
 Brand image is the overall impression in consumers’ mind that is formed from all sources.
 Consumers develop various associations with the brand.
 Based on these associations, they form brand image.
 An image is formed about the brand on the basis of subjective perceptions of associations’
bundle that the consumers have about the brand. Volvo is associated with safety.
 Toyota is associated with reliability.
 The idea behind brand image is that the consumer is not purchasing just the product/service
but also the image associated with that product/service.
 Brand images should be positive, unique and instant.
 Brand images can be strengthened using brand communications like advertising,
packaging, word of mouth publicity, other promotional tools, etc.
 Brand image develops and conveys the product’s character in a unique manner different
from its competitor’s image.
 The brand image consists of various associations in consumers’ mind - attributes, benefits
and attributes.
 Brand attributes are the functional and mental connections with the brand that the
customers have.
 They can be specific or conceptual. Benefits are the rationale for the purchase decision.
 There are three types of benefits:
o Functional benefits - what do you do better (than others ),
o Emotional benefits - how do you make me feel better (than others), and
o Rational benefits/support - why do I believe you (more than others).
 Brand attributes are consumers overall assessment of a brand.
 Brand image has not to be created, but is automatically formed.
 The brand image includes products' appeal, ease of use, functionality, fame, and overall
value.
 Brand image is actually brand content.
 When the consumers purchase the product, they are also purchasing its image.
 Brand image is the objective and mental feedback of the consumers when they purchase a
product.
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 Positive brand image is exceeding the customers’ expectations.

 Positive brand image enhances the goodwill and brand value of an organization.
 Image is defined as the sum of all thoughts, associations of ideas which are connected by
the person to a particular product, brand, company, and person.
Types of image
a) Perceived image
 The common interpretation of image, and is the picture the target group is having
about the brand. This is the most important type for marketing persons.
b) Desired image
 Equal to positioning in marketing practices.
 It is a strategic intention according to which the perceived image has to be
positioned in the range of consumers’ idea in the way the company wants, all this
distinctively from the competitor brand’s image.
c) Presumed image
 The picture the company has about the image the customers, users perceive
actually.
 Thus, there is usually confusion between the different type of images the
customers can have and the company may think.
 In order to prepare a necessary modification or refinement of image, the
differences between the types of images have to be investigated.
3.1.1 Types of Brand Image
 Three types of brand image and their recommended strategies are taken as the
consecutive stages of brand image.
a) FunctionalBrand Image:
o Functional image is related to performance and practicality.
o Functional brand image is generated from a concrete attribute of a brand and
comes from externally generated needs.
o It emphasis the brand's functional performance in solving consumption- related
problems.
o Product classes such as micro- waves and power tools are likely to have functional
brand concept because they emphasize features of product that solve.
o Consumer problems or satisfy consumer needs.
o Functional image aims at intrinsic attributes that signal the desired abstract
dimension (e.g. - performance, functionality, durability).
o Function benefits are the tangible things customers receive from brand use, most
often tied to attributes, theyare actual benefits from using a product or service,
focusing on satisfying consumers' basic needs.
o These benefits are personal expectations of what the product can do for consumers.

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b) Symbolic Brand Image:

o Symbolic brand image refers to an image associated with a desired group, role or
self-image.
o Symbolic image emphasize on the brand's relationship with group member or
self.
o Product classes suchas cars and perfumes often have symbolic image concept, like
Nike is differentiated on the basic of desirableimage and mainly related to social
and self- esteem need.
o Symbolic image concern with self-identification or group membership, and its
advertising should convey a prestigious image, identify users of the product, or
convey a lifestyle.
o This generally implies using celebrities or other spokespersons theaudience can
relate to, respect or admire.

c) Experimental Brand Image:

o Experiential or experimental brand image is defined as image related to sensory
pleasure, variety seeking, and cognitive simulation. It comes from internally
generated needs.
o Experimental image are differentiated on the basis of unique and impressive
experience and mainly relate to self-actualization needs.
o Experimental image concept emphasizes the brand's effect on sensory satisfaction
or cognitive simulation, highlighting the brand's experimental or fantasy aspects.
o These kinds of brand image best communicate experimental brand concepts, these
kinds of products aimed at high level of abstraction higher than perceived quality.
o With experimental brand image, consumers are interested in fun and fantasy.
o Experiential benefits derive from the emotional satisfaction of using the
brand.
o They are experience from using the product or service.
o These benefits relate to the sensory experience of using brand.
3.1.2 Factors affecting Brand Image

a) Brand Image for Established and new product.

 Images of mostestablished products is difficult to change.
 This is because the brand would have acquired step by step over a period of time.
 For example, the same problem might haunt Bata which is it difficult to compete with
younger brands like, woodlands, mescos, action, etc.
 brands may allow for brand extensions: i.e., new products introduced under the
umbrella of the brand.

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 Obviously, a strong brand image can pave the way for a new product in the
introduction ofthe lifecycle, provided that the new product fits in with the brand's
image,
 Consequently, if the image on general characteristics such as reliability,
innovativeness, and high quality, successful brand will be easier to achieve than
when image is based on specific characteristics.
 A particularly development to the increasing share of own nation.
 In so doing, they re-evaluate their overall perception of the brand, and are thus more
tempted to its other hitherto ignored or undervalued products, and the brand's
flagship best-seller.
 Innovation reframes the brand's linage and. feeds it with the new tangible and
intangible brought by this innovation.
 A firm introduces anew product, it has to decide whether the product it is introducing
will enter the under the business brand or as its own brand, with or without a visible
link to the business.
 If the decides to .introduce the new product as a new brand, it needs to follow every
single step in the process.

b) Brand Image and Country of Origin:

 It has been observed that hedonistic products (like, perfume, wine) fare better
when French manufacture them. Similarly, Japanese products are preferred in
categories like cars, cameras, VCRs, player and preferably white goods and home
appliances.
 Several studies showed that brand image has a correlation with the country of origin.
Patriotic advertising for instance affect the image of a brand and may bring in some
loyal consumers,
 Not many companies in India tried to sell brands on the strength of their products
being Indian, especially India.
 Other researchers find that the country of origin has nominal effect on consumer's
perceptions of the brand. American cars are rated high on mileage and German
cars on comfort but even this cannot be stereotyped. The changes in brand image for
the products manufacturedin countries in the perception of Japanese consumers have
interesting lessons to offer.
3.1.3 Brand Image and Celebrity
 Celebrity endorsements significantly impacts brand- differentiation. Most of the beverage user
themselves with the brand and establishes congruence between their personality and that brand.
 They linkage between their lifestyle and that brand which prompts them to go for particular brand
disregards availability or any other factor.
 The power of the celebrity (celebrity endorsement image) as reflected by the market niche's
(target) of the celebrity's personality, credibility, popularity value and attractiveness gives the
consumers' appeal.

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 Acceptability of the endorsed brand some openness.

 The openness to change worked upon by the psychological commitment between brands and
consumers and the associated power of communication endorser change beliefs, ideas and shifts
about a brand; thus, promoting brand switch, changing loyalty and greater influence on evaluation
of brand and its purchase Intentions.
 Advertising employing celebrity endorsers enjoys high popularity among brand managers, Strong,
unique, favorable brand.
 Associations help companies to differentiate their products from those of competitors and support
a competitive advantage. As a brand value driver: brand image also establishes an important for
a brand's monetary value.
 Celebrity endorsement is always a two-edged sword' and it has a number of positives - if properly
can do wonders for the company, and if not it may produce a bad image of the company and its
brand.
 Because celebrities appear to be gaining increasing influence in society, marketing managers try
to process of meaning transfer from an endorser to products or brands involved.
 Associative learning details that celebrity endorsements influence brand image through a transfer
of meaning from the brand.
 Communication activities establish a pattern of connectivity between the images of the celebrity
the image of the brand.
 Both entities represent nodes in a cognitive network, whose connectivity modified according to
experience. An image transfer occurs when an advertisement can establish between the two
entities.
 In an endorsement context, the celebrity is an impersonal message source, so his or her
including perceived personal attributes like attractiveness or credibility, may determine
endorsement terms of the favorable brand image outcome.

3.2 Brand Loyalty

 When consumers become committed to your brand and make repeat purchases over time.

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 Brand loyalty is a result of consumer behavior and is affected by a person's preferences.

 Loyal customers will consistently purchase products from their preferred brands,
regardless of convenience or price.
 Companies will often use different marketing strategies to cultivate loyal customers, be it
is through loyalty programs (i.e. rewards programs) or trials and incentives (ex. samples
and free gifts).
3.2.1 Building the Brand Loyalty
 Brand loyalty is built on the foundation of every interaction your customer has with your
service.
 The key to brand loyalty is to always meet or exceed expectations with every customer
encounter.
 When customers become loyal, they not only buy your product/service, they become
emotionally attached to your brand.
 They may recommend your brand to their friends and family, develop an emotional
connection, and act as a brand evangelist.
 These recommendations known as “word-of-mouth” marketing, continue to be most
effective, as they can articulate the value proposition of your brand, and address an
emotional connection that resonates well with others.

1) Establish brand storytelling –

 Create stories that communicate the personality, values and experiences of your brand.
 Genone Murrary, Course Director in Internet Marketing at Sail University, argues that
companies should base these stories by analyzing and understanding the personality, values
and experiences of your customers.
 Create a brand story that connects with your product/service and target demographics.
 Don’t equate your brand story with a list of products, services or prices.
 Build your brand story by determining what sets your company apart from your
competitors and what establishes a unique identity for you (unique selling proposition –
USP). Create brand storytelling and experiences both in-person and online.

2) Connect with your customers –

 Be present at touch points which matter most to your customers and provide an emotional
connection.
 As brands are battling for higher affinity, connect and engage with your customers on a
regular basis.
 Increase awareness amongst your customers.
 Provide your customers with value and motivation and create a community that builds buzz
around your brand.

3) Anticipate their needs –

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 Don’t start selling to your customers, listen to their needs and focus on what your customers
want.
 Your customers are looking for the next experience, so offer them additional value or
incentives (i.e. loyalty cards or programs), as these customers are typically more profitable
and will most likely reciprocate by staying loyal to your brand.

4) Deliver on promise –
 Make it a habit to deliver happiness every step of the way.
 Show your customers that you truly care by surpassing their expectations.
 Offer something new or exciting and stay true to your brand mission and promise.

5) Be consistent –
 Consistently delivering the same message and performance through all lines of business is
reassuring and helps keep your brand top-of-mind.
 Being consistent helps re-affirm your customers’ trust and credibility in your brand, and
helps provide clarity of distinction from competitors.

6) Deliver personalized experiences –

 Digital marketing enables us to connect with customers in different ways.
 Drive a strategy of conversational marketing that orchestrates one-to-one seamless
messaging across all channels.
 Profile, segment and analyze your customer base and past buying patterns and create
personalized, two-way interactions with your customers that are relevant and customized.
 Don’t group your customers as stats. Keep your focus on building customer relationships.
3.2.2 Brand Loyalty Programmes
 Brand or customer loyalty programmes are programmes sponsored by an organization or
firm to encourage to repeat purchases through programme enrolment processes and the
distribution of awards and/or Airlines, hotels, cruise lines, retail stores, and many
other organizations have rewarded customer through structured programmes for years.
 Loyalty marketing programmes, or frequent buyer programmes, reward loyal consumers
for making purchases.
 Popularized by the airline industry through frequent flyer programmes, loyalty
marketing companies to strategically invest sales promotion dollars in activities designed
to capture greater profits customers already loyal to the product or company.
 The objective of brand loyalty programmes is to build long-term, mutually beneficial
relationships company and its key customers. Frequent shopper card programmes offered
by many supermarkets and retailers have exploded in popularity.
 Many people use loyalty programmes every day without realizing it. From credit card
cash-back offer, Supermarket frequent shopper cards to a local pizza shop's punch card,
businesses use loyalty programmes alliance with customers and generate return business.

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 American Airlines introduced the airline industry's first frequent fly programme 25
years ago, and the quick proliferation of the idea demonstrated its popularity with
consumers carriers.
 Meanwhile, credit card companies picked up the trend of offering rewards cards -
some affiliate width a particular airline, some not affiliated - that could accumulate
points redeemable for airline travel.

a. Savings Programmes:
 Savings programmes for which it must be said straight away that these are not
true brand loyalty programmes.
 The focus here is on encouraging the customer to make transactions by
rewarding him or her for certain behavior - purchasing.
 Within this group, a distinction may be made , between short- and long-term
savings programmes:
i) Short-Term Savings Programmes:
 The short-term savings programmes primarily aim to stimulate
behavior.
 Within a relatively short period of time, the consumer for an
additional charge or free of charge, may be eligible to receive a
gift.
 In the event that they are successful; it becomes apparent how
difficult it is to cancel this type of programme.
 For example, Shell several years ago found it difficult to stop the
green stamp programme.
ii) Long-Term Savings Programmes:
 The long-term savings programmes are the more well-known- the air
miles points programme being perhaps the most well-known.
 These days, one can often see combinations of long-and short-term
savings programmes.
 In order to prevent consumers from having to wait too long for
their rewards, arid the chance that the desired customer behavior
will decrease, customers receive promotional stamps in addition
to air miles.
b. Club Programmes:
 People are offered the opportunity to become members of a club either free or
fora very small fee.
 Upon registration, customers receive a card with which they may identify
themselves as participates.
 There is a great variety to be found in these cards - from private label
cards offering credit facility to co-branded credit cards.

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 The advantage for consumer members lies in the company magazines,

discounts, payment facilities, and insurance that they receive.
 Provision of these benefits is made dependent on the actual purchase behavior
either to a limited degree or not at all.
c. Relationship Marketing Programmes:
 Relationship marketing programmes or the 'real' brand loyalty programmes.
 The starting point for these programmes is that their goal is to improve
the involvement suppliers and customers have with one another.
 Suppliers capitalize on the customer's situation an~ through the structured
use of various marketing tools, work on enhancing commitment and
purchasing behavior in the long-run.
 Participants in these types of programmes may often identify themselves
with a card so that the interactions in the relationship may be registered
on an individual.
3.2.3 Measuring Brand Loyalty
 We have 5 key metrics to measure brand loyalty.

1) Customer satisfaction
 First, asking about overall customer satisfaction helps you understand how, in general, your
products and services are meeting or (better yet) exceeding customer expectations.
 You might ask questions like:
o How convenient is our company to use?
o Compared to our competitors, is our product quality better, worse, or about the
same?
o How well do our customer service representatives answer your questions?
o How likely are you to recommend us to others?
 Loyalty builds when customers become committed to your brand and make repeat
purchases over time.
 You want to understand what is inspiring that commitment on their part.

2) Trust
 All brands must earn and retain the trust of their customers to ensure loyalty, but trust is
especially important for brands that handle sensitive information, such as banks, online
retailers, or healthcare providers.
 If your brand handles sensitive information, assess the level of trust your customers feel
for your brand. Ask questions like:
o Do you trust our brand?
o How did we earn your trust?
o How do we keep your trust?

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 Use responses to questions about trust to inform the products you offer–and target your
brand messaging accordingly.
3) Esteem
 Brand esteem or goodwill is customers’ respect for and attraction to a particular brand.
 It’s not to be confused with brand awareness or familiarity, which is the level of recognition
of a brand.
 While a brand might be well known (a good thing), it may not in fact be well regarded (not
a good thing). Brand esteem is about the favorable sentiment toward a brand.
 You can use a series of questions to distinguish brand awareness from brand esteem:
o Have you heard of our brand before? (familiarity)
o How well do you know our brand? (familiarity)
o How positively do you regard our brand? (esteem)
o Do you prefer our brand over our competitor? (esteem)

4) Perceived quality and value

 A customer’s perceived quality of a brand is their opinion of a particular product’s,
service’s or brand’s ability to fulfill his or her expectations:
o How reliable would you consider our brand?
o How would you rate the quality of our product?
 Closely related is perceived value, which is a consumer’s opinion of a product’s value to
him or her specifically.
 For example, a person might view Tesla Motors as a brand that produces innovative,
attractive electric vehicles that amaze and delight and would rate perceived quality quite
high.
 However, if that same person considers the price tag to be a bit too steep, the perceived
value might be low for her or him specifically.
3.2.4 Importance of Brand Loyalty
 Goodwill is the positive relationship that a company has with its customers.
 Companies can establish goodwill by offering high-quality products at a fair price.
 Brand loyalty built through goodwill often means that a company is able to sell products
to consumers regardless of price changes or alterations in the company’s operations.
 In some cases, however, changes that leave a negative outlook with consumers can
decrease brand loyalty.
 To avoid a reduction in goodwill, companies must be sure to listen and react properly when
consumers provide feedback.
 Brand loyalty is often expensive for companies to achieve.
 Though it sounds simple enough, it is not always easy.
 Competitors that have a strong, loyal consumer base can make it difficult for a new
company to enter a market.

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 Other times, the necessary expenditures for advertising products might be prohibitive for
some companies.
 Well-managed plans and operations can be more successful than blanketing an entire
market with advertising.

3.3 Brand Promotion

 Brand means a mark (symbol or sign) or design or some combination of these used to
identify the products of one seller and to differentiate them from competitive products.
 A registered brand is known as trade mark.
 Brand promotion is that element of marketing mix which is designed to inform, remind,
persuade and influence the customers so that they purchase the brands of the advertiser
company.
 Brand promotion is applied and persuasive communication used for informing and
reminding the customers of the company's brands.
 It is primarily the responsibility of the manufacturer though wholesalers and retailers may
also undertake it.
Objectives of Brand promotion
 The main objectives of brand promotion are :

a) To Promote Information:
o The firm provides the relevant information about its various brands offered in the
market. Information relates to features, prices, special schemes, etc. of the brands.

b) To Differentiate the Product:

o Another main objective of brand promotion is 'brand differentiation' which means
convincing the customers about the unmatchable features or merits of the particular
brand.
o For example, Pepsi differentiates its brand by using the slogan "The choice of a
new generation".
o Such differentiation helps to create 'Brand Loyalty' which means consumers are
faithful to and continue to prefer a particular brand, e.g., Lux soap.

c) To Increase Demand:
o Brand promotion efforts aim at stimulating demand for a product.
o They persuade customers to buy more and more of the product so as to increase its
sales and market share.

d) To Build Brand Equity:

o Brand equity means the power and value that a brand adds to a product.

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o The utility of the brand is emphasized. Status oriented advertisements highlight the
value of the brand and pride in its ownership.
o For example, utility of owning a Mercedes Benz car or LG air conditioner.
o The brand value of a product justifies its higher price in the market.

e) To Stabilize Sales:
o Seasonal, cyclical and other fluctuations in demand affect sales.
o Brand promotion efforts seek to stabilize sales by minimizing the impact of such
fluctuations.
o For example, Nescafe promoted its new brand of 'iced coffee' to increase sales
during summer.

f) To Offset Competitors' Marketing Efforts:

o In a highly competitive market, even a well-established brand has to be promoted
to retain market share.
o For example, Coca Cola and Pepsi keep on repeating their advertisements for their
own brands of soft drinks so as to offset each other's efforts.

g) To Build Image:
o Brand promotion is also aimed at creating a positive image of the company offering
its brands in the market.
o A company can build its prestige and goodwill by offering quality brands at
reasonable prices and through satisfactory after-sale service.
3.3.1 Criteria for Effective sales promotion

i. Target your effort

 Promotions can spur purchases by established customers, reel in new customers, draw
customers from competitors, get current customers to buy differently, and stimulate
business during slow periods.
 But rarely can one promotion accomplish all of those objectives at once.
 As a result, you must decide which of the following is most important so that you can target
your effort:
o Do you want customers to purchase more frequently, buy in greater volume, or be
attracted to new or different offerings?
o Do you want to lure new customers into your business?
o Do you want lapsed customers to give your business another try?
o Do you want to boost business during slow hours, weekdays or particular seasons?
 After carefully and thoughtfully defining the audience and the change you want your
promotion to inspire, ask yourself this question:

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 If you offer a time-limited incentive, is it likely that the customers you've targeted will
respond? If so, continue to the next step.

ii. Plan your incentive

 A well-thought-out, properly targeted promotion prompts customers to take action by
offering one of these incentives:
o Price savings, including discounts, coupons or added value offers Samples or trial
offers to provide a low-risk way to try new products or services Events or experiences
to generate crowds, enthusiasm, sales, publicity As you decide on your incentive, keep
these facts in mind:
 Price offers
o Must be strong enough to compel, but reasonable enough to keep your business out
of red ink.
o Avoid uninspiring 10 to 20 percent discounts, but also avoid very deep discounts
unless they promote a loss leader to generate other higher-margin sales, or unless
they'll attract valuable new customers into your business.
 Coupons always
o Make a comeback in penny-pincher markets, which means they're hugely popular
these days.
o Even young consumers and affluent shoppers--groups that traditionally shun
coupons--are using them, boosting the typical 1 to 2 percent redemption rate by
nearly 20 percent.
o Printed coupons are still the most widely circulated, but printable coupons,
distributed on web sites and via e-mail, provide a terrific way to test price offers
with business friends and fans before incurring costs to promote the offer more
widely via other media.
 Samples work
o In all lines of business to let customers try before buying.
o The key is to sample products that are so great they'll win raves and repeat business.
o Online-based businesses need to promote free samples prominently in an effort to
attract links, visitors, site registrations and publicity.
o They can be the start of a prosperous relationship with new customers.
 Events and experiences
o Draw customers for celebrations, product launches, special appearances or
presentations, and other activities that combine entertainment with brand and
product presentations.
o When hosting an event, make sure to go all out.

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o A half-hearted, poorly attended event is worse than no event at all, so plan,

decorate, train your staff and publicize accordingly.
iii. Know what you want to achieve
 Promotions work especially well when consumers are in need of a jolt to take
buying action.
 Just be clear about what you want to achieve.
 Set the number of sales you want to ring up, dollars you want to bring in, customer
names you want to collect, buying patterns you want to change, or any other
objective you want your promotion to achieve.
 Then determine what your desired change will mean financially to your business.
 By knowing the potential bottom-line impact of your promotion, you'll have the
information you need to allocate a promotion budget, dedicate staff time and invest
the energy necessary to host a strong promotion that will deliver business-boosting
results over the time period it covers.
3.3.2 Brand Promotion Methods
 Business promotion is an integral part of any business's success, as it is through promotion
that a business expands its customer/client base and opens new windows of opportunity.
 There are many ways to promote a business, and each varies in regards to time, labor and
costs.
 Many business plans use a combination of methods, based on individual needs and
circumstances.

1) Create a brand image, or logo

 Widespread brand recognition is your goal, as it will give your business credibility and
inspire others to spread the word about your business.
 Grow your brand by placing your logo in your business stationary, business cards,
email signatures, brochures, signs, website and merchandising materials.

2) Network.
 Meeting professionals from other, related businesses is an effective form of business
promotion, as it provides you with opportunities to learn about your competitors, ask
for referrals, form mutually beneficial partnerships in complementary industries and
spread awareness about your business throughout a group of like-minded people.
o Attend networking group meetings. You can find networking groups and clubs
on the Internet, in newspapers and in trade publications.
o Introduce yourself to people at the meetings. Explain what it is your business
does, what you offer that makes you stand out from your competition and what
you are looking for in business relationships.
o Ask relevant questions during group discussions. In addition to promoting your
business, you can learn a lot at networking meetings. Additionally, asking open-

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ended questions encourages others to participate in the conversation, and sets

you up for more introductions.
o Hand out your business cards. Set up private meetings with those who express
an interest in getting to know more about your business.

3) Advertise.
 Consider these methods for advertising your business:

a) Signs.
 You may opt for storefront signs, billboards, marquee boards or street-side yard signs.

b) Print.
 Place print ads in magazines, newspapers, coupon books, trade journals and industry
magazines.
 Choose print mediums that are suited to your business.
 For example, if you run a technology parts recycling warehouse, then you may consider
placing ads in computer classifieds and technology magazines.

c) Commercials.
 Television and radio commercials are effective ways to promote your business to a
broad audience, but they are relatively costly forms of advertising.

d) Advertisements.
 You may opt to pass out promotional materials at trade shows, at store fronts, in parking
lots or in any other highly-populated areas.
 Some businesses, like nightclubs and entertainment venues, hire street crews to hand
out advertisements and attract new customers.

e) Direct mail.
 You may purchase mailing lists targeted to your segment of the consumer market, then
mail out letters, brochures, catalogs or postcards.
 This method is effective when you want to provide potential customers with paper
coupons, vouchers, business cards or promotional merchandising.

f) Public relations (PR) firms.

 You may hire a PR firm to create publicity for you in the form of news write-ups and
press releases.

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g) Internet
 Promoting a business online involves setting up a business website, participating in
industry/trade forum discussions, running a blog , setting up accounts on social
networking sites, using pay-per-click and banner ads, listing your business information
in business directories and employing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.
 Every business, regardless of its size or scope, could benefit from Internet marketing,
and many Internet marketing mediums are free to use.

4) Build business partnerships with other organizations.

 In effect, piggyback off the success of another business.
 Taco Bell has recently unveiled the Doritos Locos Taco, which is a branding coup for
both Taco Bell and Doritos.
 Whenever you think of one brand, the other brand comes to mind, and vice-versa.
Business partnerships can be very effective advertising tools.

5) Rely on the power of social networks.

 Social networks have become the new darling of advertising because much of the
legwork is being done by dedicated fans, for free.
 You could pay someone to advertise for you, or you could establish a social community
of fans who advertise by word of mouth, at little or no cost.

6) Offer freebies.
 Pass out merchandise with your company's name and/or logo on it to everyone you
meet at networking events, trade shows, client meetings and even personal social
gatherings.
 Things like pens, magnets and calendars are good merchandising ideas, as these tend
to stay in use, and within view, for extensive periods of time.

7) Develop relationships with your customers.

 Customers are people not numbers and it is important that you put consideration and
effort into building personal relationships with them.
 For example, when you send out Christmas cards each year, you not only gain customer
loyalty but you also inspire customers to promote your business to the people they
know.

8) Encourage customers to talk about their experience using your business.

 There is no tool more powerful than people talking with their family members or
friends about your product or the quality of your work.
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 If your customers are fully satisfied then you should ask them to refer you or your
product to their family or friends.
 It is important to realize that your customers may not do so automatically and sometime
a little poke requesting them to refer your business may work wonders.
 Go ahead, be bold and ask for more work.
3.3.3 Importance of Brand Promotion
 Brand promotion is beneficial to business houses, consumers and the society.
 Benefits to Business Houses:
o Brand promotion is useful to both large and small firms.
o It enables a business firm to face competition in the market. It reminds the faithful
customers I that the brand has served them well over the years and they have no
better choice in the market.
o Brand promotion helps business firms to maintain their existing sales and to
increase their market share.
 Benefits to Consumers:
o Brand promotion provides information regarding quality, uses, price and
availability of the branded product.
o Such information helps consumers in making a choice from a wide range of
competing brands.
o They have greater freedom of choice and dishonest traders cannot exploit them.
o Brand promotion saves valuable time and energy of consumers as they are well
informed before making purchases.
o With the help of brand promotion consumers can maintain their standards of living
and good life styles.
 Benefits to Society:
o Brand promotion activities facilitate mass production which leads to economies of
scale and lower costs.
o As a result, more and more people can use branded products.
o Brand promotion also creates employment opportunities for a large number of
persons.
3.3.4 Techniques of Brand Promotion
 Brand promotion comprises all tools of marketing communication.
 Five tools or methods are available through which marketers can communicate with the
buyers. These tools of brand promotion are given below.

1. Advertising:
 Advertising is a convenient and economical method of brand promotion though it
lacks personal touch.

2. Personal Selling:

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 This is a very flexible and two-way communication.

 It makes actual sale and provides immediate feedback.
 However, it is quite luxurious and time consuming. Advertising is better than
personal selling for creating brand awareness.

3. Sales Promotion:
 It consists of short-term incentives used to attract customers and make immediate
sale of the brand.
 It is a type of non-personal selling that supports advertising. In addition to making
immediate sales, it helps to clear overdue stocks and attract new buyers.
 But it yields short-term results and cannot create brand loyalty.

4. Publicity:
 Publicity refers to the non-personal stimulation of demand for a brand by placing
commercially significant news about it or its owner in a published medium or
obtaining a favorable presentation of it upon radio, television or stage that is not
directly paid by the sponsor.
 Reliance World Cup Cricket Tournament, ITC Sangeet Sammelan are examples of
publicity.
 These events were covered by mass media and the public images of these
enterprises were enhanced.
 News releases, feature articles, press conference, letters to the editor, radio and TV
presentations are various forms of publicity.
 High credibility, mass appeal, more details inexpensive and timeliness are the main
merits of publicity. However, the marketer has little control over publicity.

5. Packaging:
 A properly designed package enhances the value of the product and gives it a
distinct identity.
 It also helps to build the image of the firm.
 These days, firms are using innovative packaging to establish a competitive edge
for their brands.
 Customers are willing to pay higher for the convenience, appearance, dependability
and prestige of packages.

3.4 Brand Ambassadors

 Brand Ambassador is a marketing term for a person employed by an organization or
company to promote its products or services within the activity known as branding.
 Brand Ambassadors are employed by a company or organization to scream the word of
their brand to leverage customer relations and entrust consumers to make a purchase.

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 An individual who can speak positively about a product to bolster sales and create brand
awareness is very important for any organization, and this is why more and more are using
this method to personify their brand.
3.4.1 Brand Ambassador Responsibilities and duties

 Gather information on all customer requirements and maintain knowledge on new product
line and facilitate customers with account opening.
 Monitor all queries for products and services from customers and provide
recommendations for brand improvement.
 Administer all client new products and assist customers to provide required feedback and
facilitate participation on all events and encourage customer to buy client products.
 Provide feedback to client to improve sale of all brand products and handle all telephone
calls and emails.
 Monitor all customer inquiries and provide subject matter expertise on same and assist to
provide an efficient ambassador for brand.
 Manage all emails and calls for brand associate information and transfer same to
appropriate department and maintain confidentiality of al personal information.
 Develop strategies to increase brand awareness and maintain effective relationships with
all accounts and key media agencies.
3.4.2 Importance of Brand Ambassador

1) It's not just about the sales.

 In the end, it actually is all about sales.
 But that's your perspective as the business owner.
 The customer is looking for something else.
 "We go beyond sales and make the position all about engaging with people on all
levels, from customers to media, and it's a lot of fun," says Taylor Aldredge,
Ambassador of Buzz for Grasshopper, a virtual phone system provider.
 Ambassadors wear many hats in addition to sales.
 They handle customer education, marketing and support.
 They engage customers on social media platforms. They are the face of the brand.

2) They really get to know the customer.

 In a traditional business model, a customer is likely to have different points of
contact for the different stages of the journey or customer lifecycle.\
 There may be one person to answer questions, another person to take the order and
another to handle inquiries after the sale.
 In a brand ambassador model, customers have one point person to guide them
through the process.
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 From the first signs of interest through closing the sale, a customer need only reach
out to the ambassador.
 It's a personal touch that strengthens customer relationships.

3) They know it all.

 Hiring an ambassador can make a lot of sense for a small business.
 An ambassador is one employee who is able to handle the jobs traditionally done
by the salesperson, the marketing person and the customer support person.
 For a start-up, that can make growing the team a more manageable process. Start
with one ambassador instead of filling three positions and grow the number of
ambassadors as the company grows.

4) You'll get better follow-through.

 An ambassador's job isn't really done just because the deal is closed.
 The ambassador is there for building a foundation to the next sale and keeping the
company's reputation solid.
 The ambassador, in the marketing role, is also looking for ways to promote the last
customer success.

5) You'll be an innovator.
 Successful entrepreneurs take risks and react to the current business climate.
 Replacing a traditional sales force with ambassadors may be just the thing that sets
you apart from the competition and increases your bottom line.

3.5 Celebrities

 Celebrities are people who enjoy public recognition by a large .share of a certain group
of people.
 Whereas like attractiveness, extraordinary lifestyle or special skills are just examples
and specific common cannot be observed, it can be said that within a corresponding
social group, celebrities generally from the social norm and enjoy a high degree of
public awareness.

Role of Celebrities
The increase of celebrity endorsements be justified by the followingroles that are bestowed on the
overall brand:

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1) Establishment of Credibility:
 Approval of a brand by a star fosters a sense of trust for that brand among the
target audience this is especially true in case of new products, the role of
celebrities are advertising campaign is, without doubt, linked to the
reputation of the celebrity. 
2) Ensured Attention:
 Celebrities ensure attention of the target group by breaking the clutter
advertisements and making the ad and the brand more noticeable.
 For example, Shahrukh khan in Hrithik Roshan in Sony Erricson.
3 ) PR Coverage:
 Managers perceive celebrities as topical, create high PR coverage.
 A good example of integrated celebrity campaigns is one of the World's pop
groups, the Spice Girls, who have not only appeared in advertisements for Pepsi,
but also in launching 'and PR events.
 Indeed, celebrity-company marriages are covered by most media from the
newspapers.

4) Higher Degree of Recall:

 People tend to commensurate the personalities of the celebrity with the thereby
increasing the recall value.
 Golf champion Tiger Woods has endorsed American Express, and Nike.
 Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is used by T-Mobile and Elizabeth Arden. 007
Pierce promotes Omega, BMW and Noreico.
 For example, when anyone goes for purchase kurkure, recalls Juhi Chawla, may
it be balaji chataka pataka or original kurkure.

5) ) Associative Benefit:
 A celebrity's preference for a brand gives out a persuasive message because
celebrity is benefiting from the brand, the consumer will also benefit.
 For example, Shah Rukhkhan Sona Chandi Chwyanprash.
.
6) Mitigating a Tarnished Image:
 Cadbury India wanted to restore the consumer's confidence in chocolate
brands following the high-pitch worm's controversy so the company appointed
Bachchan for the job.
 Last year, when the even more controversial pesticide issue shook up Coca-Cola
PepsiCo and resulted in much negative press, both soft drink majors put out high
profile damage control films featuring their best and most expensive celebrities.

7) Psychographic Connect:

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 Celebrities are loved and adored by their fans and advertisers use stars capitalize
on these feelings to sway the fans towards their brand.
 For example, Dhoni in 7up.

8) Demographic Connect:
 Different stars appeal differently to various demographic segments (age, class,
geography etc.).
 For example, Amitabh Bachchan with child in Dabur Honey, Sunny Deolin cozi
ad.

9) Mass Appeal:
 Some stars have a universal appeal and therefore prove to be a good bet to
generate' among the masses.
 For example, Shahrukh khan and Amitabh Bachchan in Polio Promotion.

1 0 ) Rejuvenating a Stagnant Brand:

 A stagnant brand is extra promoted by celebrities who are popular.
 With the objective of infusing fresh life into the stagnant chyawanprash category
and 'staving off competition from various brands, Dabur India roped in Bachchan
for an estimated ' 8 crore.
 Some other examples of stagnant brands are Miranda and Fanta which are
promoted by Asin and Genelia respectively.
3.3.1 Advantages of Celebrity Endorsement
1. Influence Consumer Purchases:
 The affinity consumers have for certain celebrities can greatly influence their
purchases.
 This philosophy is often the impetus behind advertisements for makeup, skin creams,
hair products and attire.

2. Build Awareness:
 Celebrities in advertising build brand awareness and they build it much more quickly
than traditional types of advertising.
 The use of a local celebrity can do much to enhance consumers' awareness and
understanding of what a small business offers.

3. Position a Brand:
 Some small companies use celebrities in advertising to position their brands.
 Product positioning is placing a company's products in the best possible light in the
minds 'of a target group, according to Inc.com.

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 For example, a small investment firm may use a well-respected and retired local disc
jockey to market a retirement plan for people ages 50 and over.
 The fact that the disc jockey falls in the consumers' age group and has a good
reputation in the community makes the company's product and message more
believable.
.
4. Attract New Users:
 One challenge small company’s face is finding new users for their products.
 Local celebrities in advertising appeal to customers as well as those who have never
tried the brand.

5 . Breathe Life into Failing Brand:

 The use of a celebrity in an advertisement may also help to breathe life into a failing
brand.
 For example, a small soap manufacturer might think about dropping a brand or
product, especially if production and overhead costs are leaving little or no profit.
 However, the use of a celebrity to tout the benefits of the brand could help create new
interest and excitement in consumers.

3.6 Online Brand Promotion

 Most marketing experts agree that how the presence of a brand online is the 21st century
equivalent of the meeting with a customer.
 An online brand is what people think of it when it is not available.
 In fact a brand is as important as any of the traditional forms of branding and becoming
more important each day.
 Customers today are technologically savvy and typically rely on a company's online
presence as a validity of its credibility in the market. '
 In the competitive age, in order for the brand to succeed online, it must be highly
recognizable, relatable, and authentic; thereby setting itself apart 'from the competition.
 High visibility of the brand increases credibility customers will be more willing to retain
the product/services, creating an online brand presence is capturing the attention of the
targeted audience.
 At present, consumer's today look to connect directly business owners and hear their
stories before they make a decision on whether to buy their products/services.
3.6.1 Components of online brands

1. Convenience:
 It goes beyond the ability to conduct transactions around the clock.

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 The customers' ability to access and display information rapidly is extremely

important.
 Sites that are difficult to use can cause frustration making customers' click-off
to another site.
 In fact, 30% of potential customers leave sites because they cannot find what they
are looking for, and 66% of people who start a 'shopping basket' fail to complete
the transaction.
 A study by Business Week revealed that consumers identified ease-of-use, ease-
of-navigation familiarity fast response times, and accurate information as key
factors in establishing web brand loyalty.
2. Content:
 It is relevant and useful information directed at the needs and interests of the
targeted users.
 With almost infinite display space, online companies have the opportunity
to provide rich, up-to-date information, expert insights, and a wide range of
products, which can enhance the company's value proposition.
 Content is considered to be a 'sticky' application as it entices visitors to
spend longer periods of time on the site, increasing the probability of
purchase.
 A certain amount of commerce content' is important to support the purchase
decision.
 Good content can help to educate buyers and sellers and create a greater sense
of control over the transaction.
 On the other hand, visitors should not be engulfed with too much information.
 Additional content includes community-generated content, and advertising (if it
is relevant and useful).

3. Customization:
 It involves tailoring the presentation of a w e b s i t e to individuals, based
on profile information demographic, or prior transactions.
 Online sites can track a customer's purchase history and modify its service
accordingly.
 Often, sites allow 'surfers' to customize their experience by choosing what type
of information they view through personalized sites (e.g., My Yahoo!, My
eBay).
 Some companies have taken this a step further and customize the product
or service on offer (Dell offers 'made-to-order' computer through Dell.
Online).
 Customization creates the feeling and sense of a one-to-one relationship, which
enhances the user’s brand experience.

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4. Community:
 Online communities are emerging as n e w gathering places for consumers
with similar interests (e.g., iVillage and Geocities).
 These sites allow members to interact with one another, share information and
access a wide range of services.
 An important contribution of these communities is that they provide members
with a medium to communicate with each other.
 Members can interact in chat rooms, se bulletin boards, and organize live events.

5. Connectivity:
 It is concerned with connecting the website to other relevant sites.
 Companies can provide a selection of related links that complement the site's
purpose and value proposition, as well as attracting traffic from other sites.
 Connectivity is enhanced b y linking to search engines/portals and popular sites
where target customer are likely to be browsing.
 This is similar to placing offline stores in high traffic areas.

6. Customer Care:
 Online customers often require assistance and reassurance.
 Customers share security and privacy concerns, and a survey by Market
Watch revealed that 62% of surfers feel that giving out personal
information on the internet is unsafe.
 Therefore, customer support at all stages of the interaction and the
purchase process is important, and can be provided through e-mail, online
chat, toll-free telephone numbers, and FAQ pages (Frequently Asked
Questions) to solve problems. In addition, customer care activities can
involve providing a variety of payment, delivery, and return options, as well
as features such as gift-wrapping.

7. Communication(Two-way):
 The internet provides the opportunity to establish dialogue with customers
through mail, live chat, and online surveys.
 Communication can be tailored to specific user interests and should allow for
two-way interaction.
 IT is important in building relationships, as well as informing and
remembering customer special offers, news updates activities, events, and
subjects of interest to the customer.
3.6.2 Role of Online Brand Promotion

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 Here are some intangible benefits they can expect to enjoy by properly implementing
a brand strategy online:

1. Increases Personal Security:

o By being mindful of acting professionally during the brand ,'process one
should be less inclined to reveal personal information' that could' be
comprising.
o Unfortunately internet predators are everywhere, even at the favorite social sites,
and customers do not, want to needlessly put themselves at risk. Who would
have ever though developing a positive online reputation could also place a
protective blanket around them as well

2. Commands More Respect:

o People tend to have a higher regard for those who act in a courteous
professional manner.
o This leads to more trust and a willingness to listen to what these same people may
or suggest. Obviously their influence is greater as a result therefore helping to
increase their effectiveness.

3. Promotes Credibility:
o Acting in a consistently professional manner projects an image of one
responsible and trustworthy.
o On the internet this helps to boost the credibility which also breeds a reliability
amongst others and this is definitely something they want to project online.

4. Higher Perceived Expertise, Status, Trust, and Influence:

o If a person is easily found on social media in the search engines and the content
shows them in a good light and provide value, the audience will that are
credible, trustworthy, and consistent' net some fly-by-night who could take the
money disappear at any given moment. Kind of adds accountability.

5. Image Consciousness Builds integrity:

o Remaining mindful of keeping a positive image and an attitude abundance by
freely helping where they can tend to build their integrity in the eyes of others.
o Having online reputation like this tends to spread like wildfire around the
internet and will prove to be a valuable business asset.

3.6.3 Benefits of Online Brand Promotion

 Benefits of promotion are as follows:
1. Cost effective and Enduring Marketing Strategies:
o The internet has become the information superhighway for the buying public.
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 BM Unit 3 – Brand Communication

o Most persons prefer the hassle-free transactions that internet shopping can offer.
o As a result internet has become the most powerful selling tool.
o Internet promotion offers cost effective ways for business to enhance their
product or service distribution networks.
o For example, the use of portals can help to create new marketing channels and
logistics, or provide better or faster product access for customers.
o In compare to other forms of marketing, internet promotion presents the advantage
of reduced budget and storage cost, when compared with printing brochures,
producing television or radio advertisements or managing in call center.
o It presents a fast and cost-effective option for penetrating new markets.

2. Market Penetration:
o With millions of person using the internet to search for products and services,
businesses can penetrate other markets at a fraction of the cost of traditional
marketing methods.
o Websites act as virtual storefronts, allowing businesses to stay open 24/7.
o Internet promotion gives a business visibility, thereby creating more opportunities
for increasing its customers at relatively low cost. before has it been easier for
an upstart business to be able to reach out to literally millions of customers and
to position themselves for success, without the need for costly
.infrastructure over whelming marketing costs.
o Thanks to the internet,' new businesses can become popular overnight.

3. Low Cost, Instant Communication:

o E-mail makes business communications instant, whether customer or business
affiliate is across the street or across the globe.
o It makes it easier for maintain contact and readily facilitates repeat purchasing.
o An effective online strategy can therefore small web business into a virtual cost
saver and income-generating machine.
o The net result is that the business can gain significant competitive advantage in a
given market.
o Many online businesses therefore resorted to the use of e-magazines, blogs, pop-
up ads and other online marketing tools to let know about new products or services
as well as provide "information relevant to their respective
o The benefits of this strategy are twofold. Marketers can effectively heighten brand
awareness for new products on the market whilst strengthening customer
relationships, with shorter timeframes.

4. Content is Timeless:
o Internet promotion also provides the advantage of being enduring.
o Participation at a trade fair or conference loses sales impact, once it is over,
and an advertisement newspaper or business magazine may quickly lose its sales

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generating value within a day or two or as the next issue is released internet
promotion is often timeless.
o Apart from the· dates and prices, much of a website content remains valid years
after.
5. Real-Time Statistics for Measuring Success of Promotion Campaign:
o One of the most advantages of internet promotion is that its success is measurable.
o Marketers can use tools that provide time statistics, on unique visitors, repeat
visitors, on advertisements, thereby allowing them to evaluate effectiveness of a
promotion campaign.

3.6.4 Guidelines for Online Brand Promotion

o With that in mind, let us examine some key insights as to how to effectively
maximize the online presence:

1. Be Consistent with Branding:

 Ask yourself one question - "What is my business really about?"It is important to
display a consistent branding strategy across all online channels.
 This creates recognition and helps to reinforce the brand.
 It is common for a' business to use several channels to out to customers.
 For example, a business may use its website, several social networks, blogs, sharing
sites, and more.

2. E-Mail:
 E-mail marketing is still one of the most effective ways of communicating with
the potentialcustomersonline if the company has them in its database.
 A best practice is to divide the database segments, e.g., - not likely to make a
purchase, likely to purchase, recently purchased, purchased in the past. .

3. Optimize the Website:

 Creating and maintaining a website is one of the most important branding tools
any business.
 Website optimization for optimal performance on search engines is one of the
first companies can do to drive traffic to a website and improve the brand's
visibility.
.

4. Social Media:
 This marketing is one of the most effective and cost effective ways to promote
both businesses and corporations; and, enhance the visibility of a brand.
 Social media marketing visibility, brand loyalty, recognition, and can also grow
sales.
 In addition, social media marketing small businesses and established ones to
compete with an advantage.

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3.7 Reference Books

1. Strategic Brand Management – 3rd Edition – Kevin Lana Keller
2. Brand Management – Harsh V. Verma

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