The Necessity of Branding
By Jatto Sylvanus
The corporate graveyard is filled with “once upon a time” thriving products which has been overtaken by the changing realities of time. Wise organizations seek to systematically create, sustain and even monopolize the market through effective and efficient branding process. In the past, branding was never regarded as necessary, but in the modern day competitive market environment, branding is not just necessary but essential for the brand health of every product.
In the Nigerian economy, for instance, time has shown that many otherwise good products have been killed by their management’s obstinate attitude to the need to take the issue of branding very seriously. To this end, it is more than a creed for every serious minded organization to be creative and proactive on matters of branding with a view of tracking its products strengths vis-à-vis its weaknesses, its opportunities vis-à-vis its threats.
This article shall address a few of the key issues that relate to branding and product health such as:
- What is branding?
- How does it enhance product health?
- What are the objectives of a good brand?
- What are the symptoms and remedies of a decaying brand?
Branding can operationally be defined as any distinguishing features, name, design, symbols that differentiate an organization’s products from those of its competitors. In sum, it is the company’s sum total identity aimed at influencing emotions and reasoning.
A strong brand is invaluable in a competitive, customer driven market. A good brand sense does not only guarantee getting the target market but also getting the prospects to see the brand as the only one that can provide solutions to their needs.
Good branding helps to enhance product health by stimulating the hearts and minds of the users, prospects and clients. It is the sum total of experiences and perceptions that a good brand seeks to influence. To achieve this, a good brand must understand the needs and wants of its prospects and users.
Every good brand must seek to achieve the following:
- To deliver message clearly
- To confirm credibility
- To connect target prospects emotionally
- To motivate the consumers
- To solidify user loyalty
Strong brands live forever, but most brands grow old and die. This is a terrible waste of a valuable asset and completely avoidable. Identifying an ailing brand and treating it would help avert its untimely death.
Some symptoms and remedies of ailing brands include:
- Outdating visual identity: Ailing brands often have outdated visual identities. Every successful brand must keep their identities fresh, current and contemporary. Changes must be subtle and carefully made.
- Touch points and market non alignment: Loss of touch points and market non alignment are other symptoms of an ailing brand. Every successful brand must be discretionary in the selection of its advertisement media. It is a waste of time and resources to place advertisements for products in media where the target prospects never relate. For instance, it is wasteful to place advertisements online when the target prospects spend more time watching TV. It is fruitless placing them in the cinema when the target market spends more of their recreation time indoors. Every successful brand must constantly align its touch point with the changing market place.
- Aging customer base: Another sign of an ailing brand is its inability to attract younger customers. Sometimes customers grow old with a brand. This is quite a good thing, but must also continue to attract new and younger customers. Every successful brand must understand the dynamics of its customers’ base.
- Eroding relevance: an Ailing brand often has its relevance eroded. Every good brand must seek to occupy good position in the minds of its users and prospects, and such position must align with market trends. It is of utmost importance that every good brand be well positioned ahead of the market, gaining relevance as the marketplace moves towards it.
Understanding your customers, your marketplace and your brand is an essential path to successful brand management. Strong brands live forever, but the weak die even before their time. While it is desirable that brand grows, it is not desirable that it both grows and die, rather than be renewed by the changing reality of its time. A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day-by-day. It is important that every organization spend time researching, defining and building a strong brand. After all, a strong brand is the essence of every organization.
Contributor:
Jatto Sylvanus. Nigeria.
jatsylva@yahoo.com
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