Business monitor Sept:Layout 1 17/08/2009 14:00 Page 21
BUSINESS MONITOR
Building
the brand
Every time you print or embroider a name you are enhancing the idea that a brand is an important
part of marketing. But what about your own business? Do you have a brand? If it’s right for your
clients, it's right for you, says marketing expert Paul Clapham
W
hat is this thing called "the brand"? Why money on brand building shows a return both as benefits are tangible, most are intangible. A brand
do marketing gurus treat it as the icon of income and capital growth. Any good financial may be some of the following: good value, high
selling, investing it with something akin advisor will tell you how rare a combination that quality, reliable, modern, traditional, original,
to religious significance? Surely a brand is just a is. Companies refer to marketing spend as individual, stylish, sexy. You will note that all these
name and a logo with (typically) a big advertising "investing in our brands". It's not just glib, it's words are highly subjective.
budget shoving behind it? If so, wasn't reality. However, the key virtue of a brand is consistency:
Shakespeare right, and a rose would, indeed, smell That's the upside. The downside is just as when you buy product X or shop at store Y, what
as sweet by another name? Or, if the Bard's word interesting. Businesses with strong brands you get is always good value or high quality or
has no sort of marketing relevance, should withstand recessionary pressures better, because modern. This indeed is the origin of branding;
everyone be aiming to develop a brand? their margins stand up better to downward price when mass marketing first existed it needed a way
pressure. Equally, a business with a powerful brand to reassure customers that, yes, this is that product
The answers to those last three questions are no, can recover faster from any self-inflicted mistakes you bought before, it's just as good, look - the
no and yes. Let's address the reasons why. (Marks & Spencer have largely managed it) and pack's the same size and colour and the name's in
most important they can broaden the product and the same typeface. This consistency makes
The motivation behind brand building is financial. service range using that authoritative brand. customers trust a brand, gives them faith in its
Successful brands are very, very profitable. More OK, enough of justification. Just exactly what is a promise - and there's that quasi-religious aspect of
than that, many of them generate those profits brand and what's it got that a name alone lacks? branding.
year-in, year-out over decades. That success makes When does a name become a brand? Apologies in The brand-owner reinforces that consistency by
a brand, in its own right, equity in a business. advance if some of the following descends into stressing all his brand's values in every aspect of
Major consumer goods manufacturers list their ethereally vague marketing speak. presentation to the customer: packaging,
brands in their report and accounts in the capital A brand gives a product intrinsic and extrinsic advertising, POS, literature and all other ancillary
valuations section - carrying some big valuations, values enabling it to become a dynamic part of activities. At every opportunity the customer is
too. Manufacturers regularly sell brands - not the customers' lifestyles. They will pay more for their reassured: "You have gained far more than the
production plant, just the brands. brand of choice because they perceive benefits in
Thus the expenditure of no little time, effort and it which are valued in cash. Whilst some of those
continued over
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk September 2009 | 21 |
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92