Aaker on Branding. David Aaker

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       The Ajax Brand Vision

Figure 2

       ADAPTING THE VISION

      Having the same brand vision in all contexts has enormous advantages in coordinating brand efforts across product categories and markets, scaling brand-building programs, and gaining internal clarity for the brand. However, the goal should be strong brands everywhere, not the same brand everywhere, and adaptation is often helpful and sometimes necessary.

      Brands often span products and markets that may represent important differences such as in a brand’s market share position (VW is dominant in Germany but not in the UK), brand image (some brands are premium in one product or country and have a value image in another), customer motivations (P&G’s Olay found that in India people wanted skin that was lighter looking rather that younger looking), distribution channels (ice cream is not sold in bulk in some countries but only on a stick or other single serving form), local heritage (cultural differences between France and Germany matter for some products), and competitor positions (a desirable position, such as being the chocolate that contains a glass of milk, might be preempted). If the differences warrant, the brand identity and/or position should be adapted.

      The challenge is to allow adaptation without the process leading to anarchy, inconsistency, and uncoordinated marketing programs. The brand vision model, because of its richness and flexibility, is well suited to several adaptation strategies. The core elements can be selectively highlighted, interpreted differently, or augmented.

      Emphasizing Different Elements of the Brand Vision

      A brand that has a core vision of two to five items can selectively draw from this list to maximize its impact on the silo market. A major financial services company was developing a loan program eventually to be used in many of the countries in which they operated. The brand vision included “easy to work with,” “bias to yes,” “flexibility,” and “speed.” Qualitative research followed up with a quantitative concept test in three representative countries showed that the markets reacted very differently. In the United States, “easy to work with” and “bias to yes” were the most effective appeals. In an Eastern European country, “easy to work with” and “speed” were the most impactful while in a developed Asian country “flexible,” “easy to work with,” and “speed” were the winners. So countries could dial up different aspects of the vision even though the vision was the same.

      Spinning the Brand Story for the Local Market

      The same brand vision can be applied across organizational silos, but elements of it could be interpreted differently in different markets. A hotel’s friendly, interactive style may look different in different countries. Or social responsibility could take on water conservation in one country and worker conditions in another. Or the innovation story by an appliance firm could focus on affordable, compact appliances in emerging markets and on computer-aided features for a more advanced market.

      ChevronTexaco has a core brand vision that consists of four values—clean, safe, reliable, and high quality. The country and regional markets and the product groups hold workshops to adapt that brand vision to their context. One mechanism is to interpret the core elements in their marketplace. So what is quality in the context of a convenience store? Or in a lube business? As a result, the silo units get a degree of flexibility but within the confines of the overall brand strategy.

      Augment with Additional Vision Elements

      Another way to adapt is to add a vision element to the master brand vision in the silo context that will be relevant and even compelling but not inconsistent with the global brand.

      ChevronTexaco, in addition to allowing the silos to interpret the brand vision elements, also allows the country or product silos to add one vision element to the four element already in the core vision. So the lube business could add “performance” and the Asian group could add “respectfully helpful.” The result is a greater ability to link with the silo customer. In part, because the addition is made in the context of the brand strategy workshop, there is little chance that any element would be added that would be inconsistent with the brand.

      The added association such as an attribute, benefit, or personality should be valued by the silo organization but not by the “rest of the world.” One energy company had a well-defined brand that worked throughout the world. However, in a South American country, customers were used to being cheated at the pump and getting less than they paid for. An honest pump was a believable and relevant point of differentiation. What was added to the brand promise in that country was in no way inconsistent with the global brand promise but, rather, reinforced aspects of it such as trust.

      With a country spanning silos, the brand could add a local or country flavor by infusing associations that connect with the culture and heritage of the country. A brand in the French market, for example, could use a local sponsorship of an arts program to link to the France culture. There can be a tension between being local and global but being both is very doable. Sony has long had the objective of being three things in each market—global, Japanese, and local— the best of all worlds.

       STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES VS. PROOF POINTS

      The brand vision implies a promise to customers and a commitment by the organization. It cannot be an exercise in wishful thinking but, rather, needs to have substance behind it. Every brand vision element should ultimately have proof points, capabilities, and programs in place that enable the organization to deliver the promise of each brand vision element and its associated value proposition. Proof points can be visible or behind the scenes. The visible proof points behind Nordstrom’s claim of outstanding service are its return policy and its empowered staff. The employee compensation system, together with hiring and training programs, are proof points the customer doesn’t see.

      When proof points are weak or missing, a strategic imperative is needed. A strategic imperative is a strategic investment in an asset, skill, people, or program that is essential if the customer promise is to be delivered. Delivering on a strategic imperative might require significant investment or a change in culture.

      Consider the following. For a regional bank brand that aspires to have a comprehensive customer relationship, a strategic imperative might be to equip each customer contact person with access to all of the customer’s accounts with the bank. For a premium audio equipment brand that aspires to be a technological leader, strategic imperatives might include an expanded R&D program and improved manufacturing quality. For a value subbrand for a household cleaning product that wants to have a price advantage, a strategic imperative might be to develop a cost culture.

      The strategic imperative represents a reality check, because it makes the critical “must do” investments visible and thus stimulates an assessment as to the feasibility of the brand strategy. Are the investment resources available? Is the commitment from the organization really there? Is the organization capable of responding to the strategic imperative? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then the organization is unable or unwilling to deliver behind the brand promise. The promise will then become an empty advertising slogan that at best will be a waste of resources and at worst create a brand liability instead of a brand asset.

      For example, if the regional bank is not willing to invest the tens of millions of dollars necessary to create the database СКАЧАТЬ