The "Brand Funnel" - the key to building Brand Architecture that rocks.

In the field of modern day marketing, the concept of a Brand Identity plays a central role. Without an understanding of how brands are viewed by their stakeholders (external and internal Target Audiences), it is not possible to build a successful brand. As a result, the importance of tools that allow the systematic development of Brand Identity is generally understood among marketing practitioners as of paramount importance. The Brand Funnel is one of those tools that has been used by marketers and branding agencies since the late 1980s, and is valid today. An understanding of its significance however is still in the nascent stages in "developing markets", and as such, is an important part of the toolkit of marketers globally.

The role of Brand Identity in the broader field of marketing was first established in 1986 by Prof. J. N. Kapferer, when he explained his concept of the Brand Identity Prism. Kapferer's Prism was comprised of six elements: Physique, Personality, Culture, Relationship, Reflection & Self-image. Since then, there have been several studies on the subject, using the Prism model to explain various aspects of marketing: "The third chapter of this article provides the analysis of the sources of brand identity. The main six elements that constitute the sources of brand identity are indicated in this part as well. The prism of brand identity is described and the element of identity prism is analyzed in the fourth part of this article."[1]

[2]According to Yastioglu & Cikin, brand identity "... is the outward expression of the brand including it's name, trademark, communications and visual appearance. The brand's identity is its fundamental means of consumer recognition and symbolises the brand's differentiation from competitors."[3]

"Building a brand-driven culture is a lifelong commitment to a mindset and a way of life that takes time, planning and perseverance that produces intangible outputs which include greater customer satisfaction, reduced price sensitivity, fewer customer defections, a greater share of customers’ wallets, more referrals, and a higher percentage of repeat business."[4]

"Brand identity is based on a thorough understanding of the firm’s customers, competitors, and business environment. The brand identity needs to reflect the business strategy and the firm’s willingness to invest in the programs needed for the brand to live up to its promise to customers."[5]

"To be effective, a brand identity needs to resonate with customers, differentiate the brand from competitors, and represent what the organization can and will do over time."[6]

"In this study, a theoretical framework is proposed to identify and measure brand identity and image consistency. To minimize the problem associated with subjective decisions, an objective procedure has been proposed to measure the brand knowledge structure of company personnel, consumers and channel members about the considered brands. The results of this study show that brand knowledge consistency is missing among marketers, consumers and channel members for considered brands."[7]

"Brand architecture is a strategic roadmap for present and future success."[8]

The necessity of using a tool to manage Brand Identity to ensure alignment between internal & external stakeholders to a brand, and their consumers, is well-established with both marketing professionals and academics. The Adams' Brand Funnel [9] is one of the tools used by brand managers in designing and strengthening the architecture of the brands they work on. This tool allows brand owners to develop and implement consistent and meaningful equities for their brands, and execute communication campaigns for those brands to build awareness, trial and usage.

The Funnel is comprised of six parts:

1. The Brand Capsule: This is also sometimes referred to as Brand Essence, and is the space that the brand occupies in the forefront of the consumers' mind in three to four words. e.g. For Nike it would be "Just Do It"[10] and for Gillette "The Best A Man Can Get"[11]. The entire purpose of brand communication is to establish and own this particular space in the minds of the consumer.

2. The Brand Positioning: This is the brand's promise to deliver the capsule. Through a differentiated positioning statement, marketing professionals and brand managers can define: a. The Target Audience (people that would buy the brand) b. The Frame of Reference (the brand's competitive set) c. The Owned Benefit (the unique benefit the brand offers) d. The Reason To Believe (why people should believe the brand's claims)

E.g.: For those people looking for a vacation that the entire family will love (Target Audience) Disney [12] is the theme park (Frame of Reference) That offers an escape into a fairytale world (Owned Benefit) Because its a an amazing place full of characters they love! (Reason-To-Believe)

On evaluation of each of the above aspects, it is clear that this Positioning could only apply to the Disney brand, and therein lies it's power as a tool that builds internal and external consistency.

3. The Product Associations: These are the tangibles that the brand always delivers and that help to deliver the brand's promise. E.g. The 'Golden Arches" for McDonald's [13], the Mermaid logo for Starbuck's [14] and the stylised Coca-Cola logo. Colours, fonts and sometimes even packaging can form part of the brand, as in the case of the Coca-Cola bottle. [15]

4. The Heritage: These associations are built around the founders and their mission, the company's philosophy and practices, it's core expertise and capabilities, and sometimes it's employees. e.g. The Post cereal company in the USA leveraged its 100 year history, and used it's employees in it's communication for decades as a way of connecting with their consumer base. [16]

5. The Brand Personification: This describes the role that the brand plays in a consumer's life, and how they bond with the brand at a personal level. The personification covers three areas: a. The Archetype: This defines who the brand is to the consumer, and the role it plays in the consumer's life b. The Values: Things the brand believes passionately c. The Personality: Traits & behaviours that the brand always exhibits

E.g. Listerine brand of mouthwashes [17] are personified as a Marine Sergeant that takes no prisoners when it comes to germs. "Be Afraid, Germs. It’s LISTERINE? Antiseptic Mouthwash. Our Original Formula Has Been Striking Fear Into Germs For Over A Hundred Years, Helping To Reduce Plaque And Prevent Gingivitis."

6. The Differentiators: After reviewing the five elements above, brand managers can select those elements that are truly differentiated, ownable and meaningful to their target audience [18]. Individually, they form triggers to associations in the mind of the consumer, and together, they can represent only one brand. If the differentiators can be applied to another brand, then by definition, they are too generic to be called differentiators and more work needs to be done on the Brand Funnel to make it more differentiated, ownable and meaningful.

Summary: If used correctly, the Brand Funnel, like Kapferer's Prism is a useful tool to help Brand Managers and Marketing professionals create, build and strengthen the equities of the brands they are entrusted with.

References

1. ^ "Analysis of the Sources of Brand Identity".
2. ^ Yunus Emre Yastioglu &Zenep Cikin, Kapferer's Brand Identity Prism, Marmara University.
3. ^ Knapp, 2000
4. ^ Knapp, 2000
5. ^ Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000
6. ^ Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000
7. ^ "Theoretical framework to measure brand identity".
8. ^ "What is Brand Architecture?".
9. ^ "Adams' Brand Funnel".
10. ^ "Just Do It!".
11. ^ "The Best A Man Can Get".
12. ^ "Analysis of the Disney Brand".
13. ^ "McDonald's Golden Arches".
14. ^ "Starbuck's mermaid logo".
15. ^ "The Coca-Cola bottle".
16. ^ "The role of Post Cereal's heritage in its communication".
17. ^ "Listerine Brand Personification".
18. ^ "The Importance of Differentiation".