Brand Communication

What is Brand Communication?

  • Brand Communication is the combination of activities that influence customer’s opinions about a company and its products.
  • Brand communication occurs every time a client or prospect interacts with the brand:

1.When customers see a logo

2.View brand in supermarket shelves

3.View brand content (social media, advertising, reviews)

4.Meet a brand in person (when visiting in showroom)

  • Brand is the recognition and personal connection that forms in the heart and mind of the stakeholders through their accumulated experience of brand at every point of contact.
  • Therefore It is very important to ensure that every ‘brand meeting’ builds the brand.

Media Channels and Brand Contact Points

  • Any person, event, or thing that provides exposure to a brand is considered as a medium. Telephone & Internet are example of interactive media channels.
  • Every brand-related interaction that a customer or a potential customer has with a brand is referred to as a Brand contact point.
  • Categories of Brand-Customer Touch Points:
    • Company-created touch points. (Planned Marketing Communication messages, such as ads, news releases, brochures etc.)
    • Customer-Initiated touch points. (when a customer or prospect contacts a company)
    • Intrinsic touch points. (Interactions with a brand required during the process of buying or using; e.g:- Customer Service)
    • Unexpected touch points. (Unanticipated references to a brand may be by a dissatisfied customer, media etc.)

The Need of Brand Communication

  • For impact (Tata Tea – Jaago Re)
  • For an involving, positive experience (Nexa)
  • To affect behavior (Mountain Dew – Dar Ke Aage Jeet Hai)
  • For high payback (Zoo Zoo by Vodafone)

Brand Communication Essentials

  • Brand communication process begins after brand image strategy is clearly laid out. Brand image is the current view of the customers about a brand. It can be defined as a unique bundle of associations within the minds of target customers. It signifies what the brand presently stands for. It is a set of beliefs held about a specific brand.
  • Brand communication is a reflection of brand image strategy.
  • Brand communication helps to differentiate products as it enhance their values beyond their functional attributes.
  • It build preferences versus competing products and therefore create long-term sustainable competitive advantage.
  • Bisleri is the largest selling bottled water in India, but it does not necessarily means it is the best product, but it shows that it has managed to differentiate itself through the creation of a unique brand proposition.

Brand Communication Process

A Sticky Interface

  • For companies, “interface” refers to the ease with which customers and other stakeholders can communicate with the company.
  • Marketing communication can be seen as the interface between customers and companies.
  • Having a gooey interface means that the brand relationship is sticky; i.e. there is loyalty between the brand and its customers.

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Planned Messages

  • Planned messages includes marketing communication messages delivered by:

1.Advertising, Sales promotion, Personal sales, Merchandising materials;

2.Press releases, Events, Sponsorships;

3.Packaging, Annual reports.

  • Traditional planned messages usually promote the brand or company and their objectives.
  • They also encourage action.
  • Messages are intended for customers and other key stakeholders.

Product Messages

  • Product messages include all messages sent by a product’s design, performance, pricing, and distribution.

Service Messages

  • Service messages come from contact with service representatives, receptionists, secretaries, delivery people, and all other representatives of a company.
  •   Five measures of service are:

1.Tangibles

2.Reliability

3.Responsiveness

4.Assurance

5.Empathy

Unplanned Messages

Unplanned messages include:

  • Brand or company related news stories
  • Gossip or rumor
  • Actions of special interest groups
  • Comments made by the trade and competitors
  • Findings by government or research institutions
  • Word of mouth

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