Introduction into Brand Management by Ramesh Tahiliani on 13.08.2013

“A brand is the most valuable piece of real estate in the world:
a corner of someone’s mind.” - John Hegarty

India is in all probability one of the most complex markets in the world, if not the most. Anyone but from India need not less than 2 years just to get the hang of things in India and it's ways, we're a very diverse nation is an understatement. You'll have to find that one thing that unites us, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and that is a tall order indeed. 

Advertising is done in order to build a 'brand'. A brand is known by it's name and logo, which is necessarily it's (brand) identity. 

• A Brand doesn't exist in reality, it is an abstract, just a concept. 

• Brand building takes time and it is a carefully curated process that needs enormous amount of strategy devising. 

• Brands need to have associations and one way of establishing it is through Advertising and Public Relations.   

Marketing Communication is the voice of Brands. Advertising and Public Relations constituent Marketing Communications. 

"A product is something that is made in a factory, a brand is something that is bought by a customer or a consumer. A product can be copied by a competitor, a brand is unique. A successful brand is timeless" - Stephen King, JWT London.

A good Brand Equity results in the following :

• You can charge a premium for your product/offering
• It results in an image 
• It results in responses, may be positive ones and that is always a plus
• Better Brand Awareness, for no awareness means that particular brand doesn't matter and if it doesn't matter to anyone then it stops being a brand.      

Branding is a 'Trust Mark', a 'Love Mark' and 'Wiki Brands'. 

- Wiki Brands are a progressive set of products, services, organizations, ideas and causes, tapping the powers of customer participation, influence and collaboration to drive value. Derived from Hawaiian word “wiki” meaning “quick” – which now refers to “a collaborative website” – and “brand” from the Middle English word “torch” meaning “a distinctive name identifying a product or a manufacturer”.

"In many companies, the brand has become the single most important operating and financial asset"

5 key attributes of a successful youth brands are:

Coolness and Innovation - Apple, Google, Nike

Honesty and Service to society - Forest Essentials, The Body Shop. Every brand satisfies a need.    

Uniqueness - Red Bull. Strong sense of self-identification with the brand. Red Bull as such is all about Adrenaline right from sponsoring contracts in F1 to Space Jumping to X-Games it's all about adventure, living on the edge and being the very best 'energiser' out there. 

Happiness - Maximise sensory appeal; intelligent use of social media with Coco-Cola leading by example with their 'Open Happiness' campaign... 

According to J.N. Kapferer, the Guru of Brand Awareness "A brand is a name with a power to influence you. However it is not a question of the choice of the name itself".  

• Salient   
• Exclusive 
• Trusted  

Does the brand command respect, passion and engage with the consumers. Does the brand have a community or a tribe with fierce loyalties, think 'applephiles'.



                                                        Network Mental Associations 

Brand Territory is perceived competence, typical products or services with a specific know how... 

Book Recommendation : 'How Cool Brands Stay Hot'