Re: Branding and marketing

From: Sandy Tapper <stapper_at_tappernet.com>
Date: Thu 25 Jan 2001 13:38:23 -0500

Geri,

In looking at your bio on your website, it appears that
your skills lie on the creative side; specifically art
direction. Thus, you're looking at branding from a
pure advertising perspective, rather than from a
strategic marketing perspective.

Branding is the synergistic combination of the
marketing mix (product, pricing, promotion,
distribution) that creates a singular image in the mind
of the end user. Branding is a strategy; advertising
is but one tactic used to build a brand.

For example, to me the exchage of emails that you've
been having with members of this forum is creating a
Geri Stunz Konstantin "brand" of one who takes an
advertising branding perspective. Your comments, your
wording, everything about you within this context is
creating your brand identity and how others "perceive"
you.

Even though this forum is not advertising, one might
decide to choose your "brand" for their next web site
project, or choose someone else, based on their
perception of you. Bottom line, all forms of marketing
communications contributes to that positioning we call
a brand, not just advertising:

GERI STUNZ KONSTANTIN <geri_at_virtualadv.com> WROTE:
> I used to work on AT&T when I was at Y&R 20 years
> ago. AT&T did not do branding, not even on their
> products. They still don't...."

Sure they do! Look at their advertising, PR, logo,
etc. When someone says "Ma Bell," who do they think
of? AT&T, right? Right now, AT&T's brand is a bit
muddled because it's trying to transition itself from
the old economy to the new.

GERI STUNZ KONSTANTIN <geri_at_virtualadv.com> WROTE:
> A brand is a particular make of goods- check the
> dictionary....

No, you're referring to a brand name. The brand is the
identity that is associated with the product or
service.

GERI STUNZ KONSTANTIN <geri_at_virtualadv.com> WROTE:
> Consumers will not necessarily pay more for a brand.
> A Hyundai is a brand. And I don't know a soul who will
> pay more for a Hyundai than they have to.... Also a
> brand does not necessarily drive a favorable
> reputation, etc. - look at Firestone....

I think what was meant here is that consumers will
pay more for one brand over another. Let's face it, a
car is a mode of transportation. Why would someone pay
more for a BMW than for a Hyundai, since both provide
the same basic end benefit of getting one from point A
to point B? Because the BMW brand connotes quality and
engineering, while Hyundai comes across economical.
And to many, the BMW brand is more reassuring than the
Hyundai brand.

And you're correct...the Firestone brand was tarnished
by the recent recall. There was no advertising that
said Firestone was bad; the PR and media coverage was
enough to hurt the Firestone brand and to some extent,
Ford's.

GERI STUNZ KONSTANTIN <geri_at_virtualadv.com> WROTE:
> Your definition of Advertising is an insult to all
> Advertising pros out there. Advertising is much more
> than you claim - maybe bad advertising merely raises
> awareness of a brand, but without good advertising any
> brand will cease to exist. A brand can exist without
> branding. You, my friend, are way off on this one.

As one who has also spent many years on Madison Avenue
on the account management side, I know that Advertising
can seem to be the driver of the brand. Advertising is
a brand-building tactic, whether it's for image
advertising or product-specific advertising. When I
made the transition to the product management/marketing
side of the desk, I could really understand how the
brand is made up of more than just advertising.

Again, I think your very narrow creative prism is
overlooking the broader view of what branding and brand
identity is all about.

Sandy Tapper
Tapper Web Consulting & Marketing
stapper_at_tappernet.com
http://www.tappernet.com
Phone: 727-521-4471 Fax 727-528-8621

Web Site Development - Internet Marketing - Web Strategy





Received on Thu Jan 25 2001 - 12:38:23 CST