Brand Narratives

Fabrizio Maria Pini

2
 Agenda
Brand evolution and postmodern marketing (the Goodyear brand stage model)

Brands and consumption in a cultural perspective

Regression and enhancement models of branding

What brands stand for: value and personality as the background for a narrative approach

Models for myth brand building

Brand archetypes

Brand metaphors

Building compelling stories in transmedia environments

The role of IMC in storytelling

 What is a brand?
(The Goodyear Model)
 Brand Evolution and
Postmodern Marketing
 Educated consumers
stage 5
Postmodern marketing
Complex brands
Cynical consumers
archetypes’
stage 4 segmentation
Customer driven Deconstructed
marketing advertising
Brand as icons
Saturated
marketplaces
Targeting users’ styles
stage 3Symbolic advertising
Classic branding
Brand as
personality
Low competition Intense competition High competition
stage 2 Targeting
Marketing psychographic
Brand as reference Lifestyle
Increased advertising
competition
Targeting
stage 1 demographics
Commodity selling Rational
No brands advertising
No targeting
No advertising
Producers have
power
Naive consumers
Different roles of brand
Brand stage

Policy

stage 2
Company Marketing
Brand as reference
Increased competition
Targeting demographics
Icon Rational advertising

Personality

Reference

Unbranded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMY7o1tZTYU
Brand stage

Policy

Company stage 3
Classic branding
Brand as personality
Intense competition
Icon Targeting psychographic
Lifestyle advertising

Personality

Reference

Unbranded
Brand stage

Policy

stage 4
Company Customer driven marketing
Brand as icons
Saturated marketplaces
Targeting users’ styles
Icon Symbolic advertising

Personality

Reference

Unbranded
Brand stage

Policy
stage 5
Postmodern marketing
Complex brands
Company Cynical consumers
archetypes’ segmentation
Deconstructed advertising

Icon

Personality

Reference

Unbranded
 17

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 2013 M I P - Riproduzione ris ervat a - Docent e: Valeria Pelles chi

Brand stage

Policy
stage 5
Postmodern marketing
Complex brands
Company Cynical consumers
archetypes’ segmentation
Deconstructed advertising
Icon

Personality

Reference

Unbranded
Brand stage

Policy Soul brands

Company Intimacy and relationship

Icon Marketing and social values

Personality Brand personality

Reference Brand positioning

Unbranded category development

Brand stage Consumer’s effort Brand evaluation
Fulfillme
Policy Commitment
nt

Interactive
Company Relationship
value creation

Icon Brand adoption Identification

Personality Knowledge Self Expression

Reference Recognition Differentiation

Unbranded Product knowledge Utilitarism

Brand meanings
 Psychological
Core values and consequences
life goals
Physical
attributes

Social
consequences
Functional consequences
The dimensions of
brand narratives
 Brand narrative:
Brand equity
Customer equity
Market position
Brand story potential
Media authored myths
Brand: Customer authored
Personality myths
Symbols Company authored
Relationships myths
Self-expressive benefits
Emotional benefits
User imagery
COO
Product: Organisational
Scope associations
Attributes
Uses
Quality/value
Functional benefits
 Brand narratives
(of symbolic and
functional meanings)
 Brand
narrative
market-product
explicit and implicit company
brand development
brand meaning authored
equity strength
myths
Brand
organisational brand
associations personality

country of Product
Product
scope symbols
origin scope
customer attributes customer
negotiated attributes customer
authored uses development
brand meaning uses equity
myths quality strength
quality
values
values brand/
user functional
functional benefits customer
imagery benefits
relationship

emotional self-expressive
benefits benefits
media
mediated market
authored
brand meaning position competitive
myths
strength
brand story arc
potential

brand salience longevity

 personal
brand values
and
goals

emotiona
l
consequ Brand narrative
ence
metaphorically
functiona
l convey
consequ
ence entire web
of meanings
attributes
product
The Signs of Brand
(brand elements)
 They could be
tangible or intangible
Tangible...
 Name Logo Colour

the signs of brand

(Base line) Cult products Packaging

Name: highlights
the role of the
creator
Symbolic register Monogram

Logo: it is a
particular way to
“write” the brand

Abstract nature
Colour: particular
colour or patter
strictly related to
the brand

Sound....
Cult products: are
emblematic of the
brand
Packaging: might
become an
element of brand
recognition
 Character: it
humanizes the brand
and generates
associations and
interest
 Tag line: verbal
synthesis of brand
positioning
Imperative
Descriptive
Superlative
Provocative
Specific
Intangible...
Services Policies Amenities

the signs of brand

Outlets Perceptions Sensations

The “location” of
meaning
 Culturally constituted works
Cultural values and symbols

Marketing communications Fashion system

Consumer goods

Possession Exchange Grooming Divestment

ritual ritual ritual ritual

Individual consumer

McCracken, 1986
Movement of meaning through the role of celebrities
 Culture Endorsement Consumption

Celebrity Celebrity Product Product Consumer

Objects

Persons

Contexts

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3

Brands and Consumption
In a Cultural Perspective
“Brands are the greatest gift that commerce
has brought to popular culture” (Olins, 2000)
 “Brands can turn
customers into ‘fans’,
especially when they
connect with consumers’
culture. That’s why brand
managers must evaluate,
emulate and infiltrate the
core culture of their
customers”
(Blackwell, Miniard and
Engel, 2006)
 Postmodern Consumption:
The Way Individuals Define
Themselves and their cultural
project
 Postmodern
consumption is..
Self expression
What brands stand for: values and
personality as the background for a
narrative approach
Brand Values
Apple Values
Brand Platform Structure
BRAND VALUES HIERARCHY CONSUMER VALUES HIERARCHY

What kind of life do I want? Reflect What kind of life do I want? Successful,
what the purchaser and the brand
share in fundamental terms: moral,
CENTRAL VALUES fulfilling, meaningful, stable, powerful,
etc.
behaviourally, philosophically.

Reflect the nature of purchaser: sex, What kind of person do I want to be?
characteristics, personality, status. EXPRESSIVE VALUES Active, contemporary, important, etc..

Reflect what kind of product or service

the brand offers and/or what
functional benefit it provides to the
customer: composition, use, effect,
appearance, cost.
What kind of product do I want to
have? Natural, convenient, safe,
FUNCTIONAL VALUES technologically advanced, effective,
money-saving

Fonte: Hart and Murphy (1998)

Brand Personality
Brand Personality

Attributing distinctive traits of human personality to the brand in order

to generate differentiation:

It is tightly related to the tone of voice and customer relationship.

Kapferer’s Brand Identity
Prism
 Physique

Personality

Culture

Self Image

Reflection

Relationship
 Brand identity Prism
for the Hermés Brand

Traditional
Kelly bag
Elegant
Silk carré
French

Confidence Luxury craftsmanship

Loyalty Exceptional people

Classic Social representation

High-quality Exclusiveness-timeless
 Brand identity Prism
for the Armani Brand
PHYSICAL ASPECT PERSONALITY
Weave quality, design, logo. Class, chasteness

RELATIONSHIP CULTURE
Prestige, style Tradition, commitment,
preciousness, non uniformity

REFLECTION SELF IMAGE

Androgen woman looking for fashion Comfort, beauty, elegance
and comfort without excesses
 Regression vs
Enhancement
Communication Models
Regression
Regression Model

Brand plays the role of problem

solver for a customer stuck with
problems she/he cannot solve, just
like a child asking for mum’s help.
Enhancement Model

The customer is the hero while

the brand is her/his mentor
 Cornerstones of good
marketing communications
Audience

Media Message
Models for Myth Brand
Building
 Deep metaphors provide basic
foundations for the brand stories
people create, based on marketing
communications.
 “Giant metaphors”:
1.Balance or imbalance
2. Transformation
3. Container (keeping things in or out)
4. Connection or disconnection
5.Resource (knowledge, information)
6. Control
7. Movement, motion
8. Nature, force, system

Zaltman &Zaltman, 2008

Balance and
imbalance
Transformation
Container
Connection or
disconnection
Resource
Control
Movement, motion
Nature, force, system
Brand Archetypes
 Pioneer
(curious, innovative,
brave, optimist)
 Rebel
(fearless, uncompromising,
creative)
 Magician
(energetic, irreverent, believe in
miracles, imagination and play can
move mountains)
 Jester
(deeply intelligent, see reality more
clearly than others, find a way to show
it in the most unexpected ways)
 Captain
(it falls to you to bring out heroic actions and guide
those who choose to follow. Trust inspiring, clarity
of vision and ability to make you understood.
Idealistic, confident, tireless and brave)
 Defender
(your job is to defend that which is
sacred but may be lost. You are strong,
sensitive, selfless and resolute)
 Muse
(inspiring through example of beauty,
creativity and love. You have a deep faith in
those around you and believe humans were
born to transcend. Quietly lead by example)
Transmedia story
telling
The stages of myth
creation
The audience is the Hero: the brand
has to show how to become a hero.
Recognising one’s own hero potential
is what the journey is all about.
Story structure
Brand hero: the embodiment of the
primary audience the brand seeks
to reach (heroes in-the-making)
Brand mentor: the embodiment of
the brand. The brand is not the
hero but the force that puts the
hero in motion
Brand gift: the creative wildcard that makes
your brand special and makes your brand
hero believe she/he can pursue higher level
values through a relationship with your
brand.
Moral of the story: the core
message that underlies
every story the brand tells
Brand boon: the contribution
to the world that your brand
hero will ultimately make
 Brands convey their narratives is spite of
their advertising. Their story is told through
many channels, some of them much more
intimate and experiential than classical
advertising
Victoria’s Secret’s shops use
a unique flower potpourri
Narrative cueing
The Role of IMC
 Cross-media campaign
1. Brand narratives

2. Single voice

3. Consistent in all brand encounters

4. Leverage

5. Cross-media
 Individual brand congruity

• Media-neutral planning

• Trans-media planning
Relationship marketing
vs
Relationship branding
The narrow concept of relationship marketing or
CRM has its roots in a b2b orientation and often
describes an extension of personal selling,
account management and the management of
the marketing/customer interface
 Relationship branding is a strategic
approach aimed at making consumers
feel a sense of relationship or personal
connection with the brand.
Customer loyalty
categorisation
partner

advocate

supporter
retention
client

customer

prospect
acquisition
suspect
Customer-based brand
equity model
Product Brand
quality promise

Service Rational Category

quality evaluations advantage

Price Individual
proposition congruity
Emotional
Physical evaluations
WOM
evidence

Access to Extra value

supply added

Customer/brand
relations
Representation of
group identity

Targeted brand
positioning

Socially constructed reality

Planning Marketing
Communications
 Everything and everyone
communicates through brand
encounters (touch-points)
Types of brand encounters

explicit
solicite
d

unsolic
ited
implicit
Explicit planned brand encounters are
campaigns which are objectively researched
with communication mix elements such as
advertising and direct marketing applied.
Implicit planned brand encounters like the
physical evidence of a reception or the
ambience of a retail store have a degree of
subjective interpretation and so are more
difficult to control.
Solicited planned brand encounters
are third-party sanctioned
expressions of the brand by
intermediaries
Unsolicited planned brand encounters
include wom, miscommunications by
competitors or uninformed parties presenting
a distorted impression of the brand.
 Types of brand encounters

Tv, radio
Cinema
Guerrilla ads
Website
Wom
Out of home
Brand blogs explicit
solicite Digital ads
d Social page

unsolic
Competition viral ads ited Store ambience
Rouge viral ads implicit Premium pricing
Competition ads Company reception
Third-party social pages Sponsorships
Brand portfolio and
architecture
 20%
Ultra
lower Contem Trendy Retail Boys Perfect
premiu
than p and store and Armani
m
main design fashion chain girls environ.
price
line
How many brands does
a company need?
Brand portfolio
 Through a Branded Through a House of Brands
House

Master brand gives to the offer: Strong division between brands:

Associations that develop value Creates and has an original association

proposition
Represent a new offer
Trust through organisational association
It is not linked to an unwanted association
Awareness
Customer trust
Communication strength
Help to manage channel
Is Master brand more powerful through
association to the new offer? Will business sustain new brand?
 How do you create brands?

Brand architecture
It organises and structures brand portfolio giving a specific role to brands
and a rationale to the relationship between brands and between different
product-market contexts.
Endorser Sub-brand Driver role
Endorser brand: usually represent organisations rather than products,
because organisational associations such as innovation, leadership and trust
are particularly relevant in endorsement contexts.

Sub-brand: are brands connected to a master brand that augment or modify

the associations of the master brand. Master brand is the primary frame of
reference, but it is stretched by sub-brands that add associations, a brand
personality in red to extend master brand into a meaningful new segment.
Descriptive sub-brands simply describe what is offered.

Driver role: reflects the degree to which a brand drives the purchase decision
and use experience.
 Brand relationship spectrum

Brand relationship spectrum

Branded Sub Endorsed House

house brands brands of brands

Same Master brand Strong Shadow

identity as driver endorsment endorsment

Different Linked Not

Co-driver
Identity name connected

Token
Descriptor
endorser
 How do you manage brands?
Brand portfolio
How many Benefit Silver Strategic
brand brand bullet brand

Market and Brand role

Brand’s role in the portfolio
Driver Cash cow Linchpin
Co-brand
role brand brand
Brand
Architecture

Grouping

Brand portfolio Hierarchy Portfolio graphics

structure (logo and visual)
Range
 Brand role in portfolios
Brand or subbrand High level of sales and
that strengths margins (value share)
another brand in the future
Silver Strategic
bullet brand

Brand role
in the portfolio
Cash cow Linchpin
brand brand

Brands that do not require Leverage for the future

high investments to remain In new business areas
on their position and make available
economical resources for the firm
Brand life cycle
 The brand life cycle

Camper Ferragamo Loewe Bally life cycle curve

Sales volumes

launch growth maturity delicne

 Measuring brand
strenght

Retail sales License

royalties
The birth of a luxury
brand
The growth of a luxury
brand
The maturity of a
luxury brand
The decline of a luxury
brand
The measures of
brand power
How to evaluate brands
Brand loyalty

Source of value for the customer:

Helping in managing informations
Brand awareness
Growing the buyer power
Growing the satisfaction

Perceived quality
Source of value for the company:
Marketing programme’s efficency
Enhance prices
Association Enhance margins
Trade leverage
Competitive advantage
Assets
Brand awareness
Top of mind

Brand recall

Brand recognition

Unaware of brand

The capacity of the brand to symbolise the category, to be a prototype of it,

the best model or representation
 How do you evaluate brands?

Brand loyalty Committed

time

Loves the brand and consider it as a friend money

performance

Satisfied and perceives switching cost

Loyal

Switcher

Define consumer behaviour in relation to brand preferences

Brand loyalty
 advantages:
Perceived A) BRAND EXTENSION
B) REASON TO BUY
Quality C) POSITIONING
D) PREMIUM PRICE
dimensions E) TRADE LEVERAGE

PRODUCT: Service:

Performance Tangible
Feature Confidence
Liking Competences
Confidence Answer
Lasting Empathy
 How do you evaluate brands?

Everything that can be linked to the

brand...
COMPANY
COMPETITORS
Brand
Perceived benefits
Real benefits
Association Differentiation

TARGET

Reason to buy
Value adding
Strong brands are built thanks to the following customer perceptions:

• Differentiation (brand uniqueness)

• Relevance

• Trust and reputation

a) Knowledge (of brand values)

Strong brands are built thanks to the following customer perceptions:

• Differentiation (brand uniqueness)

• Relevance

• Trust and reputation

a) Knowledge (of brand values) Brand strength

(future potential
of the brand
Brand stature
(present position of the brand)
 Come si misura una marca?
Il Brand Asset Valuator Model della Young e Rubicam

Le marche di successo si costruiscono attraverso le seguenti percezioni da parte dei consumatori:

• Differenziazione (misura la percezione di distintività della marca)

• Rilevanza (misura l’appropriatezza della marca per il cliente)

• Stima (misura la fiducia e l’apprezzamento per la marca)

a) Conoscenza (misura la piena comprensione dei valori)

Brand strength
(future potential
of the brand
Brand stature
(present position of the brand)
 POWER
GRID

High

Emerging potential Leadership

Brand strength

New, not focused Destroy brand potential

Low

Low Brand stature High

 High

D R T K D R T K
Brand strength

D R T K D R T K Low

High Brand stature Low

 High

D R T K D R T K
Brand strength

D R T K D R T K Low

High Brand stature Low

Exploiting brand equity
Line extension Co-branding
Brand extension
Line stretching Licensing
 Line extension

Prod. A Prod. A1 Prod. A2 Prod. A3 Prod. A4

Price of the line

 Line extension

Prod. A4
Prod. A3
Prod. A2

Prod. A
Prod. A1

Price of the line

 Line stretching

Price
segment
 Brand extension
Tactical extension

Market C Market A Market B

Range brand