IMC

and Brand attributes

- What is IMC
- Components of IMC
- Stages of IMC
- Importance of IMC
- Concept of brand: brand image, brand identity, brand values, brand
building, transition of an item from product to brand, importance of brand
image in advertising.
 Definition of IMC
• Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is the
application of consistent brand messaging across both
traditional and non-traditional marketing channels and using
different promotional methods to reinforce each other.
• Since the audience is addressed by the same seller in many
different ways, it makes logical sense that the varied
communications are in sync with each other. this consistency
is a vital element of brand building.
• If the consumer is talked at in one voice, the coordinated
effort brings more benefit as the shortfall of one particular
medium is covered up by the strengths of another in the mix.
 Components
• Advertising (traditional mass media centric)
• Database marketing/ direct marketing
• Sales promotions – consumer (coupons,
sampling, price packs, premiums and gifts,
sweepstakes) trade promotions (buying
allowances, bill-back allowances, display
allowances, in-ad grocer coupon, contests)
• Public relations
• Personal selling
 Importance of IMC
• The strengths of one medium shadow over
the weakness of other – minimizes wastage.
• A good mix means optimal use of resources.
• Timely achievement of objectives is more
probable.
 Brand
• What is brand: A brand is a name, term, design,
symbol or other feature that distinguishes one
seller's product from those of others.
• What is branding: the process of creating a
relationship or a connection between a
company's product and emotional perception
of the customer for the purpose of generating
segregation among competition and building
loyalty among customers.
• Branding is a way of differentiating product
from mere commodities, and therefore usage
of branding expanded with each advance in
transportation, communication, and trade.
 Brand awareness
• Brand awareness is a customers' ability to recall and recognize the brand, the logo
and the advertisements. It helps the customers to understand to which product or
service category the particular brand belongs and what products and services sell
under the brand name.
• Various levels of brand awareness require different levels and combinations of
brand recognition and recall:
1. Top-of-mind awareness occurs when a brand pops into a consumer's mind when
asked to name brands in a product category. For example, when someone is asked
to name a type of facial tissue, the common answer is "Kleenex", represents a top-
of-mind brand.
2. Aided awareness occurs when consumers see or read a list of brands, and
express familiarity with a particular brand only after they hear or see it as a type of
memory aide.
3. Strategic awareness occurs when a brand is not only top-of-mind to consumers,
but also has distinctive qualities which consumers perceive as making it better than
other brands in the particular market. The distinction(s) that set a product apart
from the competition is/are also known as the Unique Selling Point or USP.
 Brand elements
• name: the word or words used to identify a company, product, service, or
concept
• logo: the visual trademark that identifies a brand
• tagline or catchphrase: "The Quicker Picker Upper" is associated with
Bounty paper towels
• graphics: the "dynamic ribbon" is a trademarked part of Coca-Cola's brand
• shapes: the distinctive shapes of the Coca-Cola bottle and of the
Volkswagen Beetle are trademarked elements of those brands
• colors: Owens-Corning is the only brand of fiberglass insulation that can
be pink.
• sounds: a unique tune or set of notes can denote a brand. NBC's chimes
provide a famous example.
• scents: the rose-jasmine-musk scent of Chanel No. 5 is trademarked
• tastes: Kentucky Fried Chicken has trademarked its special recipe of
eleven herbs and spices for fried chicken
• movements: Lamborghini has trademarked the upward motion of its car
doors
 Creating Brand Experiences
Creating a great brand experience takes
preparation. Before anything can be done,
brands need to ensure they have an
understanding of their audiences’ wants and
needs. Only then can brands create authentic,
meaningful, and memorable experiences that
will appeal to their audiences.
 But what is a brand experience?
• In simple terms, the Brand experience can be defined as the
tariff of all the interests, feelings, thoughts and responses that
consumers have in response to a brand. Brand experience is
not definite to a particular channel or media type. Moreover,
it’s the result or the enduring impact after someone captures a
brand in any environment.

• The brand experience generated consumer awareness and

often created loyal customers. It influences how consumers
feel about a brand through a brief but significant encounter.
The ultimate motive is to obtain positive emotions and feelings
from customers regarding a specific brand.
Brand experience or User experience?

Unlike brand experience, user experience refers to an individual’s carryout from their interaction with a
brand’s products, services, software, people or other contributions. For example, consumers will have a
positive user experience if they get swift and effective customer service, a compatible checkout process,
or a suitable product.

Positive customer experiences also ease compelling brand experiences. But in reality, brands can’t have
one without the other. If a user has a positive experience every time they strike a brand’s website,
doesn’t that also influence how they view the brand and its experience? If not, it’s pretty tricky for
people to acknowledge the brand within the experience. On the other hand, user experience should
consolidate consistent brand voice and components throughout.
 Brand experience is important
• Brand experience is vital because assured experiences facilitate profound
connections, inspire consumers, and eventually deliver results.

• A positive brand experience can repeatedly mean the difference between being
chosen over another brand or dropping the sale. Due to this, it is straightforward to
see why organizations go out of their way to pursuit the magnificent and striking
brand experience.

• However, it’s imperative to create a consistent brand experience as a base for flashy
and powerful interactions. The most valuable brands globally realize that brand
experience helps create enduring consumer relationships and increases brand
recognition.

• Some organizations create the fault of focusing their entire resources on a few
immense experiences and ignore the speculation inconstancy. Therefore, make sure
you create the right path in your brand experience.
Creating successful brand experience
 Brand image
• Brand image is how consumers already perceive your product
or brand.
• This is the reality in the consumer’s mind.
• Perception: the process through which the incoming stimuli
are organized, interpreted and given meaning by human mind.
• The perceived value of the brand is much more important
than the actual value.
• Brand image = set of associations, favorable connotations and
psychological overtones.
• The difference between USP and brand image is, USP focuses
on a narrow band of specific benefits and brand image can be
specific or non specific (mostly non specific)/ diffused identity.
 Brand identity
• Brand identity is how you want the consumer to perceive your product or brand.
• This is aspiration-dependant.
• Elements – an organizational association, a personality and a symbol. It is a
collective concept.
• 2 dimensions of brand identity – core identity and extended identity.

Key elements of brand identity

Brand Brand Audience Brand Brand
Self image
physique relationship image personality culture
Brand value
Brand value
 Brand equity
• Aaker – a set of assets associated with the brand.
These may be brand awareness, brand loyalty,
perceived quality of the brand and brand
associations.
• Keller – brand equity is related to consumer’s
familiarity with the brand and his favorable
associations to it.
• Brand associations put together = brand image.
• Brand image + non image factors = market value of
the brand or brand equity.
Keller’s brand equity model or
brand building blocks
 Brand personality
• The term brand personality refers to a set of human
characteristics that are attributed to a brand name. An
effective brand increases its brand equity by having a
consistent set of traits that a specific consumer segment
enjoys. This personality is a qualitative value-add that a
brand gains in addition to its functional benefits.

• A brand personality is something to which the consumer

can relate. If the consumer becomes a regular customer,
they may start to identify parts of their own personality
with the brand personality.
• Brand personality is a set of human characteristics that
are attributed to a brand name.
• Companies should accurately define their brand
personalities, so they resonate with the right
consumers.
• A company's brand should aim to elicit a positive
emotional response from a targeted consumer
segment.
• The personal side of brand personality is so important
especially in the digital age of artificial intelligence and
automation.
• Don't confuse brand personality with imagery, which
consists of a company's creative assets.
• Excitement: Carefree, spirited, playful, modern, trendy, and youthful
• Sincerity: Kindness, thoughtfulness, and an orientation toward family values, environmental sustainability, or care for
workers and communities
• Ruggedness: Rough, tough, outdoorsy, unfussy, and athletic
• Competence: Successful, accomplished, and influential, which is highlighted by leadership
• Sophistication: Elegant, prestigious, exclusive, luxurious, and sometimes even pretentious
 Examples
• Dove
Dove chooses sincerity as its brand personality. In doing so, the company hopes to attract feminine
consumers who don't like the superficial image associated with many personal care and beauty brands.

One of Dove's major marketing pushes was the Real Beauty campaign, which features videos that
explored how brand images are retouched and photoshopped. It also uses models with diversely-sized
bodies in its advertisements and features interviews with celebrity activists on its websites. All this
creates a brand personality that feels thoughtful and genuine, which appeals to customers who don't
want to be associated with traditional beauty standards.

• Nike
Nike has an excited brand personality that motivated athletes identify with. The company's motto "Just
Do It," evokes a driven, athletic person who is always willing to pursue new goals.

Nike's products and marketing tend to feature bold colors, such as neon accents, that feel energetic and
modern. Its commercials show people overcoming obstacles or achieving goals while wearing Nike
apparel. Its brand personality feels active, ambitious, and inspirational, which are all personality traits
that athletes tend to associate with themselves.
A company's brand personality should not be
confused with its imagery. A company's imagery is
a series of creative assets that communicate the
tangible benefits of its brand.

Conversely, a firm's brand personality directly

creates an emotional association in the mind of an
ideal consumer group. Imagery is one part of how
a company communicates its brand personality.
Brand building
 Steps to develop a brand image

Step 1: Determine Your Target Audience

• The first thing you need to know when building a brand building strategy is your target audience. You
can determine your audience based on age, location, interests, etc. This will help you define what
you communicate, where, and how, so your audience can deeply relate to your brand. Depending on
your target audience and their needs and aspirations, you can create a brand persona that resonates
with them. Over time, your brand will need to evolve with your target audience to stay relevant.

• Pro tip: Start with smaller, specific sets of target audiences. As your brand awareness and loyalty
grow, you can expand your audience base to include more diverse groups.

Step 2: Define your brand mission

• Your mission and vision statements describe why your brand exists and what it is passionate about.
The brand mission is what you promise to do and how you will add value for your audience. It also
dictates how you execute your brand strategy daily. It will guide your branding process across
channels. All this should help you achieve your brand vision – what you want to be for your audience.
Step 3: Research your competition

• Every brand has its unique selling point (USP). Analyze your competition and find out
what works for them, what does not, and where your brand can do better than them. The
brand building process should focus on that differentiating factor. This will help you define
what can set your business apart and use it to your advantage in branding and marketing.
Competitive analysis is a continuous process that helps you:

• Define and refine your USP

• Improve your products and services
• Encourage research and development (R&D)
• Benchmark your branding and pricing strategies
• Identify business opportunities and threats

Step 4: Create a strong value proposition

• You have studied your markets, competition, and audiences. Use this knowledge to clearly
define what your brand offers and why your audiences should only choose you – what
makes your brand unique and valuable. Include this value proposition in your marketing
communication across channels to create a successful brand. For example, PayU’s scalable
and robust platform makes it one of India’s best payment solutions providers.
Step 5: Set your brand markers and guidelines

• Brand building is all about making your business recognizable and memorable. And it is
done by playing on the human senses, particularly with visuals and sounds. Think Coca-
Cola logo or Nokia jingle. Creating such unique and remarkable markers will create a
special place for your brand in your audience’s minds. Once you have done that,
document how your brand will be represented across channels. These guidelines will
ensure consistency and quality.

Step 6: Market your brand

• The last step is to tell the world about your brand! Set a definitive marketing strategy and
create noise on channels your audiences frequent to grab their attention. Using your
brand guidelines and marketing strategy, you can communicate with your audiences in
relatable and engaging ways.

• Apply your branding in every piece of communication, from packaging to stationary and
website to marketing collateral. Identify new channels such as email, web, and affiliates to
promote your brand.
 Brand Communication
Definition:
• Brand communications refers to tactics, such as advertising and social
media, that companies use to communicate to existing and potential
customers. The goal of brand communication is to influence customers'
thoughts on the brand and its importance.

• Brand communication is a combination of activities such as advertising,

social media and reviews that are used to communicate with customers.

• Brand communication takes place every time a potential customer or

client interacts with a particular brand. It could mean seeing a logo
online or signing up for a newsletter. Developing a consistent brand will
make all methods of communication more effective.
Brand communication is a broad term that encompasses every instance when a potential
customer or client interacts with a company in a multitude of ways. That includes:

• Billboards
• Radio advertising
• TV commercials
• Online and paper newsletters
• Business cards
• Social media
• Online reviews

• It also includes the interactions that people have with a business in person.
Communicating directly with an employee of the company on the phone, in the
store, or at a tradeshow also qualifies as brand communication.

• It doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive. Only companies with a lot of money will
purchase billboard ads or television commercials. Less expensive options include
using a vehicle wrap to advertise on the road or starting a blog.
 Purpose of brand communication
Leaves a Lasting Impression on Your Customers

• It’s more complicated than ever to stand out in today’s competitive market. With new brands
and products coming out every single day, businesses are forced to find a compelling way to
make a name for themselves. However, the goal isn’t only to reel in new customers.
Companies also want to retain their most loyal fans and prevent them from losing interest in
their brand.

• Brand communication lets you leave a lasting impression on your customers so that they
remember you for years to come. By investing in powerful advertising and forming a
connection with your clients through social media, you can communicate your brand’s
purpose to your customers in a way they can’t ignore.

• By successfully implementing brand communication into your overall business strategy, you
also show customers what makes your brand different. It’s crucial to find what makes you
unique and convey that in a clear and meaningful way. The more unique your brand comes
across to consumers, the more likely they’ll be to think of your company the next time they
need to make a purchase. This is vital to leave a lasting impression on your clients.
Creates Customer Loyalty

• Customers come and go all the time. While you can’t stop everyone from changing their
minds, you can focus on keeping as many existing customers as possible. Not only are loyal
customers more likely to spend more on your products or services, but they’re also more
inclined to tell friends and family about your business. This is an effortless way to grow your
customer base and boost overall revenue.

• When you focus your marketing efforts on brand communication, you help your customers
relate to your business on a deeper level. This is because effective brand communication
involves establishing a strong relationship with buyers. Whether they’re looking at an ad for
your new product or reading about an exciting new promotion on social media, your
customers will feel a more powerful connection to your business due to successful brand
communication.
Separates You From the Competition

• As a business owner, you’re well aware that you’re dealing with plenty of competitors in your
target market. Each of these competitors has something new to bring to the table, even if
they’re selling a very similar product or service as you. The key is to identify a distinguishing
characteristic in your products that no one else has thought of yet. This will prevent your
business from fading into the background.
 Brand
Essence:
Brand
Wheel
 What’s a Brand
Wheel?

• A brand wheel is a brand

strategy model used to
create a strong,
consistent brand. It has
the Brand Essence is at
the epicenter and shows
that all brand elements
are encompassed by the
Values and Personality.
• Designers, copywriters, and marketers use the brand wheel (or branding wheel)
as an effective tool to create a holistic view of a brand’s strategy. It is a visual
representation of the core elements that make up a brand. It outlines how they
interact with one another to create a cohesive identity.

• The key elements of a brand positioning wheel include Personality traits,

Values, Proposition, Brand Essence and Reasons to Believe. Each element has its
own unique significance, which when combined, create a comprehensive and
powerful brand.

• There are many brand strategy and positioning models out there. We believe
the brand wheel diagram is concise and easy to use. It’s a great visual reminder
of the key brand elements. Likewise, other brand positioning diagrams include
the brand house, the brand key, the brand pyramid, and many more.

• These are translated into the brand’s distinctive brand assets, such as the logo
and colour palette, tone of voice and strapline, and carried through into
campaigns.
 Brand archetypes

• Brand archetypes are a useful tool for

companies to create a differentiated brand
identity and a recognizable brand message.
Archetypes are based on the work of
psychologist Carl Jung. Jung believed that all
humans had a set of universal archetypes
that influence our behavior and decision
making. By connecting a brand to one of
these archetypes, companies can create a
consistent, recognizable message that
resonates with their target audience.
Popular brand archetypes include the Hero,
the Explorer, the Caregiver, the Creator, the
Sage, and the Ruler.

• In other words, we tend to find these a bit

restricting. We may give our brand a core or
overarching brand personality, for example
the Visionary Leader or the Skilful Scout.
But we make sure each company’s brand
wheel reflects their unique personality and
values, as well as its ambition and direction.