BRAND MANAGEMENT

Brand Management

Brand Management

Introduction

A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them form those of competitors Essentially a marketer's promise is to deliver a specific set of features, benefits and services consistently to the buyers Cadbury's best tasting chocolate constitutes the main ingredient of much of these products including everything from solid blocks to chocolate filled bars and novelties. (Cynthia Rays 2005 Pp. 67)

Selected Brand and Strategy Background

The Cadbury brand is associated with best tasting chocolate

Marketing managers at Cadbury are working to ensure this association is continually developed. Key concepts of quality, taste and emotion underpin the Cadbury brand. These core values help to differentiate Cadbury from other brands and ensure its competitive advantage.

A brand is a complex symbol that can convey up to six levels of meaning

1. Attributes - a brand brings to mind certain attributes

Cherry Ripe - ripe juicy cherries and moist coconut smothered in rich 'Old Gold' Dark Chocolate

Crunchie - golden honeycomb smothered in Cadbury 'Dairy Milk' Milk Chocolate

Flake - unique, delicate strands of crumbly, flaky Cadbury 'Dairy Milk' chocolate

Picnic - combine delicate fingers of crisp wafers, temptation of chewy caramel with goodness of rice crisps, all generously encased in Cadbury chocolate

Roses - delicious mix of Milk and Dark chocolates, ideal token gesture for any occasion

Dairy Milk - the goodness of a glass and a half of rich full cream milk in every 200g, Australia's favourite chocolate

2. Benefits - each brand's attributes must be translated into functional and emotional benefits to the consumer

3. Values - Cadbury's mission statement says simply: 'Cadbury means quality'; this is our promise. Our reputation is built upon quality; our commitment to continuous improvement will ensure that our promise is delivered'

4. Culture - For many people, chocolate is Cadbury, and no other brand will do

5. Personality - taste, colour purple and the glass and a half symbol all all hallmarks of Cadbury personality

6. Users - the kind of consumer or who buys or uses the product. Loyal customers are the most valuable customers to have because they will buy your product over and over again

Brand equity

Brands vary in the amount of power and value they have in the marketplace

Brand equity is an asset

Cadbury brand equity is highly differentiated from other brands with consumers. Brand equity is the value consumer loyalty brings to a brand, and reflects the likelihood that a consumer will repeat purchase. This is a major source of competitive advantage.

Brand name decisions

Manufacturers and service companies who brand their products must choose which brand names to use. Cadbury brands include the Corporate name combined with individual names. The company name legitimises, and the individual name individualises the new product. A suitable name, must be chosen and registered; it must be unique to the product and in today's business arena, it should be capable of international use. Careful checks must be made to ensure that the selected name ...