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Brand Development and Brand Strategy  209

        with them, it is always easy to raise the price to match the benefits. If the
        benefits are really low in comparison with other brands, the price will have
        nowhere to go but lower.

        Promotion (Communication)
        The effectiveness of the communications campaign is a critical factor in
        creating the desired brand position and image (Aaker 1996). The purpose
        of marketing programs, such as advertising, is to transmit the brand image
        in order to increase brand awareness and create a strong, favorable, and
        unique brand identity in the customer’s mind. The strength of the brand
        image is greatly influenced by the communications in the marketing
        programs, particularly by the effectiveness with which the brand identity is
        integrated into the marketing programs (Keller 1993). Given the many
        choices of media available, selecting the correct media mix to reach the
        targeted audience and ensuring that the message is integrated is a key factor
        in creating a distinct brand image.

        Place (Distribution)
        Distribution channels used to deliver products to customers are also very
        important factors for brand development. It is important that the distribution
        channels deliver the goods to the right customers. The key variables in the
        selection of distribution channels include the type of channels, the number
        of outlets, the locations of outlets, and stock levels. The distribution process
        of the products should be synchronized with the promotion activities so that
        the desired customers will know what and where the products are. An
        efficient distribution process will give customers service benefits and reduce
        the hassles in obtaining the products, thus enhancing the brand image.

        Time to Market
        Brands that are able to position themselves first in the minds of their
        customers have the best chance of achieving the highest brand awareness
        (Reis 1981). So the ability to be first in the marketplace will affect the ability
        to create a strong brand. However, this factor is not totally controllable,
        because it also depends on the competition from competitors.

        Uncontrollable Factors
        Uncontrollable factors in brand development are mostly marketing factors,
        as illustrated in Fig. 8.7. The demographics of the target population for a
        brand is an uncontrollable factor. It includes age group, income level, sex,
        marital status, area of residence, location, social group membership, and
        stage in life. The variation in demographics makes the targeted customers
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