Page 246 - Design for Six Sigma for Service (Six SIGMA Operational Methods)

Brand Development and Brand Strategy 215

brand is positioned in the marketplace and what circumstances contributed
to the achievement of this current position (Arnold 1992). The areas
analyzed during this step include
1. The current brand image, i.e., What is the perception of the brand in
the marketplace? This analysis can be done by using a customer
survey (Chap. 4). The following types of questions should be included
in the survey:
• How is the company’s brand perceived?
• What associations are linked with the brand?
• Why do customers like the brand? Why do customers not like the
brand?
• How does a company’s brand differ from competing brands?
• What benefits do customers get from the brand?
• Has the company’s brand changed over time? If yes, how?
• For different market segments, does the company’s brand image
differ? If yes, then how does it differ?
• Does the company’s brand have a personality? If yes, then what is it?
• What are the intangible attributes and benefits of the brand?
In assessing the current brand image, it is important that customer
research include a study of not only product-related attributes but also
of nonproduct-related attributes, such as organizational association,
brand personality, brand-customer relationships, and emotional and
self-expressive benefits.
2. The fundamental values of the brand, i.e., What does the brand stand
for? Is it for fun, luxury, or an active lifestyle? What is the heritage
of the brand? Besides studying the current image of the brand, it is
important to understand the heritage of the brand. Any surviving
brand has some reasons why it survived; it must have done
something right. Many brands get into trouble because they deviate
from their heritage. Arbitrary changes in brand identity may hurt a
brand more than help it. The answers to such questions as, Who were
the early pioneers of the brand? How did it originate? What was the
brand image when it first started? can help to understand the brand
heritage.
3. Links and associations to other brands. Some companies offer several
brands of products or services. In this case, a change in one brand position
may affect other brands offered by the company. So the brand position
decision should not be made in isolation. Each brand should have well-
defined roles, and all brands offered by the company should work together
in a synergistic manner.
4. The strengths and weaknesses of product and service offerings and the
capabilities of the organization, i.e., What is the organization good at?