MHO: Branding MisConception...

In developed country, the risk of getting unreliable product has decreased as stated by Mercer Management Journal. Simply because the quality gap between retailer branding and branded product have decreased significantly.

# Misconception 1 – Brand are built mainly through advertising

Author subsequently claims that consumers experiences also important. I disagree with author; however, although, consumers’ experiences count, but it does not represent the whole branding effort. I agree that brand building does not depend merely on advertising, but also not merely on consumer’s experiences. Instead, brand building should be a systematic process to achieve the desire brand position in the competing market. Band building does not limited to only advertising, or creating favorable consumers experiences but it also involves utilizing multiple touch-point to achieve multiple brand building objective; each touch-point is to achieve a particular brand building objectives, e.g. advertising through TVC to create mass awareness, In store product sample to create trial to build consumer experiences, and more. In short, brand building required a concerted effort to support the systematic brand building process through every different stage in the process which aims to achieve a particular brand building objective.

# Misconception 2 – Brand are used primarily to influence customer

It is very true; Brands are not used primarily to influence consumers anymore, it can be used to influence investors and talent too. Powerful brands are able to convince talent to join the organization. Powerful brands also influence investor’s choices in placing their investment. However, one area which organizations neglect is employee’s perception towards your brands. As the proverb said, ‘Charity begins at home’, the strength of the brand is first nurtured within the organization; organizations must ensure that employees understand the brand essence and respect the brands and look up to the brands. Employees are important massager of the organization as they play an important role in consumer service cycle. They are the brand ambassador, and how they carry the brand personality contributes partly to consumers experiences with the company and is influencing the product experience as well.

# Misconception 3 – The key to successful brand management involves understanding the effectiveness of the brand in today’s marketplace

It is true that a brand must always remain relevancy to consumers. As the time goes by, when a brand has achieve significant market position or becoming the leader in the industry; Self Complacent kicks in. Brand ‘builder’ tends to be complacent, and in denial of change in the environment, and will gradually lose the relevancy with consumers.

# Misconception 4 – Brands are symbolic and emotive and therefore are managed primarily through creativity rather than analysis

Analysis is paramount to brand building. Creativity without conclusive analysis is tantamount to ‘a blind man with machine gun’ – shoot without aim, or unable to aim. Analysis of the market can tell you area of focus by importance, and it also tells you area of improvement to be better. Merely relying on creativity is insufficient if aims to strengthen the brand, you need to know what, why, and how in making ‘creativity’ possible and relevant to consumers.

# Misconception 5 – Brands are the responsibility of the department

Brand is the responsibility of everyone in the organization. Everyone plays a role in brand building process. The pillars to the brands are the ‘love and passion’ to the brands of the people in organization, the more ‘love and passion’ you have, the greater the strength of the brands…When people have love and passion to the brand, they will contribute more to the brands, a concerted effort is notice to take care of the brand and grow it to the next level…