Four brand management paradigms
In Brand Management Paradigms(Louro and Cunha 2001), four ruling branding
paradigms are identified by the use of two discriminators: the role of the consumer
in the branding process (customer centrality) and whether the brand should hold a
tactical or strategic position in the company (brand centrality). These two dimen-
sions provide four ‘ideal types’ of approaches to brand management.
The product paradigm reflects an approach to branding where the brand is a low
strategic priority and the customer is seen as a passive player in the branding process.
Table 11.1The roles of brands
Marketing era Role of brands
Classic branding Unbranded Commodities, packaged goods
Major proportion of goods in
nonindustrialized context
Minor role Europe/United States
Supplier has power
Brand as reference Brand name often name of maker
Name used for identification
Any advertising support focuses on
rational attributes
Name over time becomes guarantee of
quality/consistency
Brand as personality Brand name may be ‘stand-alone’
Marketing support focuses on
emotional appeal
Product benefits
Advertising puts brand into context
Brand as icon Consumer now ‘owns’ brand
Brand taps into higher-order values of
society
Advertising assumes close relationship
Use of symbolic brand language
Often established internationally
Postmodern branding Brand as company Brands have complex identities
Consumer assesses them all
Need to focus on corporate benefits to
diverse ‘customers’
Integrated communication strategy
essential through-the-line
Brand as policy Company and brands aligned to social
and political issues
Consumers ‘vote’ on issues through
companies
Consumers now ‘own’ brands,
companies and politics
SourceGoodyear (1996), figs 2 (classic branding) and 5 (postmodern branding).
Taxonomy 251