Okonkwo Prelims

Dior’s logo is now represented simply as

‘Dior’ (Figure 5.1). Also Diesel, which aspires

towards the luxury sphere, has included a

tagline ‘For successful living’, to its logo that

interprets its status as a premium brand that

helps its consumers show their success. Other

brands like Hermès and Lacoste have main-

tained their traditional logos using their

heritage as their symbol, while Prada’s logo

can be classified as ‘hybrid’.

The logo plays a key role in both the brand and product recognition. For

example the famous LV monogram of Louis Vuitton and GG of Gucci

provide instant recognition of the products of these brands. Other brands like

Bottega Veneta minimize the logos on their products and rely on their signa-

ture style as a recognition tool.

The strategic objective of accurate representation of the brand concept is

to align all its features to show the idea behind the brand in the way that the

public can understand. It is also essential for all other elements of the brand

to complement the brand concept. These elements are discussed in subse-

quent sections. The brand concept is the root from which the brand grows and

therefore should be solid because some aspects of the branding strategy might

change with time but the brand concept remains constant.

The brand identity

This answers the question: ‘Who are you?’

The brand identity is the next branding element that is developed after the

brand concept has been established. The identity of a brand is who the brand

truly is and how consumers perceive the brand. In other words, the attributes

and identifiable elements that make up the brand and how these are perceived

and interpreted by the people that come in contact with the brand. This is the

essence of the brand.

The brand identity comprises of the brand personalityand the brand

image. The brand personality is the core personality traits and characteristics

that have been consciously chosen for the brand. It is who the brand has

decided to be, how the brand views itself and how it wants to be viewed by

others. It is the ‘true self’ of the brand.

The brand image on the other hand is the way the brand is seen by the

people that it is exposed to. The brand image is developed in the mind of the

public through their perception of the way the brand projects itself. The

image is the consumer’s interpretation of the brand personality. Sometimes

the image of a brand that consumers see is different from the personality that

the brand has adopted or desires to adopt. This means that the internal

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luxury fashion branding

Figure 5.1 The Dior logo

has evolved from Christian

Dior to simply ‘Dior’,

depicting a modern outlook