Brand identity
Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) also emphasise the importance of developing a plan to
communicate the key features of the brand identityand increase brand awareness. Brand
identity is again more than the name. These authors refer to it as a set of brand associa-
tions that imply a promise to customers from an organisation. See Mini Case Study 5.1
to see the different elements of brand identity which are effectively a checklist of what
many e-tailers are looking to achieve.CHAPTER 5· THE INTERNET AND THE MARKETING MIX
Brand identity
The totality of brand
associations including
name and symbols that
must be
communicated.
Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) suggest that the following characteristics of identity need to be defined
at the start of a brand building campaign. Marketing communications can then be developed that create
and reinforce this identity. Here, we will apply them to Napster which is revisited in the main case study
at the end of this chapter.
Brand essence (a summary of what the brand represents)
This is not necessarily a tag line, but for Napster it has been described as an ‘All you can eat music
service which is fun and affordable’Mini Case Study 5.1 Napster.com’s brand identity
Figure 5.5Napster.com