Balancing brand image with brand identity
The consumer-based approach is born and becomes influential over the same
course of years as the identity approach. These two approaches are interesting to
compare as they are based on completely opposite perceptions of where the brand
should find its true nature, inspiration and energy. Because they are so opposite in
assumptions, they illustrate each other’s weaknesses neatly. In the identity
approach, the brand is found inside the organization, and strategic force and inspi-
ration hence stem from within the organization behind the brand. The main
problem of managing a brand according to this approach is the risk of organiza-
tional ‘narcissism’ and a lack of market sensing.
It goes without saying that consumer-based management depends on superior
abilities when it comes to market sensing and customer knowledge. The main
problem of managing the brand according to this approach is that the focus on the
consumer leads to a lack of organizational vision. Even though there is no doubt
that there is some truth in the assumption that the brand exists in the mind of
consumer, the marketer should also consider that the process of listening only to
consumer associations is essentially backward-looking. Consumers relate to
previous marketing initiatives and hence are not visionary. Hereby, the vision for
the brand stemming from the brand corporation risks a lack of future perspective:
‘Brand management is enacted as a tactical process of cyclical adaptation to
consumers’ representations of the focal brand whereby brand image gradually
supplants brand identity’ (Louro and Cunha 2003, p. 863).
Summary
Managing a brand according to the principles of the consumer-based approach
requires acknowledging that the brand is something residing in the minds of
consumers and that listening to consumers is a prerequisite for skilled brand
management. Still, the marketer is seen as in charge of communications as an
assumption of linear communication applies to the cognitive consumer perspective.
The marketer should start by making sure that consumers are sufficiently aware
of the brand. Once an adequate level of brand awareness is obtained, brand image
has to be communicated and the brand has to be positioned. The brand image
should be built around the most relevant and congruent consumer associations.
- Evaluate potential extension candidates.^2 Management ought to
consider and evaluate potential brand extensions in order to benefit
from the obtained brand equity. The brand image of the main brand
may serve as an efficient information base for the new product. On the
other hand, associations that differ too much between the main and the
extended brand may damage the main brand severely.
SourceKeller (1993)
108 Seven brand approaches