Integrating Marketing Communications to Build Brand Equity Strategic Branding Novrita Widiyastuti, M.Si

- SUMMARY -

SUMMARY The chapter addressed this issue from the perspective of customer-based brand equity, which maintains that brand equity is fundamentally determined by the brand knowledge created in consumers’ minds by the supporting marketing program. Four main types of communications were identified as being critical: 1.Advertising & Promotion 2.Interactive marketing 3.Events and Experiences 4.Mobile Marketing

SUMMARY The chapter also provided criteria as to how different communication options should be combined to maximally build brand equity. Two key implications emerge from this discussion. 1.from the perspective of customer-based brand equity, all possible communication options should be evaluated in terms of their ability to affect brand equity. 2.The second important insight that emerges from the conceptual framework is that the marketing communication program should be put together in a way such that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Marketing communications are the means by which firms attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers—directly or indirectly— about the brands they sell. In a sense, marketing communications represent the voice of the brand and are a means by which the brand can establish a dialogue and build relationships with consumers.

THE NEW MEDIA ENVIRONMENT According to the customer-based brand equity model, marketing communications can contribute to brand equity in a number of different ways: by creating awareness of the brand; linking points- of-parity and points-of-difference associations to the brand in consumers’ memory; eliciting positive brand judgments or feelings; and facilitating a stronger consumer–brand connection and brand resonance.

THE NEW MEDIA ENVIRONMENT Traditional advertising media such as TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers seem to be losing their grip on consumers due to increased competition for consumer attention. The digital revolution offers a host of new ways for consumers to learn and talk about brands with companies or with each other. This changing media landscape has forced marketers to reevaluate how they should best communicate with consumers.

Information Processing Model of Communications For example, for a person to be persuaded by any form of communication (a TV advertisement, newspaper editorial, or blog posting), the following six steps must occur: 1.Exposure: A person must see or hear the communication. 2.Attention: A person must notice the communication. 3.Comprehension: A person must understand the intended message or arguments of the communication. 4.Yielding: A person must respond favorably to the intended message or arguments of the communication. 5.Intentions: A person must plan to act in the desired manner of the communication. 6.Behavior: A person must actually act in the desired manner of the communication.

Our contention is that in the future there will be 4 vital ingredients to the best brand-building communication programs: 1.advertising and promotion, 2.interactive marketing, 3.events and experiences, and 4.mobile marketing. FOUR MAJOR MARKETING COMMUNICATION OPTIONS

Advertising is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods, or services by an identified sponsor. Although it is a powerful means of creating strong, favorable, and unique brand associations and eliciting positive judgments and feelings, advertising is controversial because its specific effects are often difficult to quantify and predict. Advertising

Sales promotions are short-term incentives to encourage trial or usage of a product or service. Sales promotions offer consumers an incentive to buy. Thus, sales promotions are designed to do the following: – Change the behavior of the trade so that they carry the brand and actively support it – Change the behavior of consumers so that they buy a brand for the first time, buy more of – the brand, or buy the brand earlier or more often Sales Promotions

Besides conveying a sense of urgency to consumers, carefully designed promotions can build brand equity through information or actual product experience that helps to create strong, favorable, and unique associations. Sales promotions can encourage the trade to maintain full stocks and actively support the manufacturer’s merchandising efforts. Consumer Promotions & Trade Promotions Sales Promotion

The main advantages to marketing on the Web are the low cost and the level of detail and degree of customization it offers. 3 particularly crucial online brand-building tools: – Websites – Online Ads and videos – Social Media Online Marketing Promotions

Interactive marketing communications work well together. Attention-getting online ads and videos can drive consumers to a brand’s Web sites, where they can learn and experience more about the brand. Company-managed bulletin boards and blogs may then help create more engagement. Interactive marketing communications reinforces other forms of marketing communications as well. Online Marketing Promotions

Many experts maintain that a successful digitally based campaign for a brand often skillfully blends 3 different forms of media: – Paid media: TV and print. – Owned media: Web sites, s, social media – Earned media: social media, word-of-mouth Online Marketing Promotions

With events and experiences, the brand engages the consumers’ senses and imagination, changing brand knowledge in the process. Event marketing can be defined as public sponsorship of events or activities related to sports, art, entertainment, or social causes. Events and Experiences

Marketers report a number of reasons why they sponsor events: – To identify with a particular target market or lifestyle – To increase awareness of the company or product name – To create or reinforce consumer perceptions of key brand image associations – To enhance corporate image dimensions – To create experiences and evoke feelings – To express commitment to the community or on social issues – To entertain key clients or reward key employees – To permit merchandising or promotional opportunities Events and Experiences

Because consumers already use smartphones for information and entertainment as well as communication—and are beginning to use them as shopping devices and payment methods— investment in mobile marketing from a whole range of different sectors looking to tap into a new revenue stream is expected to grow rapidly. These new technologies are creating more targeted, interactive, and useful mobile ads than ever before. Mobile Marketing

Any Question?