Why altering the A&E branding won’t work Ian Mills SMSR Ltd University of Hull

Talk about branding – what it is & why important The A&E brand The implications for A&E My presentation today

We live in a world of Brands: Brands

There's no escaping them: Brands

So what’s this - But they only apply to the private sector ‘About the NHS brand ’

It’s just that the private sector has worked out why branding is important to them Branding applies to ALL! For many in the public sector the brand ‘light bulb’ has yet to switch on!

Let me ask you a question with a ONE word answer: What is a brand? So why the interest in brands?

So what / where is the brand here?

Or is it this? Or this?

It’s all of these: Tangibles (identifiers) Intangibles Image Hope Aspiration Dream Desire Value Expectation Name Logo Colour Shape Strap line Slogan

It’s a Promise For what? To deliver its ‘proposition’ All brands have a proposition – both tangible & intangible For great brands – their proposition resonates with its uses It’s all of these and more!

A product is made in the factory BUT A brand lives in the mind ! Remember:

It has some key uses: So why brand? loyalty Adds value Communicate a complex offer But above all – it influences/changes behaviour by creating:

Early branding burnt the skin to say ‘you’re mine’ Modern branding ‘burns the mind’ – same result – ‘you’re mine’! How can a brand create loyalty?

Branding is a process we use to reinforce or change behaviour by appealing to our emotions: So - if you are already a brand user – it reminds you to stay loyal If you’re not a user – then the brand says ‘come and join me’ Brand loyalty

But above all it has a GREAT proposition A&E is a brand! So what's it got to do with A&E? It has a logo - Its has a name – A&E

24/7 free access to quality health care It ‘Resonates’ with its users! Also has sub propositions: Avoids making appointments to see GP It avoids having to register with a GP You get to see ‘proper’ doctors You can jump the queue to hospital services such as X Ray The A&E brand proposition:

And your A&E brand is reinforced by another great brand It’s a case of = 6!

Remember – your customers also use Tesco! They don’t behave differently when they decide to use you as when they decide to use Tesco

The decision to use A&E may be in a panic so: Rational decision making goes and they rely on: What comes into their mind What they trust – the BRAND Using of A&E

It may have happened by accident BUT accept you have a VERY powerful brand. The A&E brand proposition resonates with its users People will ALWAYS use what they know and trust Your brand is part of the national ‘psyche’ Every time you say ‘don't use A&E’ – you reinforce their awareness and belief in it! Implications for A&E

Remember, you don’t have to understand how A&E works to believe in the brand! (Do you know what goes on under a Mercedes bonnet?) To many A&E is a door you walk through to access the proposition. How it does that is of little interest Laying on alternative services won’t reduce their belief in/ use of A&E Rebranding simply causes confusion and is rarely done Implications for A&E

Don’t fight or abuse the A&E brand Instead, use it – but need to look at where and how it can be used / extended Alternative services won’t solve the problem UNLESS they are part of A&E (it’s a wrapper) Research is needed to understand the brand DNA / essence and where and how it can be used and its limits Final message

Contact details: T +44 (0) Mobile Hull University Business School University of Hull Hull, HU6 7RX, UK Contact details