Introduction to Brand Equilibrium An insight into a common threat for brands within highly competitive, yet well established, sectors BrandTao The way of brands Best Viewed Full Screen

What is Equilibrium? 2 - A condition in which all acting influences are cancelled out by others.

Equilibrium: An insight story for brands 3

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The Brand Equilibrium Insight 6 When all the brand competitors use the same objectives, tools and operation methods, the result is equilibrium.

Equilibrium: An insight story for brands 7 Brand Positioning Customer Service Products Retail Environment Brand Equilibrium: When consumers can’t perceive or articulate a significant difference between competing brands

Marketing : ‘Mature markets see rapidly replicated competitive actions, dulling difference or advantage’ Equilibrium demonstrated within the mobile network sector 8 Network Data Speed Network Coverage Tariffs Handsets Customer Rewards Hypothesis: Within 3-12 months, any temporary advantage is cancelled out by competitors replicating benefits Core Operational Functions: ‘Hard to develop, but possible to replicate’ Customer Service EE Vodafone 3 3 O2 Core competitors become stratified into a Corporate Oligarchy: ‘Gaining market share becomes rare’ 80%+ of a market becomes controlled by the big 3-5 brands; e.g. banking, multi-channel TV, broadband, energy and mobile Similar Brand Positioning Homogenous Objectives Traffic Light Failure Green KPI’s = no change Traffic Light Failure Green KPI’s = no change Levers produce little change Trap of Gravity Repeat same again Trap of Gravity Repeat same again Hypothesis: Within 3-12 months, any temporary advantage is cancelled out by competitors replicating benefits Standard KPI’s match Standard KPI’s match

The solution 9 Brand Positioning Customer Service Products Retail Environment The solution is committing to a different path. Defining a different ambition for your brand and using original insight, a unique strategy, innovative products and by not trying to match your Competitors or appeal to every consumer. Having a brand conviction for a different, distinctive and sustainably better way.

Breaking Brand Equilibrium 10 Advantage starts when a brand does things differently.

Blog: 11 BrandTao The way of brands