Overview

Customers buy from brands they love. But what they value is not universal. What a customer wants from a bank is different from what a customer wants from a fashion retailer. And different customers want different things. But this does not mean that your brand should not or cannot successfully own a certain attribute in the minds of consumers.

We have developed the Brand Attribute System^TM as an empirical approach to determining:

1. What attributes different customer segments value most for the product category
2. Which attributes your brand is seen as being strong or weak on
3. Which attributes your competitors are seen as being strong or weak on

This is based on decades of marketing research and evidence. We help you reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the brand; focusing on the key attributes that will drive customer purchase and value; and to double-down on a brand position that is distinctive from the competition. Our approach has helped countless clients of ours to occupy distinctive brand positions, build strong brand affinity, and grow revenue.

Powerful brands command higher prices and deliver greater long-term profitability.

Our approach

Brand positioning is all about image – how the brand is seen in the minds of consumers. Managing this is not simple. Consumers interact with many brands, lead busy lives, and have other priorities. In order to succeed, brands have to cut through the noise and occupy a distinctive position in the minds of their target customers.

Different brand attributes are important at various stages of the customer journey. What attributes are important for driving consideration? What are important for driving preference? What are important for driving purchase? An additional challenge is to align your brand with attributes that it can reliably claim and own. Ideally this should help it to stand out from the competition.

Data

The backbone of the Brand Attribute System^TM is robust brand tracking data. Every brand is different, and every market has its unique competitive challenges. We work with clients to design a bespoke approach to understanding the brand from the perspective of the consumer. We use rich qualitative data – from interviews, focus groups, and ethnography – and combine it with our business expertise. This informs our quantitative approach to measuring and collecting data through brand tracking surveys.

This brand tracking survey and system can then be used annually by the client even after our project is completed. This allows the client to assess progress and to visualise market movements.

Rigorous empirical techniques

To make sense of the rich amounts of data that we collect, we employ rigorous empirical and statistical techniques to derive meaningful insights. This helps our clients to gain clarity over what their brand strategy, and how that should be executed tactically through their products and messaging.

We are results-focused. Our algorithms help clients to optimise their brands, meet brand objectives, and push customers along their buying journey from awareness through to sales.

Holistic approach

No company operates in a vacuum. We consider things through all 3 interlinked environments of the Company, Customer, and Competitors.

Most companies operate multiple brands. We therefore have to consider the dynamics between the corporate brand and the subsidiary brands, and amongst the subsidiary brands. We also consider the unique strengths and capabilities of the firm before charting a path to success. Not all brands can swim – some run, and some fly.

The competition also does not stay still. We have to consider competitive dynamics – how competitors are positioned, how they may be making similar moves, and how they may respond to your moves. Brand strategy is about making deliberate choices – places to avoid, and places to fight.

And finally, we consider the perspective of the customer. This is the most important angle. After all, brand positioning is all about how the customer sees your brand against other brands.