brand audit report
TRANSCRIPT
1.0 OVERVIEW
Vitasoy Group was established in 1940. Vitasoy aims to maintain the leadership in
promoting a superior quality of life through the production of high quality, great tasting
and nutritious products that will satisfy customers in all markets.
VITASOY has spread far beyond Hong Kong, and the group's products sell in over 40
markets around the world - including the USA, Canada, Mainland China, Europe, Papua
New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Guatemala, Trinidad and
Venezuela.
Now a listed company (0345.HK) on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong with plants
located in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Australia and the U.S.A., Vitasoy International
is a dynamic, international organization setting new standards of quality and innovation
wherever its products are sold.
Vita is a brand under the Vitasoy Group.
Launched in 1979, VITA Lemon Tea - it was the world’s first ready-to-drink lemon tea,
which blends red tea with a subtle lemon flavour - is extremely popular in Hong Kong
and has secured a clear market leadership over the years, with a variety of teas, juices,
distilled water and milk. When you think of VITA, Lemon Tea immediately comes to
mind!
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2.0 CONSUMER PROFILE2.1. Demographic
Age
The primary target customers of the Vita Lemon Tea are generally aged 15 – 30 who are
mainly from secondary school students to young working adults.
The secondary target customers also those younger primary school students range from
11-14 and those working adults from 31-45. These target customers may not buy the Vita
Lemon Tea drinks themselves regularly but may have chance to enjoy the drinks when
their family members did.
Income
The Vita Lemon Tea products suit for different income groups, from lower to upper class
as the price of it is affordable to most customers since it costs only few coins for one.
Occupation
Most of the customers are those schoolmates and the young working adults who mainly
consume the lemon tea during lunch or sport activities.
2.2. Geographic
Wide spread sales network as Vita Lemon Tea is available in various packaging formats
at different places, such as supermarkets, convenience stores, vending machines, etc. This
make it convenient for anybody to enjoy the fabulous sensation whether on the go,
together with friends…anywhere, anytime!
2.3. Behavioural
Product Consumption Rate
Consumption is mostly daily, depending on each individual drinking habits and the
occasions.
Brand Loyalty
Vita Lemon Tea’s consumers are mostly loyal to Vita’s brand since its irreplaceable taste
from other competitors, which is nearly the same as real lemon tea offered in Hong Kong
local café.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 2
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3.0 MARKETING & BRANDING PROGRAMMES3.1. Marketing Programs
As a local brand with long history, Vita produces different types of marketing programs
such as television commercial, one-to-one marketing and outdoor advertising.
Television A dvertising
In the mid 2010, Vita launched a series of TV commercials of Vita lemon tea and Vita
Ceylon Lemon Tea. Vita invites a Hong Kong hip pop rapper– MC Jin as an endorser of
Vita Lemon Tea in both of three TV commercials. In the commercial, MC Jin is rapping
the song about the Vita Lemon Tea. Together with the animation of Vita Lemon Tea,
receiver is able to memorize the song and Vita lemon tea easily.
Television a dvertising is able to reach a mass public audience quickly. Most of the
television watchers can get a chance to receive the message from Vita lemon tea
commercial. This is how an effective and powerful way of TV commercials distributes
widely to the public.
O n e-to-one M a rketing
By using technologies such as the Internet, Vita target individual consumers with
individual marketing messages directly. For example, Vita’s official website and
Facebook fans page.
For the Vita’s official website, it shows lots of information such as the latest marketing
campaign of Vita lemon tea and television commercial videos. When visitor browses the
Vita lemon tea website, he or she gain the latest information of Vita and create a strong
customer relationship with Vita.
In the Vita lemon tea Facebook fans page, personal interaction between Vita and
individual can communicate each other. Each individual can express its feeling and
opinion by posting message to the Facebook fans page. Facebook is a powerful
communication tool and platform for Vita to conduct one-to-one marketing strategy.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 3
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Outdoor Advertising
Vita held lots of event such as competition campaign, sales promotion event in the
outdoor area and shopping mall. The goal is to create brand awareness in the customer’s
mind.
Vita Forever Original Catwalk Competition
Vita Sales Promotion Event in the Shopping Mall
3.2. Branding of Vita Lemon Tea
Vita lemon tea emphasizes in its own branding and maintains a positive and energetic
image to the public. Vita lemon tea is a unique lemon flavor blended with red tea. When
customer thinks of the brand – Vita, Vita lemon tea comes up in customer’s mind
immediately.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 4
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4.0 SOURCES OF BRAND EQUITY
There are several areas when evaluating the main sources of brand equity. According to
the following Asker (1991)’s one, brand equity can be separated into 5 dimensions as
follows:
Source: Aaker (1991)
4.1. Brand Loyalty
High level of brand loyalty can be obtained for Vita Lemon Tea with its irreplaceable
taste. According to the result of a short question, ‘Have you heard of Vita Lemon Tea and
if yes, will you choose Vita or other local brand such as Hi-C Lemon Tea?’ with 30 Hong
Kong youngsters on the street, there are 28 of them are existing Vita Lemon Tea’s
customers. And they will not switch to consume Hi-C Lemon Tea as most of them think
that the taste of Vita Lemon Tea is the most similar to those offered in local café one.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 5
Brand Equity
Brand Loyalty Perceived Quality
Other Proprietary Brand AssetsBrand Associations
Brand Awareness
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4.2. Brand Awareness
(Aaker, 1991, P.61) defines brand awareness as “the ability of the potential buyer to
recognize and recall that a brand is a member of a certain product category” Vita Lemon
Tea is very success in this criteria when customers think of lemon tea, they will think of
Vita immediately in their mind. This is due to the success of Vita’s marketing campaigns
as it always places itself into high explosure in the market place. This can maintain the
buyers with a high degree of brand awareness.
4.3. Perceived Quality
Perceived quality is defined as “the customer’s perception of the overall quality or
superiority of a product or service with respect to its intended purpose, relative to
alternatives” (Zeithaml, 1988). Customers of choosing to drink packaged lemon tea will
perceive that they can enjoy the real taste as the one they can have with the real lemon. In
this aspect, Vita Lemon Tea can satisfy them with its irreplaceable taste which the
customers can not find in anywhere.
4.4. Brand Associations
A brand association is “anything linked in memory to a brand” (Aaker, 1991, p.109). As
mentioned in the above paragraph, when the Hong Kong customers think of drinking
lemon tea, they will come up to mind with Vita Lemon Tea. This is related to its long
history, more than 30 years and its successful of marketing campaigns.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 6
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5.0 CONSUMER BRAND KNOWLEDGE
The value of the brand is essentially made up of two dimensions: Brand awareness and
Brand image. These two dimensions represent ‘How well known is your brand?’ and
‘What does your brand represent?’
Brand Awareness is an issue of whether a brand name comes to mind when consumers
think about a particular product category and the ease with which the name is evoked.
(Shimp 2007, 37)
Brand Image is the types of associations that come to the consumer’s mind when
contemplating a particular brand. (Shimp 2007, 39) When think of VITA, VITA Lemon
Tea comes up in Hong Kong people’s mind immediately. Launched since 1979, it enjoys
long-standing support of Hong Kong people, and has secured market leadership
throughout these years. Unique lemon flavour blended with red tea gives people a
memorable drinking sensation.
Vitasoy International received the Caring Company logo from the Hong Kong Council of
Social Services for the first time, which demonstrated the Group’s efforts in giving to the
community. Vitasoy always awarded by the organizations, Such as in 2008, Vitasoy is
presented with 3 Awards: “AmCham Hong Kong Brands Award”, the 9th Wellcome “Top
10 Favourite Brands” and “Rising Star”. These awards recognized Vitasoy’s efforts over
the past 68 years in providing quality and nutritious beverages for every Hongkonger.
Due to the fact that VITA Lemon Tea is regarded as a high quality product and it has been
awarded numerous industry awards, it become top of mind in the consumer’s heart with
great brand recognition and recall. Also, reputation increased.
Both brands are sold widely not only Hong Kong, but also China, Australia, New
Zealand, North America, Europe, South East Asia and other markets throughout the
world. Thus, all the people familiar with VITA Lemon Tea and creates a great exposure
for the brand to the public.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 7
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6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS AND EVALUATIONS6.1. Critique of Current Marketing Campaign
Currently, the marketing campaign of Vita Lemon Tea is “澀得起就係我”. Vita Lemon
Tea invites celebrity - MC Jin, a Hong Kong hip hop rapper, to be the endorser.
VLT produces different TV commercials (see Appendices 9.1-9.3) with MC Jin rapping
the idea of “澀得起就係我” . In the advertisements, MC Jin and other celebrities rap
and emphasis the uniqueness of VLT - the proportion of red tea and lemon of Vita lemon
tea are perfect, the bitter taste of the tea will stay in your mouth after you taste it. In other
words, the taste of Vita Lemon Tea is good, special and unique. What Vita wants to
create is the special, unique brand image in consumers mind. This arouses a feeling that
people who choose Vita lemon tea are also special and unique. People also feel that they
are special from others who do not choose Vita Lemon Tea.
“Irreplaceable Taste” also arouses a feeling of the unique and irreplaceable position of
Vita lemon tea in the market and consumers mind. It implies competitors may not be able
to replace its special and unique tea taste. This persuades consumers think Vita lemon tea
is the best.
Advertisements carry the same campaign are also apply in print advertisement, bill board,
website, online banner, and social media such as Facebook. Moreover, Vita also
implements sales promotion such as “澀得起 Summer Hits Lucky Draw”, 澀得起就係我 – short movie competition.
Through this marketing campaign and the brand image strategy, Vita Lemon Tea
successfully builds a strong and memorable identity to get consumers attention and build
emotional bond towards the brand.
Vita actually implements a good and memorable marketing campaign. When you think of
VITA, Lemon Tea immediately comes to mind! Whenever think of MC Jin, Vita Lemon
Tea also immediately comes to mind!
Despite of the success, we recommend Vita to invite another famous celebrity, Sammi
Cheng, who is the most popular Asian singer together with MC Jin be the endorsers and
implement a series of new advertisements.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 8
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As Sammi Cheng carries a trendy and unique image, and she is also popular among the
teenagers and the youth. This matches with the target customers and the products.
Together with MC Jin, this must create a gimmick and arouse a pride, self-esteem, unique
feeling and brand image in consumers mind.
6.2. Recommendations for Better Brand Management
The following brand value chain of VITA Lemon Tea shows the brand equity and
marketing activities that create brand values.
Since the name of VITA has spread far beyond Hong Kong, and the group's products sell
in over 40 markets around the world including the USA, Canada, Mainland China,
Europe, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, Guatemala,
Trinidad and Venezuela. But VITA Lemon Tea still only sells in Hong Kong. Thus it is
recommended that VITA Lemon Tea distribute outside Hong Kong, such as the markets
which VITA entered before.
VITA should increase communication in each nation that enhances brand awareness and
image. For example, create marketing campaigns to greater brand exposure and let more
people know. The increased distribution of VITA Lemon Tea will enlarge sales in order to
create large profits.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 9
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6.3. Building Brand Equity
Source: CBBE Pyramid (Keller 2008)
Firstly, salience dimension of brand equity is existed as when consumer thinks of Vita,
Vita Lemon Tea comes up in their mind immediately.
For primary characteristics of Vita Lemon Tea which is with a unique lemon flavor
blended with red tea that builds the performance dimension of brand equity.
Also, imagery dimension of brand equity is also found. Vita Lemon Tea is very easy to
buy as it is always available in any convenience store and super market.
In addition, Vita Lemon Tea which launched since 1979, it enjoys long-standing support
of Hong Kong people, has secured market leadership throughout these years. And its
unique lemon flavor blended with red tea gives consumer a memorable drinking
sensation. Thus brand superiority of Judgment dimension has been created.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 10
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Vita Lemon Tea builds fun and social approval image of feeling dimension of brand
equity. They used Rap presentation to deliver the idea of marketing campaign “澀得起就係我”. And they also aroused a feeling that people perceived that they are special from
others who do not choose Vita Lemon Tea.
Vita Lemon Tea‘s group was created in Facebook which is a popular social network
service and website in recently years. Group member have attained to around 9,300.It is
easy to show that active engagement of resonance dimension is achieved.
In order to maintain the high level of brand equity, we suggest Vita company should more
concentrate on the communicate strategy in the Facebook social network. For example, to
create discussion, design fun game program and news update all the time. It can help to
get more group member attention and let them know more about Vita Lemon Tea through
this direct communication. The most import thing is to attract more people to become a
group member of Vita Lemon Tea.
6.4. New Product and Brand Extension
Vita Lemon Tea is a quite strong brand with high brand value and developed image in
Hong Kong market after analysis, thus it can help to maximize profit and enhance brand
equity if Vita launches a new product and brand extension.
For the idea of new products such as Vita Lemon Tea Power and Vita Lemon Tea Bag,
which belong to beverage category, both are good concepts for Vita Lemon Tea line. It
can let consumer have more choice and reason to choose Vita Lemon Tea product, hence
market share can be increased through implementing this marketing strategy.
For the idea of brand extension, we suggest to launch a food category such as Vita Lemon
gum and Vita Lemon sweets. Brand equity can be increased and leveraged by using this
marketing strategy. At the same time, it increases awareness of Vita and profitability from
offerings in more than one product category.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 11
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7.0 CONCLUSION
Vita Lemon Tea is established in 1979 which has over 30 years of history, the brand of
Vita has already deeply developed into Hong Kong customers mind. When people think
of lemon tea, Vita Lemon Tea will immediately comes up to their minds with its
irreplaceable taste and energetic brand image. Both of the youngsters, teenagers and
students would not think Vita Lemon Tea is an old product.
Since at the present moment, there are no great challenges and strong competitors in the
Hong Kong lemon tea drinks products market. Therefore, it may not be essential to
revitalize Vita Lemon Tea’s brand. Giving the fact that Vita is extremely popular in Hong
Kong and has secured a clear market leadership over the years, it may consider to expand
its marketing campaigns to the overseas countries besides Hong Kong and China so as to
maintain a sustainable sales growth and to maximize its profits.
Brand Management 260 – Brand Audit Report (Vita Lemon Tea) Page 12
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8.0 REFERENCES
Aaker, D.A. (1991), Managing Brand Equity. New York, NY: The Free Press.
Keller, K.L. 2008. Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and
Managing Brand Equity. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education,
Inc.
MC Jin x MC KT x 高輝 x 陳光榮 Vita Lemon Tea Commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COsLJZxnOeQ (accessed October 26, 2010)
MC Jin 歐陽靖 VS 尹光 Vita Lemon Tea Commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StBOB-hEMKQ&feature=related (accessed
October 26, 2010)
MC Jin - Vita Ceylon Lemon Tea Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFVCcEhGUDQ&feature=related (accessed
October 26, 2010)
Shimp.T. Advertising Promotion, and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing
Communications. USA: South West Cengage Learning, 2007.
Vitasoy HK. http://www.vitasoy.com.hk/eng/company/company.html (accessed
October 24, 2010)
Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd. http://www.vitasoy.com/ (accessed October 23,
2010)
Vitasoy International Holdings Ltd annual report 2009-2010.
http://www.vitasoy.com/viewpage.php?
page=investorrelations§ion=annualResult&subsection=archive (accessed
October 24, 2010)
Vita Lemon Tea. http://www.vlt.com.hk/index.php (accessed October 24, 2010)
VITA Lemon Tea - PR and marketing for new packaging of VITA Lemon Tea from
Oct 2006. http://www.aqcomm.com/official/photo.asp?aevent=news302 (accessed
October 24, 2010)
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Yeung-Gwong Lemon Tea. http://www.yeung-gwong.hk/2010/ (accessed October 30,
2010)
Zeithaml, V.A. (1988), “Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: a means-
end model and synthesis of evidence”, Journal of Marketing, Vol.52 No.3, pp.2-22.
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