translating product features into brand values

© W 2011

How do we translate product featuresinto brand values?

Sunil Ramkali, Account DirectorW Communication Agency

© W 2008

Content

• A few things about the W Communication Agency.

• Product or brand – what's the difference?

• What makes a (great) brand?

• How do we make a (great) brand?– Benefit laddering

• Does a (great) brand deliver on the ‘bottom line’?

© W 2008

A FEW THINGS ABOUT THEW COMMUNICATION AGENCY

© W 2008

Where are we based?

• Malmö, Sweden - a truly international city.

• 300 000 residents from approximately 170 different nationalities.

• Recent venue for the Eurovision song contest 2013.

• Perfect venue for W, with our focus on international B2B communications.

© W 2008

What do we do at W?

• We specialise in turning complexity into clarity.

• Our focus is international B2B communications & have been doing so since 1998.

• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate product features

© W 2008

What do we do at W?



• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate product features into brand benefits

© W 2008

What do we do at W?



• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate product features into brand benefits and ultimately,brand values:

© W 2008

What do we do at W?



• Dedicated to three sectors - specific need to translate product features into brand benefits and ultimately,brand values:

Life ScienceAstraZenecaLundbeckNovo NordiskSandozTakedaUCB

TechnologyAnotoESSLogicaMilestoneSCAN COINSecuritas

IndustryAlfa LavalWayneEcophonInwidoMetso Minerals ModityNSKTetra Pak Trelleborg

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PRODUCT OR BRAND– WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

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Product or brand – what's the difference?

• Before we can answer that question, we must first understand the difference between a product and a brand.

– Companies make products, consumers (patients) make brands.

– A brand will have a specific customer appeal, i.e. they are unique or differentiating, whereas a product can be copied.

– Products with low emotional engagement are not differentiated and can be easily copied or replaced by a low cost product.

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Products are made in the factory, but brands are created in the mind." — Walter Landor, Brand Builder & Designer

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WHAT MAKES A (GREAT) BRAND?

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A brand is a mixture of attributes,tangible and intangible which, ifmanaged properly, createsvalue and influence. (source: www.brandchannel.com)

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Defining brand strength - Interbrand™

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The big ideaL – white paper

• Ogilvy commissioned 2,025 online interviews in the US, the UK, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Spain and Germany.

• Five brand pairs were selected by Ogilvy and assessed to identify why one brand out performed the other.– Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi– Nike vs. Puma– Apple vs. Microsoft– Dove vs. Nivea– MasterCard vs. Visa

* first brand listed had a stronger big ideaL

© W 2009

Four pillars that explained brand success

1. Enhances brand differentiation – unique

2. Engages audiences emotionally – makes the customer feel good

3. Makes the brand famous – perceived as a leader

4. Appeals to users and non-users – drives penetration

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HOW DO WE MAKE A (GREAT) BRAND?

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How do we make a (great) brand?

• We must first understand what drives the buying / decision making process.

• Do we know how important the rational and emotional brand drivers are during the decision making process?

• Knowing the answers will get you closer to being the brand of choice.

© W 2008

• Is your brand memorable?

• Do you know what your customers think about your brand?

• How does your brand make your customers feel?

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A great brand will appeal to bothhearts & minds

Emotional brand engagement will create loyalty

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Decision making is primarily emotional - Stanovich and West (2000)

System 1Fast99%

System 2Slow1%

FeelingUnconsciousAutomaticNon-verbal

ThinkingConsciousControlledVerbal

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“When the clinical difference between products is small, as often is the case with prescription drugs, it’s imperative that they have a strong emotional connection with their target audiences”Thomas Lom, President (former), Saatchi & Saatchi Consumer Health and Wellness

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TRANSLATING PRODUCT FEATURES INTO BRAND VALUES- BENEFIT LADDERING

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What is benefit laddering?

• Benefit laddering is a validated process for translating product features into brand benefits & values.

• The technique takes us out of our ‘comfort zone’ and challenges us to think beyond functional product features.

• A brand ladder will help us identify the critical components of the brand communication platform.– Brand ‘one liner’ / Positioning Statement– Sales Story Flow– Key Selling Messages– Brand Visual Imagery

© W 2008

Benefit laddering technique- mobile phones & email

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Brand features or attributesModerator, “What do you like best about your mobile phone?”Respondent, “Ability to keep up to date with my emails whileon the move”.

Brand benefitsModerator, “What is important about that?”Respondent, “I know what’s happening right away and am able toaddress customer enquires rapidly.”

Customer benefitsModerator, “What does that do for you/customers?”Respondent, “It reassures my customers that I am in control and Ican offer them excellent customer service.”

Emotional benefits/valuesModerator, “What does reassuring your customers mean?”Respondent, “I earn their respect and come across as a professionalpartner. This hopefully leads to increased customer loyalty.”

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Case example – Benadryl

Brand features- Fast acting- Symptom relief

Brand benefits – rational- Reduces symptoms- Improves quality of life

Customer benefits - emotional- Not a social misfit- Be active

Emotional benefits/values – emotional- Freedom- Belongingness

Benadryl delivers a rapid response to hay fever symptoms,improving symptoms within just 15 minutes

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Case example – Yaris Verso

Brand features- Large interior- High performance

Brand benefits – rational- Transport many- Drive comfort

Customer benefits - emotional- Family friendly- Avoid stress

Emotional benefits/values – emotional- Care for my family- Self fulfilment

The Toyota Yaris Verso is a new, compact Toyota with style,which offers the necessary space & performance

especially for young families

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What empirical research is telling us about how marketing really works

• Meta-analysis of 880 IPA Effectiveness cases

• Aim: to identify the ingredients of effective advertising

• “Effectiveness” measured in hard business terms - sales

© W 2008

Summary

• As a communication specialist our role is to develop brand communications that will engage our target audience on a rationale & emotional level.

• The decision making or buying process is not an art, it has a sound scientific basis.

• Influencing the buying process requires us to translate product features to brand values.– Identify the right product features to influence the ‘mind’ and the

brand values to influence the ‘heart’.

• If we can find the balance between the two, this will ultimately drive brand adoption, loyalty and sales!

translating product features into brand values

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