What
Makes Winning Brands Different
Andreas
Buchholz and
Wolfram Wördemann
Leading brands have characteristics that make them a success and these
differ from one brand to another.
Andreas
Buchholz and
Wolfram Wördemann have analysed in detail 1,245 leading brands around the world in order to
identify a series of factors or so-called growth codes that have helped to determine the
success of these brands. While many of the brands are used directly as examples in
the book, there are numerous short case studies to illustrate many of the
different growth codes. Importantly, the examples are taken from different
countries which is refreshing compared with many business books that fail to
look outside the USA for their sources of inspiration.
Underlying
the exercise is the fact that there are so many brands around and in so many
categories but, within one category, there is frequently little to differentiate
one product or service from another. This is where branding comes in as a
mechanism to deliver perceived values and benefits to consumers and make your
product or service stand out from the crowd. Too many products and services lack
clear identification and traditional advertising often reinforces this. Just
think how often you could switch product shots at the end of many TV commercials
and not tell the difference! Sometimes the attention seems to be more on filming
an award-winning commercial than aiding the development of the brand. Many
product and service categories are saturated requiring a substantially different
approach to the old methods of high-spending television advertising, supported
by other types of promotional activity. The focus needs to be shifted to
creating and sustaining a clear and simple brand personality that enables the
brand to be visible and meaningful to consumers.
Developing
a clear brand positioning is not simply a question of filming an exciting TV
commercial but it is about instilling a personality that consumers understand,
and more importantly, identify with. This personality must be unique, at least
within the category, to provide the necessary differentiation. "Winning
brands" are those that have succeeded in doing this through a large number
of different means. One of the simplest ways is mentioned early on in the book
with an unnamed example but presumably Sunny Delight. If you cannot stand out in
one category (fruit juice) as you are too watery, too sweet, too artificial and
not real fruit juice, then why not reposition as a soft drink which is not only
a larger market but you are then viewed as not as sweet, fruity and less watery
than the alternatives. This is referred to as the Migration Principle.
From
this point
Buchholz and Wördemann
go on to explore a series of five different portals to the consumer's mind.
Each of these portals contains four to five different growth codes that can be
used to help build the brand positioning and personality. These portals are as
follows:
-
Benefits
and promises.
-
Norms
and values.
-
Perceptions
and programs.
-
Identity
and self-expression.
-
Emotions
and love.
For
each of these portals the book describes the underlying growth codes with
numerous short examples and longer case studies.
The
book finishes with a section called "Working with Growth Codes" that
shows how they may be used in practice. This is done with a further set of case
studies.
The
book really focuses on brand positioning and advertising. It takes less account
of other factors that are crucial for brand success. For many brands, Coca-Cola
for example, it can be argued that the key to their long term success lies in
extensive distribution. Nevertheless, the growth codes identified and analysed
do represent important ways in which brands can be differentiated. Furthermore,
it provides the stimulus for solving marketing problems. If the position in
which your brand finds itself is similar to one in the book, then there are
several ways of solving it, based on past brands' success. Overall, the
book is highly relevant to marketers, developing a check list for the
development of new brands and the resuscitation of struggling brands.
Review
by Martin Payne
