The value of a brand

A brand is a symbol to which consumers attach thoughts, ideals, myths or sensations that go beyond the intrinsic value of the product or service. Brands are one of the most important non-tangible assets that organizations have to entice consumers.

What is branding?

Branding is a communication tool that allows you to identify a brand, to communicate the benefits and attributes of that brand and to differentiate it from its competitors. In that way, a good branding program can boost the sales of a product and makes the purchasing process easier for consumers.

Why should we do branding?

Nowadays the supply of products and services surpasses demand. That phenomenon has led to a "commoditization" of most products and services. Branding is a smart strategy that allows you to reach your financial goals and facilitates communication with consumers.

When to conduct brand research

There are three moments in the life of a company when the knowledge obtained from brand research provides competitive advantage:

 Introduction. When companies are launched, brand research is conducted to first define the competitive set as it exists in the minds of the target consumer and then to understand how to position the new brand in that set.

 Growth. When companies want to offer a new product or service, they need to determine whether the customer will allow the brand to travel from the existing products to the new products.

 Maturity. When brands reach their maturity they have to develop strategies to sustain their market relevance.

Our approach

Acertiva seeks to be the link among your market, your creative staff, and your organization by providing impartial, useful, and reliable information for supporting your brand development initiatives. We follow a rigorous yet creative methodology to answer such questions as:

 What is our relationship with consumers, employees and suppliers? How do they perceive and live the brand?

 How relevant, different and esteemed is our brand?

 How strong is our brand? Is it gaining or losing strength?

 What are the motivations that drive consumers to choose one brand?

 Is our brand meeting the functional and emotional expectations of consumers?

 What are the results of our last branding initiative?

 What are the key messages that resonate with our most profitable customers?

 What initiatives can bolster or damage our brand?

 Is our brand promise congruent and consistent?

 Are we competing in the right category? What specific new products and services can we offer?

Tools

We consider that research tools, rather than an end, are a means to obtain relevant and reliable information for decision-making. Therefore, when recommending a tool or technique we adopt a holistic approach taking into account the market context and the strategic objectives of our clients.

Acertiva offers a wide range of traditional (focus groups, surveys, etc.) and emerging (virtual ethnographies, semiotic analysis, etc.) tools to respond effectively and efficiently to your questions related to your branding initiatives.

Case

Situation

A worldwide leading publishing firm wanted to know what the perception of its brand among teachers was. Based on the results, the publishing company wanted to develop a branding strategy that allowed it to improve its position in the marketplace.

Our solution

Through a research project that was commissioned to Acertiva, the firm found some critical aspects related to the positioning of its brand:

 The professional and emotional relationship professors have toward the most important publishing brands.

 The way in which editorial firms are satisfying the needs of teachers and their students.

 Knowledge of the brand drivers and the brand statement associated with its brand.

Results

With the in-depth analysis provided by Acertiva, the client could develop a smart branding strategy that went beyond a mere slogan. Acertiva's suggestion was to focus on meeting one of the most basic emotional needs that none of the firm's competitors was satisfying.