It remains impressive to see how brands create a hype online around, for example, the launch of a new product or service. These are interesting cases in which brand experience plays a major role, but how can that brand experience strengthen your brand online? My article full of practical examples provides an answer to this.
In the article 7 principles for optimal online fashion & brand experience, it was already stated how companies need to have a clear story online in this day and age. In her article, she mentions seven principles that contribute to that authenticity and experience for a brand.
The Brand Equity Model as a Guide to Brand Experience
The Brand Equity model by Kevin Lane Keller explains how to create a strong brand. Below I will further explain the model with concrete examples, and also give two cases of companies that have done this well online in my opinion. These are brands that you do not hear about every day. So these are not brands like KLM, Heineken or BMW Netherlands, but other brands that in my opinion have successfully created an online experience, regardless of the size of the page.
Four steps
Marketing professor Kevin Lane Keller has developed the well-known Keller's Brand Equity model, which contains four steps to build and manage a brand that fans will also support. The idea behind his model is that brands with a strong brand experience sell more products online. To build a strong brand, you have to find out what consumers think and feel about your product. To do this, you create the right experience around your brand, so that the consumer has a positive thought, opinion and perception about it. Every consumer consciously or unconsciously goes through the four steps below to come to a final judgment about your brand.
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The model provides four questions that your fans ask about your brand. The four steps that the model provides contain six blocks, which you need to work out well before you can reach the top of the pyramid.
Step 1: Brand identity, who are you?
The first step is to create brand awareness. It is important that your brand stands out and that people recognize your brand. You create this through a clear mission and vision. You want to achieve something, add something and be distinctive.
A nice explanation of 'Who are you?' is the Golden Circle (What, How and Why) by Simon Sinek. In his TED Talk he shows for example why a brand like Apple distinguishes itself from competitors while it is simply a computer company. Or why Martin Luther King was the man behind the Civil Rights Movement, while there were many other similar men walking around with the same thoughts. They all communicate in the same way, and that is exactly the opposite of the competition. With the help of the Golden Circle brands can position themselves better. If you want to know more about this, I recommend you to read this article (PDF). It is a relatively simple model that can contribute to your brand experience.
In Kevin Lane Keller's model, it all starts with determining your target audience. In the cases below, you can clearly see that the brands have chosen a clear target audience. They do not go for the 'large' mass, but choose a specific segment. For example, Zwarte Coffee focuses on men in the age category 15 to 35 years.
The consumer must be able to associate with your brand. Salience (salience in the model) explains the extent to which the consumer is familiar with your brand. Is the brand easy to recognize? Is the brand top-of-mind? This happens when the consumer is aware of both the depth and breadth of a brand. Depth in this case is the ease with which the brand can be activated in the brain of the consumer, think of neuromarketing. While breadth is about the extent to which this happens during a purchasing process.
An example
You are in a store looking for a new television. A salesperson tells you the spe ukraine mobile phone number list ifications of a generic product, product a. For television b, the salesperson tells you it is a Samsung television.
If a brand like Samsung has a high brand experience (brand equity), the consumer will choose the Samsung television. The more positive knowledge the consumer has of the brand, the faster he or she would choose it. This is of course also influenced by references such as family, friends and acquaintances. If the consumer knows nothing about the brand, then there will be no preference. I will explain this in step 3.
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The same goes for social media! As a brand, you want to distinguish yourself and create positive brand awareness. Online communication is much faster than traditional media, which is why community management plays a major role. (Potential) customers expect to be able to get in touch with your brand online these days.
Step 2: Brand meaning, what are you?
Does your brand meet the core characteristics of Brand salience? Then you can continue to build a brand meaning. In this process you give the answer to 'What am I?'. Important here are the characteristics of a brand based on 'performance' and 'imagery'.