Brand Hierarchy PDF

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Brand Hierarchy Brand hierarchy is a means of summarizing the branding strategy by displaying the number and nature of common and distinctive brand elements across the firm’s products, revealing the explicit ordering of brand elements. By capturing the potential branding relationships among the different products sold by the firm, a brand hierarchy is a useful means of graphically portraying a firm’s branding strategy. Specifically, a brand hierarchy is based on the realization that a product can be branded in different ways depending on how many new and existing brand elements are used and how they are combined for any one product. Because certain brand elements are used to make more than one brand, a hierarchy can be constructed to represent how products are nested with other products because of their common brand elements. The task of setting up brand hierarchy include; 1. The specific products to be introduced for any one brand To decide what products should be introduced is crucial for any particular brand in their growth and success. Firms need to ensure that they are making cost benefit calculations, for the growth of existing products versing launching a new product line to gain attention from potential consumers. An example of this is how Apple advertise their new products, towards the world without revealing the key features, as they sell their product by assigning feelings to the idea of owning it. In 2012, Apple launched their new 3rd generation iPad, with the tagline of ‘we have something you really have to see’ (Vilner, 2017) thus fulfilling the customers anticipations about the latest feature which they are about to showcase. 2. The number of levels of the hierarchy to use When determining the number of levels to use it is crucial that firms use more than one level, so each successive brand level allows the firm to communicate additional information, (Keller, 2013). The lower level of the hierarchy pushes room for the firms flexibility of the uniqueness when communicating the product where developing brands at higher levels of the hierarchy is obviously an economical means of communicating common or shared information and providing synergy across the company’s operations, both internally and externally (Keller, 2013). By doing so, we can create sub-branding which Apple has created and takes advantage of Apple’s brand equity which releases different products to cater to many consumer segments, ranging from the Apple iMac, to the iPod Shuffle. 3. The desired brand awareness and image at each level. Effective branding leads to being recognized and standout. The product’s logo and marketing efforts should be providing knowledge and a level of enthusiasm that gets people excited to try the firm’s products and is based off three different levels; the principle of relevance, this is how marketers create associations based upon the advantages of efficiency and economy; principle of differentiation refers to disadvantages of redundancy; a flagship product indicates the best representation a particular product In a brand. Apple’s business model works in such a way that the more people spend on their products, the more valuable their investments become. Apple is constantly planning their next big thing, always finding new ways to innovate and surprise. They don’t just release a new product they release the best new product. Their strategy of push marketing tells people what they need before they even know they need it, creating a demand for something people previously had no concept of. This constant evolution leaves us waiting with bated breath for the next way they’re going to change the world.

4. The combinations of brand elements from different levels of the hierarchy, if any, to use for any one particular product. The principle of prominence is the brand elements which are relative visibility compared with other brand elements, they depend on factors from order, size, appearance and semantic association. Primary brand elements should convey the main product positioning and points-of-difference, Secondary brand elements convey a more restricted set of supporting associations such as points-of-parity or per- haps an additional point-ofdifference (Keller, 2013). For example, in Apple there is no iWatch brand, and the brand identity of Apple Music, Apple Pencil, Apple Pay and Apple Watch is simply the Apple logo combined with the word which describes their function. Interestingly, the brand names of Apple Pay and Apple Watch are consistent with Apple TV one of Apple's long-term projects that has the potential to transform user experiences in yet another aspect of people's daily lives.

5. The best way to link any one brand element, if at all, to multiple products. To connect different product to any one element, the principle of commonality states that that the more common brand elements products share, the stronger the linkages between them (Keller, 2013). Apple products work best with other Apple products. Whether it’s pairing different devices, connecting with Bluetooth, or even just iMessaging/Facetiming with other Apple users, they have fostered a sense of community and status that comes with owning their products. Before people can even consider switching to a new provider, they have to consider all they would be giving up. The brand loyalty that they have instilled in their customers has aided them in becoming the industry leaders that they are today.

Reference: K, Keller, 2013, Strategic Brand Management: Global Edition, Pearson; 4 edition, United States. Y, Vilner, 2017, Apple and branding - what can we learn?, viewed 26th May, 2020, https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/apple-and-branding-what-can-we-learn...