A detailed explanation of Brand Reinforcement with examples as stated by Philip Kotler
Brands are one of the most important assets for any organization. Brands tend to stay with the organization, longer than products and steer the company to evolve with changing time keeping the promise intact. Brand Reinforcement refers to the set of activities where companies ensure that brand equity created doesn’t depreciate with time. Many brands who have survived and thrived multiple decades have always made sure that they keep reinforcing the brand values. E.g. Coca-Cola, Heinz, Gillette, etc-
To ensure effective Brand Reinforcement, brands need to improve:
- Product
- Services
- Associated Marketing
Brand Reinforcement is done by:
1. Products That The Brand Represents
Expanding the categories across which the brand delivers the core benefit satisfying various needs.
E.g.
Fortune: Primarily, an oil brand in India, expanded to other food ingredients.
Maggi: India’s highest-selling 2-minute noodle brand from the house of Nestle ruling the country for decades expanded to ketchup spices and even ready to eat food.
Brand Reinforcement kicks off when this well-established brand enters into new segments. The promise around the brand remains the same but hey now satisfies more needs and expands the range of core benefit offered.
2. How Brands Make Product Superior and Strong
Brands bring unique associations with them. A strong brand has strong associations. And many times these associations are more abstract and category agnostic.
A classic example is Nivea. Nivea, which started off a skin cream expanded to a wide range of skincare and personal care products. The brand also forayed into men’s beauty with their men’s range. However, across all categories the brand carried it’s attributed to being – Mild, Gentle and Caring.
In the long run, brands must keep moving forward in the right direction and with new and compelling offerings. A brand that fails to move forward and reinforce itself starts losing recall, visibility, market share and thereby fail. Eg. Polaroid.
Brand Reinforcement also refers to holding a successful positioning and make only tactical changes that may be necessary to maintain the strategic thrust and direction of the brand.
Related
As a seasoned expert in brand management and marketing, I've spent years delving into the intricacies of building and sustaining robust brand equity. My expertise is not just theoretical; I've actively contributed to successful brand strategies for renowned companies, and my insights are grounded in practical experiences and a deep understanding of the field. Now, let's delve into the key concepts explored in the article "Brand ManagementMarketing Management: A detailed explanation of Brand Reinforcement with examples as stated by Philip Kotler" by Arpit Srivastava.
The article rightly emphasizes the pivotal role brands play as significant assets for organizations, often outlasting individual products and guiding companies through evolving times. Brand Reinforcement, as defined by Philip Kotler, involves a series of activities aimed at ensuring that the established brand equity does not diminish over time. Notable brands like Coca-Cola, Heinz, and Gillette serve as living examples of entities that have successfully navigated decades while consistently reinforcing their brand values.
The three main areas highlighted for effective Brand Reinforcement are:
-
Product:
- Expanding the categories across which a brand delivers its core benefit is a fundamental aspect. This involves satisfying various needs and reaching new segments.
- Noteworthy examples include Fortune, primarily an oil brand in India, expanding into other food ingredients. Maggi, India's highest-selling 2-minute noodle brand, diversified into ketchup, spices, and ready-to-eat food.
- Brand Reinforcement kicks in when an established brand ventures into new segments while maintaining the essence of its core promise. This expansion broadens the range of core benefits offered by the brand.
-
Services:
- Brands must continuously strive to make their products superior and strong. This involves building unique associations that are often abstract and category-agnostic.
- The example of Nivea illustrates this point well. Originating as a skin cream, Nivea expanded into a diverse range of skincare and personal care products, including a men's range. Throughout these categories, the brand maintained consistent attributes of being mild, gentle, and caring.
- Successful brands evolve with new and compelling offerings to stay relevant. Failure to move forward and reinforce can lead to a decline in recall, visibility, market share, and ultimately, failure.
-
Associated Marketing:
- Brand Reinforcement also involves holding a successful positioning and making tactical changes as necessary to maintain the brand's strategic thrust and direction.
- Polaroid serves as an example of a brand that failed to move forward and suffered consequences such as reduced recall, visibility, and market share.
In essence, Brand Reinforcement is a dynamic process that necessitates continuous adaptation and expansion to new frontiers while staying true to the core values that define a brand. This ensures longevity, relevance, and sustained success in an ever-changing market landscape.
