BRANDING

The 7 Vision Steps

Step 1:

Achieving Insight

Insight is about understanding deeply. It is about 'seeing inside', getting to the very core of what matters. With insight, less is truly more. One small piece of genuine insight is worth more than thousands of words that only scratch the surface.

In Step 1 the goal is to achieve real insights into:

• Your Customers
• Your Brand
• Your Competition

Whatever the source, Remo can help you in the search for that which really matters in the quest to build an inspirational brand identity.

Step 2:

Winning Hearts and Minds

It goes without saying that a brand is more than its functional attributes. However, this is not to denigrate reason or overemphasise feelings. The truth is that a combination of functional and feeling benefits is more powerful than either alone.

In Step 2 the goal is to clarify the real benefits of the brand at all levels this will include:

• Rational benefits
• Emotional benefits
• Self expressive benefits

Remo can help you do this by considering the features of your product in conjunction with the insights from Step 1. The outcome forms the basis for developing real value for your brand.

Step 3:

Creating an Inspiring Identity

A truly effective identity should inspire externally and internally. Externally, it should resonate with customers and differentiate the brand. Internally, it should enthuse employees, shareholders and associates as well as being a genuine reflection of what the organisation is committed to do.

In Step 3 the goal is to create the three essential elements that make up a brand identity:

• The brand essence
• The core values
• The extended identity

Remo can help you create all three aspects of the brand identity, deriving them from a thorough analysis of Steps 1 and 2. In particular, it is important to remember that whilst brand identity is an aspirational and strategic concept, it needs to be based in reality. Your brand identity is what your brand could and should stand for but it must start from where you are now. For example, in the case of an existing brand, this will be with your brand image or what your brand stands for now. However, equally important is what your organisation is prepared to commit to changing it.

Step 4:

Committing to Deliver

An inspiring brand identity involves a promise to customers and a commitment by the organisation. It is therefore vital that the implications of the brand identity both in terms of programmes and investments are clearly understood and agreed. This is the goal of Step 4. The starting point is two questions:

• What is currently available that supports the proposed brand identity?
• What needs to be done to give real substance to the identity?

There is no point in creating a brand identity that cannot be delivered. Remo can therefore help you examine the implications of the desired brand identity and either help you cut your cloth according to your measure or convince your organisation that the envisaged identity is worth the investment.

Step 5:

Positioning to Succeed

Positioning is about deciding how the brand identity should be communicated to customers at given points in time. In particular, it seeks to determine the right balance between current and new associations at each stage. Achieving this is the goal of Step 5 and it involves answering two important questions:

• To what extent do current associations cut it in the market place?
• How convincing and credible will each new association be?

In building a brand identity the need for change is fully recognised. However, whilst changes need to be made, there is no point in making claims which the brand cannot substantiate or for which the audience is not ready. At the same time, failing to implement changes now may mean the vision can never be delivered in the future.

Remo can assist you in evaluating these vital positioning issues within the strategic context of the brand identity.

Step 6:

Energising the Organisation

The importance of the support of the organisation for a new defined brand identity is clear. However, this must apply broadly and over time. It means reaching out to all those involved and continuing to do so over and over again, year in and year out. To energise the organisation means gaining understanding, getting buy in, creating involvement, and stimulating excitement and enthusiasm. This is what Step 6 is all about. Essentially, it involves two kinds of activity:

• Participation programmes
• Communication programmes

Remo can assist in helping to implement these programmes either directly or by working with others.

Step 7:

Going Live

The face of the brand identity that customers actually see is, of course, vital. Inspiring brand identity that is poorly communicated will never live in the minds of customers.

Execution is the role of advertising agencies, design groups, packaging companies, PR and market development agencies. However, Remo can assist in providing input to briefing or evaluation of the results. In this way the brand vision cycle is completed, maintained and guarded for the future.