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Internal Elements: These elements have to do with the internal structure and decisions that support and implement the brand. Responsibilities include strategic goals and their expression internally and externally, implementation of tactical programs and activities, measurement and adjustment of tactics as required.
- Brand Structure: What is the designated role of the brand? How does that role fit within the organization? Does the brand represent the company, a family of products, a single product with or without extensions, models, flavors or styles? What is the relationship of this brand with others in the company’s portfolio?
- Megabrands: Are all your brands under the umbrella of a single brand like Microsoft XXXXX or GE XXXXX? Why and how is this helpful to individual brands and to the company’s success? Is the megabrand appropriate for all your products, and especially for the brand being audited?
- Brand families: Have you a group of related products intended for common markets? If so, have you established a family of brands that are promoted together and have a common name and graphic similarity? If so, are you auditing the brand family or single product to determine its appropriateness as a family member?
- Brand extensions: Have you extended a successful brand name to other, non-related markets and applications in hopes the success will carry from one product, market, application to another?
- Stand alone brand: Does the brand, either corporate or product/ service, stand upon its own merits as a unique and separate offering? If a product, could the business be sold to another without initial loss of brand perceptions and equity?
- Nomenclature: Have you developed a method of designating different models or style of product that make sense to buyers and do not lead to confusion in ordering or fulfilling shipments? Has this been a marketing decision?
- Brand Management: This function may be called many things and perform various duties. In many organizations, brand management falls under the purview of several functional groups within the organization. For our purposes we won’t get into internal organization except to say that the elements listed here need to be performed, coordinated and measured.
- Organization: It is important to assess the functions of different internal departments in establishing and maintaining brand integrity. Often the organization is not organized or equipped to manage brands most effectively. Once effectiveness is measured, it is up to corporate management to determine brand management structure.
- Policy: Are there internal policies that prevent the brand from
achieving the goals set for it? Have limitations been imposed that are detrimental to the branding process? Is the brand in compliance with all regulations, external as well as internal? If conflicts arise,
how can they be arbitrated?
- Customer service: Is customer service adequately staffed by knowledgeable personnel? Are they empowered to solve unique customer problems and satisfy reasonable requests? Are all personnel within the organization oriented to be of service to customers? What must be put in place to establish the expected brand position?
- Budget: Have adequate funds been earmarked for the establishment and marketing of your brand? Is there any flexibility or contingency if things don’t go exactly to plan?
- Consistency: Is there anyone within the management structure assigned the ongoing task of making sure the brand stays focused? Does this person have the backing of top management to “raise hell” when needed?
- Brand standards: Have standards for the brand’s “personality” been developed and communicated throughout the organization? Is someone responsible for this activity? Is it a consistent effort?
- Brand education: Closely tied to brand standards, education goes beyond internal marketing personnel responsible for producing materials, packaging and promotions. Does your distribution chain understand and comply with brand standards? Are suppliers cognizant of your standards?
Tied closely to Internal Elements are Metrics, the measurements of how well a brand is performing. We treat Metrics as a separate major element just after Market Segments .
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