Know-How Exchange : Branding

I suggest creating one company mission statement that's active and friendly to the point it may be used in marketing. To differentiate each group of programs/demographics, create individual tag lines for each.

This method achieves two things: 1) it identifies your facilities as a member of one ownership organization and 2) speaks directly to each demographic as if to be personal and welcoming.

Dear Therrick,

You're in hospital. Surgery is required. At the end of your bed stand five doctors, all with varying opinions as to where to slice you open.

You're auditioning for a role in a play. There are three casting directors. One says you're too short. One says you're too tall. One says you're too bald. But the cleaning lady likes your shoes.

You're selling a diet pill. It cures cancer, predicts the winning lotto numbers, and makes you breakfast in bed.

Dear heart, in the same way that too many cooks spoil the broth, too many claims or messages dilute any and all brand equity.

Stick with one message and tell it well.

I hope this helps. Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

The message is the same. Fun, family, flexibility, fair (price).

HOW you communicate that will be different for each group/segment

michael

I agree with what everyone is saying in that you definitely need to have one consistent overall positioning statement. Any messaging has to be reflective of, and consistent with your overall positioning.
However, it does sound like you have several different audiences and you need to clearly identify what your different segments are. You should put together a segment profile in each case. Each segment will have different needs and you will need to speak to those in your marketing. You will not necessarily use the same tone or language with a corporate audience as you will when talking to Mom. And you will be promoting different benefits.
So although everything you do will flow from your overall corporate positioning statement, you will need to customize your messaging to the different segments you are marketing to.

希望这有助于
Linda Whitehead
ZUZ营销

Having worked on branding a variety of sports and entertainment brands, you first need to determine the following:

1. Are they overlapping in their trade areas, hence competing for the same customer? If the answer is no, I would support previous suggestions of developing a common position statement and tagline and modifying the messaging to suit the given venue offering.

2. What unites each of these offerings from a consumer stand point and what separate them? In order to determine if a common positioning statement and tagline resonates with the target group, its important to understand if there is a potential for synergies and alignment of customer needs. If the needs of each venue's target group are quite different, I would recommend against a common tagline and position (align to a house of brands versus a branded house).

3. What is your competitive set in each of your markets? To be successful, you need to ensure that you are clearly differentiated from your competitive set in each of the markets you operate. The need to differentiate is critical and should be your first criteria in a convergent or divergent branding strategy.

4. What is your marketing investment level and how much of the marketing is mass media versus viral? If you have limited marketing dollars, you may not have the ability for numerous messages. You may want to have the physical experience (your most effective marketing vehicle) create the point of difference while the messaging could be similar. A great example of such approach is Cineplex Theaters who have three main brands competing for the same consumer.

Finally, I would recommend some easy market research using your venues as an opportunity to understand what motivates your customers to visit you versus your competitors. Only when you clearly understand their emotive and cognitive needs should you embark on a marketing initiative. One final note, consumers can only remember three things, so do not have more than three messages for the same brand. It dilutes retention and recognition.

Good luck.

Once again I feel compelled to chime in here :)

My post are always a little later because I am in Asia so I see them when America is sleeping.

Sorry if I am repeating myself from earlier posts but I really have a hard time when posters talk about branding in a 'generic' manner.

There must be a clear distinction for yourself and your organisation about What is the BRAND and what are the PRODUCTS or SERVICES that are offered by that brand.

In your question you are actually asking 2 questions.

Of course the COMPANY BRAND must be consistent but GE sells, refrigerators and bankiing services (and a plethora of different products). Should they use the same message to sell both products??

Of course not.

Kraft Foods sells a myriad of different food products. commercials for each are completely different depending upon the product. Of course the brand is mentioned and the brand logo and overriding message is always the same but don't confuse the brand message with the Product SALES PITCH.

Yu are selling different 'products' & 'services' to widely different audiences and so the MESSAGE or SALES PITCH that you use for each absolutely MUST be tailored to the specific audience segment.

This is not in conflict however with a consistent BRAND IDENTITY.

请所有海报和participants here start to have a more defined approach when speaking about BRAND. it is a much overused and abused word and far too much time and too much money is wasted talking about it :))

A BRAND can and often does sell MANY MANY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS.

Please don't confuse a brand with a product.

Good luck with creating your new sales materials :))

Matthew