Exploring Brand-Person Relationships

GROUP 1Maunil RituRohan SiddharthShoib Varsha

It has become a truism that brand marketing is in the business of selling emotional connections

rather than product benefits

-Richard Woods, Research Director, New Solutions, Journal of Consumer Behavior, 2004

Background• Life story giving the

motivational profile of 3 individuals of different ages and backgrounds

• Brand attitudes and relationships at various stages of life

Name Age Profession Marital Status

Jean 59 Bartender Married

Karen 39 Manager Divorcee

Vicki 23 Student Unmarried

Jean

• Characteristics –• Family oriented• Loves affiliation from all• Believes in hard working• Believes in sharing • Loves house works• Does not like change in life• Loves to interact with people

Jean – Brand relationship• Loyal and long time relationship

• Most of the brands are related to cooking and housekeeping

• She uses known brands and does not like to change

Jean – Brand AnalysisBrand Relationship Reason for buying

Revere ware Stainless Steel

Highly involved Sauce Does not burn

Hunts Special Sauce Low Involvement Add better taste to sauce

Pastene Tomatoes Highly Involved Best taste, makes best sauce

Philip Berio Olive Oil Highly Involved Better taste, best for cooking

Progresso vinegar and Bread Crumbs

Highly Involved Italian product and best

Johnnie’s FoodmasterMeat

Highly Involved Best Meat

Contadian TomatoPaste

Low involvement For better taste

Bounty paper towels Highly Involvement Best paper towels

Jenn Air Low involvement Heard from others

Jean – Brand Analysis

Brand Relationship Reason for buying

Frigidaire High involvement Makes best refrigerator

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner

High Involvement Best refrigerator to buy

Aussie Miracle shampoo

High Involvement No flat hair

Tide Detergent High Involvement Easily dissolved

General electric Iron Low Involvement Italian product and best

Karen• Characteristics

• Concerned over appearance• Managing the tough time after divorce• Trying to manage work life balance• Inner conflict between her self and her

kid’s interest.• Wants to be a good mother

Karen – Brand relationship• Chooses products related to her

fitness or beauty need.• She uses brands what her mother

used• Loyal and believes they are best• Can’t distinguish between brands

Karen – Brand AnalysisBrand Relationship Reason for

buyingTide, Surf Low Involvement Cannot

distinguish between brands. Buying pattern depends on sales, promotion etc

Success Rice High Involvement Believes one in the kind

Comet High Involvement Better performance

Gateway Low Involvement Preferred over apple

Dove High Involvement Good feel

Joy Low Involvement Her mother bought it

Mary Kay High involvement Makes her look younger

Gatorade High Involvement Likes the taste

Reebok High involvement Emotionally connected

Karen – Brand Analysis

Brand Relationship Reason for buying

Coke High involvement

No solid reason

Ban Low Involvement

No solid

Miracle Whip Low Involvement

No solid reason

Vicki• Characteristics –

• Transitioning from dependent to self-sustaining

• Enjoys being a private person• Typical student who’s anxious to get

out into the real world• Actively seeking a boyfriend with

the intention of finding a ‘marriageable’ partner

• Friendly and opinionated• Looking for self-identity and trying

to balance stability v/s change

Vicki– Brand relationship• Has strong brand judgments in

the form of brand quality and brand consideration

• Some brands evoke brand feelings for her in the form of warmth (Soft’n Dry) and security (Ivory)

• Brand considerations are strong for Vicki as she seems to consider brands based on brand imagery (shampoo, conditioner, lingerie, drapery). Thus, she seems to be brand manager’s delight!

Vicki-Brand Analysis

Brand Relationship Reason for buying

Soft’n Dry High Involvement Gives her sense of security, likes the smell

Musk, Opium, Giorgio

High Involvement Likes the smell, believes in wearing them per the occasion

Victoria’s Secret, Bali, Playtex

High Involvement Believes in wearing them per the occasion

Dow Low Involvement ‘New and improved’ version got her buy-in

Metadent Low Involvement Brand association: makes your teeth feel clean (like at the dentist)

BRAND IMPLICATIONSJe

an -prefers

‘Italian brands (Pastene, Progresso)-prefers trusted, time-tested brands (GE)-brand consideration levels for new brands would be low-overall brand attitude:

NEUTRAL

Kare

n -brand loyalty can switch as per promotions-uses brands because others use them (kids, ex, husband, mother)-is particular beauty and fitness brand Mary Kay-overall brand attitude:

WEAK

Vic

ki -has strong

brand attitudes towards certain brands-uses a broader portfolio for different situations-for some brands she is a variety seeker and can be easily influenced-overall brand attitude:

STRONG

Q1. Brand relationship

Parameters Jean Karen Vicky

Brand Loyalty High Low High

Brand recognition

Medium Low High

Brand involvement

Medium Low High

Brand knowledge

Low Low High

Brand awareness

Medium Medium High

Brand association

Low Low High

Q1. Brand RelationshipJean Karen Vicky

Has no emotional relationship towards the brand.

Highly influenced by peers, friends, etc. Thus has low amounts of brand loyalty.

High emotional relationships with the brand due to personal characteristics relating to the brand aesthetics.

Very resistant to change the brand preference, thus forms some sort of relationship with the brand.

Extremely busy lifestyle leaves no time for brand preferences or for gaining brand knowledge thus low levels of relationships with the brands she consumes.

Highly brand conscious and gains enough exposure to the market which improves brand knowledge and helps associating with brands.

Has high levels of brand loyalty because she has constant repeat purchases of a few selected brands.

Less repeat frequency of brands with changing preferences result in low loyalty.

Brand loyalty depends on the personal characteristics she shares with the brands and the levels of resonance.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS• Based on these classifications ,

managers can take sound decisions.

• There is a distinct divide in the brand preferences and such personalities can be grouped.

• Customers like Jean could be preserved.

• Customers like Karen could be captured

• Customers like Vicki have got to be earned.

Jean – Brand AnalysisBrand Relationship Reason for buying

Revere ware Stainless Steel

Highly involved Sauce Does not burn

Hunts Special Sauce Low Involvement Add better taste to sauce

Pastene Tomatoes Highly Involved Best taste, makes best sauce

Philip Berio Olive Oil Highly Involved Better taste, best for cooking

Progresso vinegar and Bread Crumbs

Highly Involved Italian product and best

Johnnie’s FoodmasterMeat

Highly Involved Best Meat

Contadian TomatoPaste

Low involvement For better taste

Bounty paper towels Highly Involvement Best paper towels

Jenn Air Low involvement Heard from others

Jean – Brand Analysis

Brand Relationship Reason for buying

Frigidaire High involvement Makes best refrigerator

Electrolux Vacuum Cleaner

High Involvement Best refrigerator to buy

Aussie Miracle shampoo

High Involvement No flat hair

Tide Detergent High Involvement Easily dissolved

General electric Iron Low Involvement Italian product and best

ENDURING BRAND RELATIONSHIPS

Jean’s Brand relationship is the most Enduring

Reasons:• Most of the product usage is with high

involvement.• She creates a very strong association

with the brand• She is a very strong Brand Author• Clear distinction of brand image in the

mind• Associating social values with the

brand• Strong Brand relationships unwilling

to experiment with the new brands

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKEDQuestions• Do you consider yourself to be loyal to

the brand?• Do you think this is the only brand that

you will purchase?• What will force me to change my

brand?• Will I talk about this brand to all the

rest of the people?• Will I let others know that I use this

brand?

REASONS WHY BRANDS DISSOLVE

A Brand should “DIODVAC”

• Deliver what it purports to-Quality• Identify and Order• Differentiation• Value Addition• Confidence

When a brand does not meet these, it tends to dissolve

BRAND EVOLUTIONBrand Evolution can be explained from the Brand pyramid

Person Brand Relationship

Reason for buying

Jean Aussie Miracle shampoo

High Involvement

No flat hair

Karen Mary Kay High involvement

Makes her look younger

Vicki Ivory Soap High Involvement

Makes her feel wholesome and pure

Jean – Aussie Miracle Shampoo

Resonance:Highly Loyal and Attached

Judgment: High Quality and Best

Feelings: Warmth

Performance: Meets Functional needs and product reliability

Imagery: Purchase and usage situations

Salience: Need satisfied

Karen – Mary Kay

Resonance:Highly Loyal and Attached

Judgment: CredibilityFeelings: Social approval

Performance: Product reliabilityImagery: Personality and Values

Salience: Category identification

Vicki – Ivory Soap

Resonance:Highly Loyal and Attached

High Engagement

Judgment: Credibility and Superiority

Feelings: Warmth, Social approval , Self respect

Performance: Product reliability, efficiencyImagery: Personality and Values

Salience: Category Identification and Need Satisfied

THANK YOU!