Creating New Brands

Lois DirksenPresidentBrand Strategist

Tonight’s Topics

1. I already have a logo - Brand LensWhat’s brand? Brand and reputationCorporate v. product brand

2. Do I really have time for this? - Investing in Brand Development

Importance of brandThe bad newsThe really good news

3. To know me is to love me - Brand PositioningAwareness, relevance, familiarity, preferencePositioning

Brand Lens

What is Brand?

You can control brand but only influence reputation.What drives brand and reputation is shared values.

Brand and Reputation

Is a third party’s perception of the performance on your promise.

BrandIs your promise to the market.

Reputation

Corporate Brand v. Product Brand

Trademarks Features Benefits Positioning Specialness

Corporate Brand Story Values Culture Positioning Authority Credibility

Product Brand

Corporate brands are constant, while product brands are constantly changing. The corporate brand provides the

context for product branding.

PRODUCT BRAND is the WHAT

CORPORATE BRAND is the HOW

Brand Development

Importance of Brand Insulates and protects a company’s and products from

positioning by the competition Simplifies customer choice by cutting through

features/benefits to establish product specialness Reduces the cost of going to market through increased

market acceptance based on corporate and product brand strength

Assists in attracting and retaining highly qualified employees, investors and new market channels

Time

Valu

e

LIFE CYCLE APPROACH

Intrinsic ValuePatentsKnow-howBrand

The Bad News

70% of mergers in the U.S. fail to increase shareholder value

2/3 will lose value on the stock market Executives excited to acquire at low market prices

but boards less convinced and less willing to act

The Really Good News

Executive ego often drives M&A activity fueled by surrounding lawyers, accountants and consultants who gain fees from the activity

M&A today is based on moving beyond existing lines of business into new strategic areas

Entrepreneurs, option holders and investors cash out

…sell the news

Brand Positioning

I don’t know who you are.I don’t know your company.I don’t know your company product.I don’t know what your company stands for.I don’t know your company’s customers.I don’t know your company’s record.I don’t know your company's reputation. Now...what was it you wanted to sell me?

What do these brands have in common?

AWAR

ENES

S

Low

High

RELEVANCELow High

MATURE BRANDS

NEW BRANDSGONE

GRAVEYARD

NICHE BRANDS

ACQUISITION TARGETS

Relevance

Brand positioning is attitudes or beliefs that your customers hold about your business

In its simplest form, positioning is mental sorting

Differentiation Through Positioning

Meaningful to the customer? Differentiated from the competition? Believable to the customer? Sustainable over time? Consistent with corporate brand

characteristics?

The “Sweet Spot”

Brand Position

Customer Defined Attributes

Competitors Market Presence

Finding a position that supports sustained, profitable growth.

Thank You

Internal to External Strength

About LEVEL Brand

About LEVEL Brand

LEVEL is a brand, reputation and advertising firm that combines strategic thinking with business acumen to create revenue-generating communications designed to achieve a client’s business objectives. LEVEL has the experience, talent and innovative processes to deliver results. The agency’s industry credentials include having successfully completed brand positioning for over 120 national and global companies as well as helping to address complex brand and reputation issues. As a global brand and reputation firm, LEVEL offers a variety of services and proprietary tools for a fully integrated communications effort.

LEVEL has a strong track record for uncovering insights that inspire clear market positioning, organizational alignment and revenue-generating communications. In other words, the essential elements for building world-class brands and reputations that foster sustained, profitable growth.

LEVEL combines strategic and creative talent to build lasting, profitable relationships for our clients.

LEVEL Company Overview

Level Values We put the interests of our clients first. We build trusting relationships through integrity and

collaboration. We use our talents and skills to give back to our community.

Company Statistics Founded: 1986 Ownership: Independently Owned Employees: 24

LEVEL Key CompetenciesBrandStrategyBrand IdentificationLogo DesignBusiness System DesignBrand PositioningBrand ArchitectureBrand StrategiesLEVEL InsightsLEVEL Language

Digital MarketingDigital Marketing FrameworksWebsite DesignInteractive CopywritingBanner DevelopmentWeb StrategyWeb AnalyticsSocial StrategiesMobile Strategies & Implementation

Account ServiceStrategic PlanningPlan Development/ ImplementationAccount Management/ CoordinationBudget ManagementClient RelationsAgency Team RelationsPromotional Planning

Creative ServiceConceptual DevelopmentArt DirectionDesignCopywritingProductionPromotional Development

Media ServiceMedia PlanningMedia AnalysisPlacementReconciliationCustomized Media SystemsMultilevel Reporting

Research/ MeasurementBrand Benchmark StudyPosition Concept TestingAwareness/Familiarity SurveyFocus GroupsAdvertising EffectivenessQualitative Stakeholder Studies