OPEN SOURCE
Session One :
What is a Brand? Definitions and taxonomies.
Idris Mootee CEO Idea Couture Inc.
1
Sept 3, 2007

All brand names mentioned and logos included in this presentation are registered trademarks of their respective owners
and are legally protected. Their inclusion in this presentation is only for the purpose of illustration, criticism and
analysis.
Disclosure: Starbucks, Nike, Kitchen Aid, Jordan, Virgin, BMW, Nintendo, Crate & Barrel are clients of Blast Radius
Inc. which I was formerly employed as Senior VP and Chief Strategist. The mentioning of these names is solely for
academic purposes and should not be considered as case studies. The material here was prepared solely with public
information supported by the author’s analysis during the writing of book 60-Minite Brand Strategist which was
published in four languages. Other brand names including Levis, Apple, Mercedes Benz, Sony, Coca Cola, Macys,
Target, Daimler Chrysler mentioned here were at some point were clients of firms which I was formerly employed or co-
founded. No confidential or proprietary information were used or disclosed here
.
This series of presentation is designed to provide relevant and up-to-date information for brand and marketing
practitioners and it should not be used in marketing or rendering of professional services. Some rights reserved. Idris
Mootee 2001-2007. Presentation can be freely embedded in any website or blog under creative commons license with
prohibition of any commercial use.
2

What is a Brand?
Exercise: Think about the following statements and see to what extend do
you agree or disagree with them. There is no right or wrong answers. 3

What is a Brand?
1. Is it the personification of an
organization, product or service?
4

What is a Brand?
2. Is it the source of a promise to
the customer?
Or is it a trust mark?
5

What is a Brand?
3. Is it a set of associations that
enhance or detract from the related
product or service?
6

What is a Brand?
4.Is it the main source of emotional
connections with customers?
7

What is a Brand?
5. Is it something that should drives
the design of the ‘total customer
experience’?
8

What is a Brand?
6. Is it the single idea or concept or
imbedded in the mind of the
customer?
9

Here are some point of views:
10

Branding is often confused with a lot
things such as advertising or corporate
identity. The problem is, companies are
still turning to branding as a panacea.
Sometimes branding becomes a way to
obfuscate relative sameness or make
unfulfillable promises, instead of
discovering, communicating uniqueness
or as a vehicle to inspire greatness.
11

Building Strong Brands: Three key requirements.
1. Trust between Brand and Consumer
2. Common Identity between Brand and Consumer
3. Point of Difference between Brands in a Set
12

“A brand is the ‘personification’ of a
product, service, or even entire
company. Like any person, a brand
has a physical ‘body': in P&G's case,
the products and/or services it
provides…… like a person, a brand
must mature and change its product
over time. But its character, and core
beliefs shouldn't change.”
- Robert Blanchard, former P&G executive
13

“Like human beings, all brands are
born equal. The trick is the same, to
prove one isn’t. Branding is the art
and science of identifying and
fulfilling human physical and
emotional needs by capturing their
attention, imagination and emotion.”
- Idris Mootee Strategy Consultant
14

“The art of marketing is the
art of brand building. If you are
not a brand, you are a
commodity. Then price is
everything and the low-cost
producer is the only winner.”
- Philip Kotler Kellogg
15

In the world in which brands rule,
products are no longer bundles of
functional characteristics but
rather a means to create
meanings. Thanks to the Internet
and the web 2.0, information
abundance is so great that it
becomes an overload — more
than anyone can digest.
16

A product is something that is made
in a factory; a brand is something
that is made up of trust and
relationships. A product is an
object; a brand is a personality. A
product is sold by a merchant; a
brand is bought by a customer. A
product can be easily copied by a
competitor; a brand is unique.
17

Product proliferation creates so
many choices that they overload
our ability to differentiate or choose
what we value — so how do we
choose? Brands help us choose.
Brands are invaluable tools to
break through clutter and help us
make choices.
18

What Brand is Not:
Exercise: Think about the following statements and see to what extend the
people around you still mistaken brands as solely what is mentioned here. 19

What Brand is Not:
1.Trade marks
(these are legal
properties)
20

What Brand is Not:
2. Mission statement
(this is a reminder).
21

What Brand is Not:
3. Logo or slogan
(these are your
signatures).
22

What Brand is Not:
4. Product or
service (these are
the tangibles).
23

What Brand is Not:
5. Advertising (they
only deliver your
messages)
24

What is the starting point of a Brand strategy?
Exercise: Try answer the following three questions for a brand that you
know well or deeply attached for whatever reasons. 25

Ask these questions:
1. What is the deep
need that we satisfy?
What is our raison
d'être ?
26

Ask these questions:
2.What is our core
competence?
What are we
really good at ?
27

Ask these questions:
3.What is reason for
this brand to exist in
this world?
28

Ask these questions:
4.What is the role of
branding within the
context of business
strategy?
See the brand taxonomy matrix in the following slide
Exercise: The following is a brand taxonomy framework that is used to discuss and
identify fundamentally different entry point to developing a brand strategy. 29

Brands focus on their
meanings and values
rather than functions
Brands tightly Brands have almost
identified with the become product-
product or range independent
of products
Brands focus largely
on their core functions
and purposes
30

Do not make the mistake of
Corporate Internal
letting your brand image
Strategy Branding
taking over and become the
brand identity. It’s only one
part of the equation - not the
whole equation.
Brand
Strategy
Brand
Service
Identity
Design
Brand
Images
Brand
Attributes Brand
Associations
Exercise: Think about how often people mistakenly let the brand image drive
the brand strategy. In your opinion, what is wrong with this? 31

Decision Map for Brand Choices
Does the brand currently serve
strategically (size and profitability)
important or attractive segments?
Yes No
Are there any other strategic
Does the brand qualify as a
reasons to retain the brand?
Leadership Brand ?
Yes No
Yes No
Does it add value to other
Does the brand have the potential to Can the brand be leveraged
existing brands or
in new markets?
become a Leadership Brand?
businesses?
Yes No
Yes No
Does it add value to
Are we willing or can Is there a reason to keep or
other existing brands further develop a brand in
we afford to invest in
this category?
or businesses?
the brand?
Yes No
Yes No
Keep as Niche Brand
Leadership Develop into Yes
Brand Leadership Brand
Yes No
No
Can the brand be Spin-off or
extended as a Divest
Yes No
product line?
Roll-up
Brand Product-line
32

Session one of eight.
www.mootee.typepad.com
OPEN SOURCE
33