Brand Management: Strategies, Theories, and Portfolio Management

This document provides insights into brand management, including the importance of branding as a marketing tool, key components of successful brand strategy, brand management theories and models, and brand portfolio management. The case study of Apple company is used to illustrate these concepts.

Brand Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Importance of branding as marketing tool...................................................................................3
Key components involve in successful brand strategy ...............................................................4
Brand management theories and models.....................................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................7
Brand Portfolio Management.......................................................................................................7
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................10
Techniques of brand extension and brand leverage...................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
Measurement Techniques..........................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Brand management is specifies as a marketing techniques to improve the product
presence in the market (Heine and et.al., 2018). Brand management involve strategies and
techniques to improve the perceived value of product line or a brand over the period of time.
This report is based on the case study of Apple company over brand management. Apple
is a multinational technology company based in America. Headquarter of the Apple company is
located in Cupertino, California. Apple company initiated its business operations in the year
1976. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne was the founder of the company.
Companies like Braeburn Capital, Beats Electronic, Claris, Apple Energy, are the subsidiaries of
the Apple company.
Henceforth, this report is focuses over key components involve in successful brand
management strategies. Various theories and models of brand management will also report to
project the brand management of corporate organisation. This report also emphasis over brand
portfolio management. Brand hierarchy will also project of a chosen brand. Various techniques
will also project in this report that focuses over brand extension and brand leverage in the context
of both national and international market. This report will also focus on measurement techniques
related to the brand value, brand awareness, market share, consumer attitude and purchasing
intent.
TASK 1
Importance of branding as marketing tool
Branding involve strategies to improve the product presence in the target market.
Strategies involve in branding focuses over enhancing presence of company's products in the
target market and between the target customer base. Branding plays a huge role while drafting
marketing strategies in Apple company. Factors that create importance of branding as a
marketing tool is as follows.
Increase credibility: Branding play an important role in improving credibility in respect to
company's products and services for the target customer's in the market (Piehler, Schade and
Burmann, 2017). Branding in marketing strategies enable the company management to express
the brand vision, values and objectives in all its marketing strategies that effectively improve the
customer trust towards the brand. Trust of consumer's play a crucial role in building customer
loyalty and using branding as a marketing tool drives the company management to have a loyal

customer base that can relate to company's vision and objectives. For example Apple company
efficiently project company's vision and mission in its marketing campaign that resulted into
loyal customer base for company's products. Using branding as a marketing tool supported
company management of Apple company to create a world wide customer base.
Create trust: Branding enable the company management to express the values behind
company's operations clearly to its customer's with the support of marketing strategies. High
values of company always generate trust in all its target customer's towards company's products
and services. Branding also enable the company management to express clearly all the products
detail in marketing strategies that also drives to customer loyalty even in new customer base. For
example Apple company is among the leading brand in corporate sector specifically in
Information Technology sector and branding played a huge role in such a success of company.
As the company management could effectively build consumer loyalty and trust with the support
of branding in all its marketing campaigns.
Improve recognition: Channelising branding as a marketing tool also improve product
recognition in the target market. Branding expands the marketing campaign by enabling
company's vision, mission and objectives in all its marketing strategies that put a huge effect in
product recognition in the target market (John and Torelli, 2017). Increased customer loyalty
also play a huge role for improving product recognition in the target market. For example
products of Apple company are considered as highly recognized in the target market and
involving branding in marketing strategies and campaign played huge role in such an attraction
towards company's products in the target market.
Key components involve in sucesful brand strategy
Brand strategy is specifies as creating a particular image of brand in target market with
the support of marketing strategies. Various key components play a huge role in creating a
successful brand strategy.
Public relation: Public relationship management is an important component work behind the
successful brand strategy. Corporate organisations involve in various campaigns to interact with
target customer's. Public relationship with brand influence the entire branding campaign. Brand
strategy is all about enhancing brand presence in target market and brand relationship with its
target customer base immense influence the procurement decision of customer's. For example
management of Apple company operates campaign like social campaign for environment

protection to build the customer relationship with brand. Company management channelise its
branding with the support of such campaign for building customer relationship in order to take
competitive advantage in the target market.
Digital Marketing: Digital marketing is an important aspect of successful marketing strategies.
In recent past years digital mediums has witnessed the huge demand in all technology enthusiasts
and technology user's that also provided huge scope to corporate organisations for channelising
digital mediums for all its marketing campaigns (So and et.al., 2017). Digital marketing enable
the company management to reach all its target customer's across the globe in a very lesser
investment. All such components attached with digital marketing efficiently drives the marketing
campaign of company. For example Apple company channelise all its marketing strategies over
digital mediums so that company can address the more customer base across the globe. Digital
marketing has also improved the company's sales in the target market.
Search Engine Optimization(SEO): Search engine optimization is also an important tool use
by corporate organisations to have a successful marketing campaign. Search engine optimization
enable the internet user's to go through all product and company detail over internet. SEO
effectively improve the reach of marketing strategies in the target customer's of company. For
example Apple company is among the top searched brand over internet and company's strategy
in respect to channelising SEO has played a major role in receiving such a highlight in the
market.
Social Media: Social media is also an effective component behind the successful brand strategy.
Social media provides a huge customer base. Company can interact with all its target customer's
over social media networks that effectively improve the reach of marketing campaign in respect
to target customer's. For example Apple company management channelise all its marketing
strategies over social media applications like Facebook, Instagram to address all its target
customer base about products features and branding.
Brand management theories and models
Brand management involve strategy framing in order to improve the brand presence in
target market.
Keller's Brand Equity Model
Keller's Brand Equity Model is a very dynamic model that effectively enable the
companies to have an efficient brand management. This model covers all the crucial aspects

involved in brand management like brand identity, brand meaning, brand response and brand
resonance. Involvement of all the above factors while framing branding strategies enable the
company management to have an efficient management of brand.
Brand Identity: First step of this model emphasis over brand identity. Brand identity involve all
such factors that define the brand existence in the target market (Lin and Siu, 2020). Brand
identity focuses over creating company's own image in the market. Based on the market research
about target market and target customer base suitable strategies frame to create company's own
brand image in the target market. Many times brand identity represent the entire sector because
of company's strong brand image. For example Apple company effectively work over
establishing company's own brand identity in the IT market. Company run campaigns as a part of
developing brand identity.
Brand Meaning: Brand meaning comprises with all such factors that show the existence of
brand in the market. Brand meaning involve conveying to customer's about the brand. Brand
meaning involve two factors performance and imagery. Performance indicates about how well
the company's products are received in the target market. Imagery indicates about the company's
image in the market. Customer satisfaction is also an defining tool work behind imagery. For
example management of Apple company tried to portrait company performance and image in all
its marketing campaign to effectively convey about the brand to all its target customer's.
Brand Response: Brand response is specifies as the customer response in respect to company's
products and services. Product quality is a crucial aspect of brand response. Quality of products
has a direct link with customer satisfaction that has a huge influence over brand response in the
market (Pecot and De Barnier, 2017). Credibility is also an important tool behind brand
response. Expertise, trustworthiness and liability are among the major components behind the
credibility. Consideration and superiority is also a crucial aspect of brand response in target
market. For example management of Apple company work towards content development in
product quality and all associated aspects in order to upgrade the brand response in target market.
Brand Resonance: Brand resonance is also a crucial tool use in the model. Brand resonance
involve behavioural loyalty, attitude achievement, sense of community and active engagement.
All such aspects improve the brand image in the target market.
This model is among the major utilised model for brand management as this model
covers all aspect of an effective brand management.

Aaker Brand Equity Model
This model is also an important model use by corporate organisation for an effective
brand management. This is a very precise model of brand management that emphasis over brand
loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand association and other priority.
Brand loyalty: Brand loyalty is an indicator tool of customer's loyalty towards company's
products and services. Customer satisfaction is a major aspect work behind brand loyalty. If the
customers are loyal towards the brand it will build a sustainable relationship between brand and
its target customer's.
Brand Awareness: Brand awareness is denoted by the amount of knowledge target customer's
keep towards the company and its products (Kladou and et.al.,2017). Brand awareness is more
like an informative tool that specifies that factors that enable the company to create its own
image in the market.
Perceived Quality: Perceived quality involve sustain and upgrade the existing quality in
products and services. The company needs to focus over improving the product quality in order
to maintain the healthy relationship with its target customer's. This aspect also influence over
customer loyalty towards the company's products.
Brand Association: Brand association involve all the factors that enable the company and brand
to create its own image in the target market. In order to build an image in target market company
associates with various factors like sponsorship, social campaigns and other associated
operations t create its own image in the market.
Other Priority: Other priority involve patents, intellectual property, relations with trade
partners. All such aspects enable the company to create its own identity in the target market.
Aakar model is a well dynamic model that covers every aspect of brand management like
creating company's own image, customer relationship, enhancing product quality. All such
aspect of brand management enable the company management to dominate in the target market.
TASK 2
Brand Portfolio Management
Brand Portfolio Management is indicated as an umbrella under which all the associated
brads of a particular corporate organisation project. This is more like a chart of all the company's
brand to analyse the potential target market of the entire organisation. For example Apple is a

company under which company operates different brands like I Phone, I Mac and many other
brands. To project all the associated brands of Apple is identifies as Brand Portfolio
Management of Apple. The biggest advantage corporate organisations entertain by framing
brand portfolio management is that company management can keep its eye over all the brand
business efficiently. This model segregates brand into different categories like Flanker Brand,
Cash cows brand, Low End entry level brand and High end prestige brand.
Flanker Brand: Flanker brand is also indicated as fighter brand. This represent all such new
products launches that comes under the same market segment to which company is catering
currently. Flanker brand improve the market share for the company as company management try
to attract the new customer's in the existing market. Company also use the strategy of low pricing
product launch so that all such customer's who could find the company's products unaffordable
can also become a part of company's target customer regime (Kasemsap, 2018). For example
Apple also launched I Pad in the same market in which company operates its I phone brand in
order to cater the more customers in the same market.
Cash cows Brand: Cash cows brand is also a crucial brand segment covered under brand
portfolio management. This brand segment covers all such brands of company that has reached
to certain maturity level during its product life cycle but also finds able to meet its profitability
targets in order to keep sustain in the market.
Low end entry level Brand: This is also a crucial aspect of the portfolio management. Many
times company launches low prices products as compare to general price range of company in
order to bring low income based consumer into a target customer regime so that company can
effectively cater the market. All such law price brands launched by company are a part of this
group. Once customer's becomes a part of the product line for this brand company can sustain the
customer's for the longer period with effective branding strategy. For example Apple has also
launched I Pad brand in a very affordable price range in order to expand the customer base by
entering into lower income based customer segment.
High end Prestige Brand: This is an important brand category for all corporate organisations
covered under portfolio management. All such prestiges products and brands of company are a
part of this segment under portfolio management (Huang, 2017). For big corporate organisations
brands covers under High and prestige brand group are among the major profitability sources
that boost the company's growth potential. For example Apple has launched various brands like I

Phone, I Mac under this brand category. Apple has also witnessed plenty of market recognition
with the support of these brands in the market.
Logman Model
Logman model is also an effective tool use for brand management. This model focuses
over various factors like financial perspectives, customer perspectives, process perspectives and
learning perspectives as a part of brand management.
Financial Perspectives: This is the first aspect of the model. Financial perspective enable the
company management to keep the financial aspects in mind while launching the new products in
the market. Based on the customer value this model indicates corporate organisation should set
the prices of products accordingly. Financial perspective play the huge role in products
performance in the target market. For example Apple I phone brand make all its strategies after
analysing the financial perspective of all its target customer's.
Customer Perspective: Analysis of customer perspective is also a crucial aspect used under this
model. This model indicates that brand management must involve various aspects associated
with the customer perspective like customer segment, brand value in market and expectation of
target customers (Cheung, Pires and Rosenberger III, 2018). Analysis of all such factors while
framing strategies will improve the company's presence in the target market. For example
customer perspective play the huge role in strategy formation of Apple I phone brand.
Process Perspective: This is an important tool used under this model. This factor emphasis over
specific drivers of brand that drives the company's presence in the market. All such external
drivers like political, social, economical are a part of this perspective. All such factors covered in
this perspective must be analysed while drafting suitable business development strategies.
Learning Perspectives: Learning perspectives enable constant development in products so that
company can cater effectively to its target customer's.
All such aspects covered under this model effectively improve the company's presence in
the target market.
Brand Hierarchy

TASK 3
Techniques of brand extension and brand leverage
Brand Extension
Brand extension is specifies as extending the target market for company's products and
services. Company use various strategies to enable brand extension effectively.
Line Extension: Product line extension is a crucial strategy company use under brand extension.
To enable the line extension company launch products in different ways. Company adds new
features or develop products by adding new features that create a separate product line for the
companies (Nguyen, Melewar and Hemsley-Brown, 2019). Line extension is a good technique to
adress new customer's in the market. For example Apple I phone brand has launched products
line like I Phone in order to extent the product line. By involving changes in older virsions
company launched new I Phone in order to entertain line extension.
Product Extension: Product extension is also an effective strategy use for brand extension. To
enable the product extension company launch new products to extend the product range.
Generally this strategy entertains by corporate organisations in order to cater thet new customer
base. For example in order to entertain product extension Apple I phone brand launched new
products like I Pad to cater the new customer base who are music enthusiasts.
Extension of customer franchise: Extension of customer franchise is a dynamic strategy used
under brand extension. To enable the effective customer franchise extension company extend its
products line based on its target customer's. This is an effective strategy to improve the market
share by catering new customer base. Effective use of this strategy also improve the market share
of company as company can also efficiently address the new customer's. For example Apple I
Phone brand also launch new products like I Pad in order to extend the customer franchise.
Extension of brand distinction: Extension of brand distinction is a creative approach to
entertain brand extension. Company include various changes in its brand identity and products
that effectively enable the company management to create a different and unique image of
company. This strategy also improve the customer loyalty towards the brand. Strategies used to
address this also polish the company's presence in target market.
All such above mentioned strategies enable the corporate organisation to efficiently
address the brand extension to improve the market share and target customer base.

Brand Leverage
Brand leverage is indicate as the strategical tool that use by corporate organisations to use
its current brand name for entering into a new market. Brand leverage improves the market
presence of new products launched by companies. Corporate organisation channelise its existing
brand image in all its leverage strategies so that campany can take competitive advantage in the
market.
Premium product strategy: Premium product strategy is among the major used tool for brand
leveraging. Company channelise its existing brand image to achieve higher sales for the new
products. Premium product strategy is generally used when company launch luxury products for
upper class people (Majerova and et.al., 2020). This is a well suitable leverage strategy for well-
established brands like Apple. Company management also work over an effective and attractive
product projection so that prime customer's can get attracted towards the product. For example
Apple I Phone brand also channelize this strategy to get success in the market for all its new
product launches. Company also keep the prices high in this strategy to justify the target
customer category for the new product launch.
Anti branding strategy: Anti branding strategy is also an effective strategical tool used to cater
an specific target customer base. This strategical tool focuses over catering such target
customer's who look unsatisfied from the branded product category. Company management
focuses over creating a customer niche in this strategy. Company project all the features of new
products precisely in this strategy so that such target customer's can get convinvced with
marketing strategy of the company. For example Apple I Phone brand also use this strategy to
target such customer's who are not a potential buyer's of company products. Company also keeps
the selling prices lower than usual in order to effective cater such customer's.
Cult Brand strategy: Cult branding strategy is also a crucial strategical tool used under brand
leveraging. This strategy focuses over creating a different image in the market with the use of
any feature. To be different from the market competition is an efficient tool the effectively
improve the company's presence in the market. Competition is a huge barrier for all the corporate
entity's and in such a competitive environment this strategy is an effective tool to keep the
company's business sustainable in the market. This strategy also improve the growth potential to
the corporate organization. For example Apple I phone brand has created a different brand image

that provided major growth opportunities to the company. Company created its own logo that
also provided a different image to Apple in the market.
TASK 4
Measurement Techniques
There are various techniques available to the Apple to measure their brand value,
consumer attitudes, market share, purchase intent and brand awareness (Simpson and et.al.,
2017). There are also mentioned evaluation of brand audit and equity and brand tracking
techniques.
Brand Value: There is measurement of brand value too necessary to the company for
identifying their brand reputation in the market. There are many ways and techniques available
to the company which helpful in measuring own brand value. For example; the company can
choose Survey Technique, where it needs to ask people about their favourite brand. Then people
will share their view about favourite brand. This is very productive technique to measure brand
value.
Brand Awareness: The company responsible to measure its brand awareness also in the market.
It needs to know, people aware about brand or not in the market. So, to measure brand awareness
it can choose Q&A technique, where it needs to ask questions to random people about own
brand (Mazurek, 2019). In this case, if people know about brand then they will reply yes. In
other side, if people not know about brand then they will say no. So, with the support of this
technique, the Apple can measure its brand awareness.
Market Share: To measure its market share, the company can use Investigation Technique.
The company need to investigate on various share capital websites, apps, newspapers for
measuring its market share. The company can investigate own share capital data also for
measurement.
Consumer Attitudes: Measurement of consumer attitudes is also necessary to the Apple,
because company always need to maintain good attitudes of consumer towards brand. So, the
company can choose Interaction Technique, where it needs to interact with consumer to know
what they think about brand, and what they expect from brand.
Purchasing Intent: To measure purchasing intent, the company can choose social media's Poll
Technique. The company enable to measure purchasing intent by running question polls on the

social media platforms. This is very productive technique which most companies currently using
for measuring purchasing intent.
EVALUATION
Brand Equity and Audit: Brand equity and audit are mainly techniques to know the current
position of brand in the competitive market. By analysis equity and audit, the company can select
various ways which will improve current brand position. Proper measurement and management
of brand is too necessary to the Apple to always run on the progressive path (SARAF, 2018).
Currently good brand reputation is enough to company for gaining large customer base in the
market.
Brand Tracking Technique: Brand tracking technique is an effective way to measure the
brand's health in the market. The company able to improve its brand value by tracking health of
own brand. The company can use this technique to gain huge competitive advantage in the
international market.
So, by using these all measurement techniques, the company can improve its present
performance in the global market. These techniques are very productive in developing good
brand value.
CONCLUSION
This report concludes about how effectively company use branding as its marketing tool.
Branding provides various aspects like increase credibility, customer trust when it uses as a
marketing tool. This report also concludes suitable strategies like Aakar model to enable the
brand management. This report also concludes about the brand portfolio management and its
related aspects like flanker brand. Various techniques like extension of customer franchise has
also concluded in this report in order to entertain brand extension. This report also concludes
about techniques like cultbrand strategy to effectively enable brand leverage.

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Online:
Brand Management, 2020. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.tutorialspoint.com/brand_management/brand_management_equity_models.htm>.
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