Impact of Social Media on Branding

The assignment delves into the significant role of social media in contemporary branding. It examines how brands leverage social media platforms to build their image, engage with consumers, and adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape. The analysis encompasses various aspects such as brand identity formation, consumer reactions to brand content, and the effectiveness of social media campaigns. Furthermore, the assignment considers the strategic value of integrating social media with traditional marketing methods.

Maximizing
a
Brand's Potential

Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................3
2.0 IMPROVE THE BRAND AND MAXIMIZE ITS MARKETPLACE POTENTIAL..............3
Concept of Brand........................................................................................................................3
Improving brand identity.............................................................................................................3
Maximizing marketplace potential..............................................................................................4
3.0 CONCLUSION..........................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Brand is considered as an image that is associated with the product of company with the
help of which they focus to gain competitive advantage within the marketplace. Further, brand
identity is the term which is considered at the time when consumers hear about the brand
regularly. It is essential for businesses to consistently promote their messages among target
audience so that customers are able to remember the brand (Hwang and Han, 2014). In the
current study, Virgin Media (VM) Plc. is undertaken which is a British organization and provides
network services related to mobile, telephone, television and broadband to the businesses and
consumers in the UK.
2.0 IMPROVE THE BRAND AND MAXIMIZE ITS MARKETPLACE
POTENTIAL
Concept of Brand
It is one of the complex dilemmas that is facing the media industry to market their
products or services and thus overcome external competition. However, it is essential for
marketers to develop marketing strategies for launching new product or brand in a way that
attracts potential customers and thus, improves the brand image in the marketplace. Main issue
faced by Virgin Media is that it is facing serious decline in the number of customers from several
years (Aaker, 2012). Therefore, it is essential for business entity to show significant growth in
the viewers of Sky Sports channel by showing proper sports channel in HD and thus develop
awareness among target prospects. In order to build the brand potential, it is essential for Virgin
Media to consider sports TV channels among sports premium prospects in order to increase the
opportunity for acquisition. Company is required to identify the needs of target audience and
thus, maximize brand potential so that awareness among customers can be enhanced. Hence, it is
significant for company to re-build its brand image by showing appropriate sports TV channels
demanded by target audience and thus, it can improve the brand identify in the market (Schaffer,
2013).
Improving brand identity
Virgin Media brand can be improved through substantial consideration of sports TV
channels among sports premium customers and thus, it is essential for company to enhance their
brand image in order to gain the opportunity to acquire the market. Hence, it possesses high

market potential in regard to increase the brand identity and thus, improve the customer base.
Company's marketing team has carried out potential research in relation to focusing upon the
Sky customers as they have shown their willingness to watch the sports program mainly football
matches in HD clarity. Main target audience for VM is Sky Premiums as they are mainly football
fans and thus, desire to watch the matches (Young, 2014). It involves status seekers who fall in
segment 1. Therefore, VM is required to provide them the best services so that they can be
attracted and retained for long term within business. Company is required to create awareness
among customers in regard to purchase the services and thus, develop budget in order to watch
their TV channels. Thus, it maximizes the brand potential and suggest firm to improve socio-
cultural environment so that brand identity can be maximized to achieve desired results (Kontu
and Vecchi, 2014).
Maximizing marketplace potential
Virgin Media aims to maximize its marketplace potential in the coming 12 years and
thus, it is focusing to improve the brand image so that sales can be enhanced in an effective
manner. Also, it is essential for the sports marketing team of VM to identify the potential
prospects in relation to their Sky Premiums consumers and thus, provide the best of services in
order to retain them for long term. However, from long time, firm is facing serious decline in
their market share and thus, it is essential to develop awareness and focus upon Sky customers as
they have shown great potential and willingness to purchase connection from Virgin Media
(Fulgoni and Lipsman, 2014). Main target market of firm is high class people who are keen to
watch football matches and thus, it is essential for firm to provide them better quality of HD
channels so that value can be created to achieve results. Company is required to undertake
operational excellence so that they can focus on increasing market value and thus, it provides
benefits to the firm that results in enhancing brand image in the market and helps in gaining
leading market position. VM plans to believe that it is essential for them to combine all the sports
media channels at one place i.e. Sky Sports 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. F1 and News HQ. Also, as per the
customer’s convenience, company plans to provide all the channels in HD and thus, it will go
through Sky Sports application (McChesney, 2015).
Furthermore, Sky Sports customers are highly encouraged by the depth of sports channels
as company offers HD channels on which customers can enjoy football matches. Thus, it helps
them to gain value for their money and in the football season of August/September, VM provides

full HD clarity to its customers in order to enhance their satisfaction. Similarly, company also
provides convenience by providing TV channels subscription on customer's mobile phone so that
they can access anywhere through internet. Through providing the best Sky Sports channel, it
encourages to enhance customer’s number and thus, improves awareness among customers by
offering them better quality channels (Yadav, 2015).
It is essential for Virgin Media to develop effective brand identity so that it can be
identified by customers and thus formulate high brand awareness among customers. Further, it is
essential for enterprise to have effective logos, colors, design etc., so that branding can be done
which helps customers to distinguish them with other TV channels (Kim, Wang and Malthouse,
2015). However, if company does not possess such designs and concepts then it will have no
value and it will also negatively affect the popularity of firm in the marketplace. Also, in regard
to maximize the firm's potential in the market, it is essential for them to develop effective brand
image so that target prospects can be attracted. Moreover, value proposition refers to the value
that company wants to deliver to its customers. It involves product or service that aids in adding
value to the consumers so that client’s need of Sky Sports channel can be fulfilled (Brasel, 2012).
Moreover, positioning strategy needs to be implemented by firm that helps them to create
value in the minds of customers so that they can identify the brand whenever required. It assists
firm to create distinct identity in the market and thus, maximize its potential which helps them to
attract people across the globe. Therefore, it is essential for Virgin Media to promote its Sky
Sports channel among target prospects so that sales and profitability of firm can be enhanced. It
also helps business to improve the client base by providing them HD channels and thus, develop
brand identity to achieve desired targets (Woo and et. al., 2014).
Also, business is required to evaluate the needs of customers so that brand identity can be
created to achieve desired targets. VM is required to build marketing strategies so that brand
image of Sports channels can be developed and thus, they can gain attention of target people to
attract them towards business. This in turn enhances the market share and profitability. Hence,
Sky Sports provides the best sports channel for its customers so that they can enjoy football
matches with their family or friends (Huertas and Marine-Roig, 2016). Also, Virgin Media
creates awareness among consumers regarding the sports channel so that it can be used within
multiple devices at the home. Company provides services as per the target segment so that

premium customers are provided with the best quality products and services (Yoon and Sims,
2014).
Furthermore, it can be assessed that Sky Sports customers and prospects are highly
encouraged by Virgin Media Company to provide sport offering to them in order to view HD
channels and thus, attain desired results. Also, new joiners who are subscribing sports TV
channel can shift to VM TV as part of value for money and thus enhance the sales of company in
marketplace. Thus, with the help of this, it assists business to provide the best football season
matches so that it creates high TRP of channel through the year (Keller, 2010). Therefore, it is
essential for business to improve its customer base through providing HD sports channels and
thus, it can satisfy the needs of individuals. It helps them to enhance the number of clients and
segment the clients on the basis of premium class. By segmentation, it provides them specific
products which satisfy their needs.
3.0 CONCLUSION
It can be examined from the study that implementing positioning strategy helps Virgin
Media to maximize brand identity in the market and thus, attain success. Also, it is essential for
firm to overcome the barriers and identify the needs of target audience so that VM can gain
competitive edge over rivals. VM consideration for sports TV channels within sports premium
customers and thus, increases the opportunity to acquire customer attention. Satisfying the target
audience needs i.e. football fans and providing them with HD channels to meet their
requirements help Virgin Media to improve its brand image and maximize its marketplace
potential.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aaker, D. A., 2012. Building strong brands. Simon and Schuster.
Brasel, S. A., 2012. How focused identities can help brands navigate a changing media
landscape. Business Horizons. 55(3). pp.283-291.
Fulgoni, G. and Lipsman, A., 2014. Numbers, please: Digital game changers: How social media
will help usher in the era of mobile and multi-platform campaign-effectiveness
measurement. Journal of Advertising Research. 54(1). pp.11-16.
Huertas, A. and Marine-Roig, E., 2016. User reactions to destination brand contents in social
media. Information Technology & Tourism. 15(4). pp.291-315.
Hwang, J. and Han, H., 2014. Examining strategies for maximizing and utilizing brand prestige
in the luxury cruise industry. Tourism Management. 40. pp.244-259.
Kim, S. J., Wang, R. J. H. and Malthouse, E. C., 2015. The Effects of Adopting and Using a
Brand's Mobile Application on Customers' Subsequent Purchase Behavior. Journal of
Interactive Marketing. 31. pp.28-41.
Kontu, H. and Vecchi, A., 2014. Why all that noise–assessing the strategic value of social media
for fashion brands. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing. 5(3). pp.235-250.
McChesney, R. W., 2015. Rich media, poor democracy: Communication politics in dubious
times. New Press, The.
Schaffer, N., 2013. Maximize Your Social: A One-Stop Guide to Building a Social Media
Strategy for Marketing and Business Success. John Wiley & Sons.
Woo, J. and et.al., 2014. The effect of new media on consumer media usage: An empirical study
in South Korea. Technological Forecasting and Social Change. 89. pp.3-11.
Yadav, N., 2015. EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. Global Journal of Multidisciplinary
Studies. 4(2).
Yoon, K. and Sims, J.D., 2014. Integrating Social Media and Traditional CRM:
Toward. Harnessing the Power of Social Media and Web Analytics. pp.103.
Young, A., 2014. Brand media strategy: Integrated communications planning in the digital era.
Palgrave Macmillan.
Online
Keller, L. K., 2010. Brand Equity Management in a Multichannel, Multimedia Retail
Environment. [PDF]. Available through: <http://hajarian.com/brand/1-s2.0-
S109499681000023X-main.pdf>. [Accessed on 17th May 2016].