Strategic Brand Management for Growth

This assignment delves into the realm of strategic brand management, exploring how companies can effectively manage their products and services. It emphasizes the importance of utilizing various marketing strategies and techniques to achieve sustainable growth. The analysis encourages a positive outlook, guiding decision-making towards effective strategies and reconsideration of market positioning. Key concepts include branding, marketing communication, place branding, and employee brand equity.

Strategic Business plan

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Overview of the company:..........................................................................................................3
Critical analysis of the situations:...............................................................................................4
Competitors analysis: .................................................................................................................5
Exploratory research...................................................................................................................5
Evaluation of current brand plan.................................................................................................6
Brand value chain........................................................................................................................7
Reconsideration of strategies brand direction.............................................................................8
Recommend strategies brand planning.......................................................................................8
Marketing mix (Positioning).......................................................................................................9
Budgetary consideration:..........................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Brand is one an essential aspects of an organisation. They use it as to distinguishes an
their product and services from its rivals in respect of the customers. It is identify with a name,
term, design, symbol and other features. Brands are mainly used in business, marketing and
promoting its products into various marketplaces. Brand strategies is an effective plan that
encompasses with particular long term aims and objectives. It will help in attaining successful
brand as the combination of various elements of a company's image that are determine in a
project. This report consists of different aspects of a brand that would represent a well organise
brand name, vision and mission and their respective goals. The present time position are analyse
by conducting brand audit and compare with its close competitors. On the basis of proper
evaluation an effective suggestion is being discuss in order to provide direction to strategic brand
planning (Kapferer, 2012).
Overview of the company:
“Crosstown Doughnust” is an autonomous London based brand which is establish as a
market stall in 2014. It is founded by Adam Wills. They are proud itself on utilising the superior
quality ingredients that is responsible for making everything in house whether a compote, filling
or topping etc. after one year in 2015, cross-town has opened its initial permanent location in the
heart of Soho and pairing doughnuts serving with special coffee. After that, crosstown has
launched in four other sites as coffee bars in Shoreditch with more on the way. The business is
also operating over online store, providing regular coffee to offices across the London.
Crosstown Doughunts can be identified at various marketplace through in London consisting
Spitalfields E1, Kings cross as well as in Leather lane (Rosenbaum-Elliott, Percy and Pervan,
2015).
Vision:
The primary vision of the company is to become one of the widest bakery shop in
London marketplace.
Mission:
They are target to expand their market in every parts of nation by using their best
doughnuts cakes. For this, they are continuously planning in order to reach to their set targets in
next coming year.
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Value:
They are one of the fastest growing bakery company which is creating its brand value by
offering wide variety of products to its customers. With the implementation of new taste in cake
and coffees they are attracting plenty of UK customers to make their day in more pleasant
manner.
Brand Identity: It is known as the combination of various things that are associated with
a products. Such kind of things are said to more specific component of Crosstown Doughnuts.
There cake design presentation is more attractive coated with wide variety of chocolates and
nuts. This packages and logotypes are another attracting point of this company that is related
with brand identity (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2012).
Goals: There primary objectives is to capture wide market segment with flourish of their
brand. In next few years, they are planning to introduce plenty of other food items that make
them one of the well recognise brand in London. By the help of this, a great chance of getting
competitive advantages over other can be effectively attain in more quick time.
Critical analysis of the situations:
Brand Audit: It is known as positive evaluation of a brand's current position by
comparing its market to its competitors in order to reviews effectiveness of the company. It helps
to identify the strength of Cross-town Doughunts brand together with analysing weaknesses. It
will be helpful in creating opportunities for improvement in latest development of their business
plan. Most of the businesses go through this particular activity of auditing their brand when they
have vital curiosity in processing a changes within their organisation. It is a detail analysis that
would indicate its present performing as compare to its stated goals. This will be helpful in
determining performance so that position in the market can be establish in more effectively. A
brand audit can be done by examine present brand position in the market in compare to its
competitors as well as reviews of its positiveness. The purpose of a brand is ascertain regard the
business is performing in the minds of customers. It is will deliver plenty of other benefits such
as:
 It will help to determine the current positing of Cross-town Doughnuts and make plan by
using corrective strategies to get maximum benefits.
 By the use of accurate audit, it can empowers company to formulate its positive and
negative aspects that are related with business transactions.
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 It improves inside employees and staff awareness.
 Communication of a specific brand value not just online but offline can easily be done.
 It will guide company's managers to refocuses by analysing the current position of Cross-
town brand in various markets (Wheeler, 2017).
Core brand values can be analyse by using a complete set of abstract or phrases that
characterise the various crucial dimensions of the create a positive base to the brand. It is
associated with points of parity and point of difference. It is essential for the company to
determine internal branding process of an organisation in which members of an organization are
decently allied with a particular brand and what it represent to them.
Brand audit is a comprehensive communication to assess the health of a specific brand
that is uncover its sources of equity and recommend various ways to correct that equity aspects
of the company.
Competitors analysis:
The competitors of Cross-town Doughnuts are Krispy Kreme and Pippin Doughnuts.
They all are operating in same line of businesses that are freshly made handcrafted doughnuts at
specific locations as a independent stores and wide range across the south of England. The
Pippin company wants to create smile on every faces through its products and services. Whereas,
Krispy Kreme is another company which is dealing in same business that is associated with little,
delicious and pretty good things for company to make them more profitable in future. There
primary motive is to enhance lives through the joy that is been offered by company to its
customers. The best part of this company is about its cooking doughnuts drifting into various
streets (Navarro-Bailón, 2012).
Exploratory research
It is an kind of measure which is used to determine a problem which has been examine
more clearly in order to make improvement under the final research design. These are effectively
attempts to link various ideas of brand planning to identify cause and effects in their business. It
is an essential aspects of any marketing or business plan. The main focus is on discovery about
ideas and insights that are opposed while collecting statistical data. It is consider as one of the
effective research plan which is done by the company in initial phase of a research.
It is conducted regarding as a survey problem when there is few or no any opening
studies refers to or depend upon relative outcomes. This is primary objective to gain insights and
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more familiar for later investigation regarding any issues which is identified as preliminary phase
of research. Exploratory research are mainly relies on secondary research such as:
 Reviewing present in literature and data collected from a research about its brand position
of doughnuts that are been produce by an various companies.
 Qualitative techniques are more informal discussion with customers, employees and
administration or competitors (Hanna and Rowley, 2013).
Evaluation of current brand plan
It refers to create a value premium that a Cross-town Doughnuts is generating from their
product with a recognizable name at the time of comparing it with a generic cognition. Most of
the company develop brand equity from its particular products by making them more memorable
by offering superior quality and services to it regular customers. It is well known marketing term
that is used to describe a firms brand value. It can be done by identify customers perception and
their experiences with a specific brand. It is an assets that has been generate more positive results
for the company. There are various issues related with various brand equity some of them are
mention underneath:
 Treating brands as assets: The ongoing performance of an organisation can leads to
determine its short term financial outcomes that is coupled with the fragmentation of
social media that focus on tactics and measurement.
 Possessing a compelling vision: It is associated with the brand vision that requires to
make difference itself in their product segments. Vision must be clearly adaptable to
various context in order to increase higher value and propose fulfilment of crucial
demands (Kavaratzis, Warnaby and Ashworth, 2014).
 Communication issues: It is more effective aspects that are always present in an
organisation. Without having proper communication system one cannot operate in an
effective manner. In order to get more positive results it is important to develop find out
all those issues that are affecting productivity of company's brand equity.
 Technology issues: It is one of the vital problem that is always present in every
company. By the help latest technology plenty of brand related issues can easily be solve
as they are affecting profitability of an organisation. This is play one of the crucial role is
make products more effective over internet so that it must be aware to every customers.
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Brand value chain
It is a systematic approach which is used to assess the sources and results of brand equity.
This a way by which company can manage their marketing activities so that to create positive
brand value.
Illustration 1: Value chain stages
(Source: Keller and Lehmann, 2017)
There are mainly four value stages in total as a key component that are build up as each
stage. In the initial stage, marketing planning investment can affect customer perceptions. It is
associated with communication, trade and employees those are more valuable for Cross-town
Doughnuts. The next stages are concern with market performance and create shareholder interest
by offering healthy profit to them. The four pillars of value stages are cover with multipliers such
as program quality in which brand reliability and consistency can determine. Some market place
situation are also identify by using mode of channel and customers size and profits. Investor
sentiment are analyse by evaluating risk and brand contribution that are can affect the current
position of the companies brand value. If any financial implications those are associated with a
particular brand can be analyse in proper manner so that chances of mistakes can be controlled.
Justification:
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Without having correct follow up of brand value chain in correct manner they are getting
such kind of problems. The issues needs to be resolve as soon as possible so that positive results
can be generated by the company by offering delicious products and services to its customers.
Because of not having proper skilled employees and staffs those are responsible for delivering
better results they are present in that particular position (Legacy, 2012).
Reconsideration of strategies brand direction
According to the mention case about Cross-town that has been juggle two seemingly
contradictory objectives. It is making their brands classifiable and deliver them central in
valuable categories. Brand building is an essential aspects of personal development of an
organisation. It is not so effectively helpful in enhancing the voice and awareness of their brand
in between wide customers segments. The season of democratic and interactive platforms that
has govern many business a chance to increase brand awareness and value at the same time.
There is no any statements that actually capture the essence of brand building positive
impacts on business entity. It is a long term planning which is used for the development of an
effective brand in order to attain particular objectives. A well organise and executed brand
planning can affect every aspects of a business those are directly linked to consumer
requirement, emotions and competitive atmosphere (King, Grace and Funk, 2012).
As per their vision set by the company they wants to reach by utilising available
resources in best and effective manner. The value maximisation would be the primary objectives
of Cross-town Doughnuts. By analysing various factors both as internal and external they can
face deal with any critical situation associated with brand identity.
Reposition statements: It is an essential aspect for the company to make analysis of their
mission and values and objectives so that they can become more superior parties in recent times.
For this purpose, they need to make reposition of their companies statements in right direction so
that productivity can be enhanced.
Recommend strategies brand planning
Brand Architecture is a tools which organise brands, goods and services to assist an
audience enables and relate to a brand. A successful Brand Architecture enables customers to
incorporate view and priorities for whole family of the brands by interacting about only one
brand in that family. An incorporating Brand Architecture is a crucial guide for brand extensions,
sub- brands and emergence of new goods. This would likewise renders a road map in order to
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determine the brand identity growth and design, and inform consumers of value proposition for
the entire brand family. This likewise renders the optimum brand value by entirely leveraging
both corporate and sub-brands
Brand hierarchy is a means of explaining the branding strategy by demonstrating various
number of common and typical components throughout the organisation's goods, explaining the
explicit ordering of the brand component. By covering potential branding connection among the
diverse goods offered by the organisation.
Marketing mix (Positioning)
Marketing mix of product reveals about utilisation of marketing tools by business firms
to enhance sale of products in marketplace. Marketing mix concerned with four levels of
marketing decisions like products, price, promotion, and place. These four levels determines
positions of products in marketplace in order to attain objectives of Cross town Plc. Company
use this mix to enhance the productivity of products.
Cross town Plc. is industry which manufacture various type of cakes for its loyal
customer in order to maximise attraction of customer company apply different modification in its
design, change ion communication, apply advance methods of distribution channel and also
maintain appropriate strategy for pricing of products. Product positioning is form marketing
which shows benefits of products to a particular target audience. By gaining feedback from
customers in order to fulfil desire of customers. It is most essential component of marketing plan
of cross town Plc. Product positioning done by company in order to enhance sale of
cakes ,maximise profitability of company (Percy, 2014).
Change in communication
In order to know taste and desire of customer cross town Plc it is crucial for them to
make chaing in communication system. Should apply new and advance methods of
communication to know taste of customers. Company should implement effective methods of
communication to position their brand image in respect to customers.
Modification in the design of a product
Yes, it has been considered modification in design of cakes which are manufacture by
company. It consists of modification in designing of cakes in order to make more attractive to
fascinate customers.It aids to increase sales of cake in marketplace by customers.
Implementation of design leads to make cake more attractive than existing one, it aids to increase
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profit label of company. New design of cake aids to stand before the competitor present in
marketplace (Stahl and et. al., 2012).
In case of any changes in distribution
Company should develop its distribution channel in order to enhance distribution of sales
of cakes. Implementation of advance technology of distribution channel aids to enhance the
productivity of cakes. Use of upgraded means of transport system in order to fulfil orders given
by different customers. Company should implement new strategies in order to change existing
distribution channels which does not support in accumulating orders of customers.
Changes in case of value/price
Cross-town company would apply new strategies of pricing for maximise the profit level
of company and also stand before competitors. Set new pricing strategies of cakes is significant
to enhance profitability of company. It aids to penetrate price of competitor products. Company
should apply flexible pricing strategies so that price of product can fix according to condition of
market on daily basis. Selling of product at lower price makes little profit but constant selling of
product peruse which maintain the target of company. Giving some discount offers on different
products aids to increase sales of cakes in marketplace.
Budgetary consideration:
These are said to be dynamic concepts that used to guide cross-town company to meet its
financial goals. The biggest reality is relies on income and expenditure that will identity total
money they are going to spend over increasing their brand value. For this purpose they can use
plenty of budget by using various consideration to get more positive results. There are different
option available with the company in order to manage its income shortfall considerations. This
will help to identity which expenditure would be essential for the company at any level
(Vainauskiene and Vaitkiene, 2012).
Static budgets:
It is known as a list of company's total income and expenses that are incur by the
company during the period of time. This budget is more helpful in estimating total income
generated by the company through setting spending limits.
Excess income consideration:
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It would create budget consideration for exchanging with total cash generated during the
time. This will be helpful in building an emergency fund and saving for a vacation to reduce
credit limitation for them (Türkel and et. al., 2016).
This can be helpful in order to expand their operations in domestic marketplaces in
London or UK. Because it will cost very low to them for organise their resources and other
crucial aspects. While, in case they are going for expansion at international level.
CONCLUSION
From the above project report, it has been concluded that strategies brand plan is an
essential part for any business to manage their product and services of the company. In context to
this, various marketing strategies and techniques can be used. Examine positively in order to
make strategies in right direction and reconsideration of market positioning to increase growth
and future sustainability.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals:
Kapferer, J. N., 2012. The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic
thinking. Kogan page publishers.
Rosenbaum-Elliott, R., Percy, L. and Pervan, S., 2015. Strategic brand management. Oxford
University Press, USA.
Aaker, D. A. and Joachimsthaler, E., 2012. Brand leadership. Simon and Schuster.
Wheeler, A., 2017. Designing brand identity: An essential guide for the whole branding team.
John Wiley & Sons.
Navarro-Bailón, M. Á., 2012. Strategic consistent messages in cross-tool campaigns: effects on
brand image and brand attitude. Journal of Marketing Communications. 18(3). pp.189-
202.
Hanna, S. and Rowley, J., 2013. A practitioner-led strategic place brand-management model.
Journal of Marketing Management. 29(15-16). pp.1782-1815.
Kavaratzis, M., Warnaby, G. and Ashworth, G.J. Eds., 2014. Rethinking place branding:
Comprehensive brand development for cities and regions. Springer.
Legacy, C., 2012. Achieving legitimacy through deliberative plan-making processes—lessons for
metropolitan strategic planning. Planning Theory & Practice. 13(1). pp.71-87.
King, C., Grace, D. and Funk, D.C., 2012. Employee brand equity: Scale development and
validation. Journal of Brand Management. 19(4). pp.268-288.
Percy, L., 2014. Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge.
Stahl, F. and et. al., 2012. The impact of brand equity on customer acquisition, retention, and
profit margin. Journal of Marketing. 76(4). pp.44-63.
Vainauskiene, V. and Vaitkiene, R., 2012. Integration of brand vulnerability scenarios planning
into brand management process. Economics and management. 18(3). pp.553-561.
Türkel, S. and et. al., 2016. A strategic approach to CSR communication: Examining the impact
of brand familiarity on consumer responses. Corporate Social Responsibility and
Environmental Management. 23(4). pp.228-242.
Online
Keller and Lehmann, 2017.[Online].Available through:<https://vase.ai/blog/why-you-should-
invest-in-branding/>.
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