Brand Management Report: Microsoft's Brand Strategies Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of brand management, focusing on its importance as a marketing tool and its evolution in business practice, specifically using Microsoft as a case study. It delves into the key components of successful brand strategies, including managing brand equity, portfolio management, brand hierarchy, and collaborative brand management approaches. The report examines various tools and techniques for evaluating and managing brand value, emphasizing the significance of creating a positive brand image and fostering customer loyalty. It explores the tangible and intangible elements of branding, the importance of market research, and the benefits of differentiation. Furthermore, the report highlights the role of branding in enterprise practices, the impact of international and local balancing acts, and the importance of adaptability and flexibility in brand management. It also discusses the application of technology, the role of brand custodians, and the differences between brands and products, providing insights into Microsoft's strategies for networking, product launches, and maintaining a strong brand presence in a competitive market.

Brand Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
SECTION 1......................................................................................................................................1
P1. Importance of branding as a marketing tool and the way it has emerged in business
practice...................................................................................................................................1
P2. Key components of successful brand strategies and managing brand equity..................4
SECTION 2......................................................................................................................................7
P3. Different strategies of portfolio management, brand equity and hierarchy management 7
P4. Brands are managed collaboratively and in partnership..................................................8
P5. Different tools and techniques for evaluation and management of brand value..............9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Brand administration can be known as an action of supervising and monitoring the
promotion of a certain brand of product. In the marketing, brand management is the evaluation
and planning on how the brand is supposed to be in the market. Brand management involves two
aspects on which first is tangible which includes product packaging, price and goods itself, etc.
While, on the other side, intangible elements include experience that a person will have after had
the brand. Brand management is important for maintaining a positive and strong image among
competitors and also, to provide support in order to build healthy relations. It is characterized as
the process of spreading knowingness among buyers in order to maintain effectual dealings can
be framed (Ashworth, 2010). Therefore, assignment is totally rely on Microsoft Corporation that
is a international technology firm and their headquartering is in Redmond, Washington. The firm
is dealing in manufacturing, developing, licensing and selling computer software, personal
computer and many more services. This report will cover various points like importance of
branding through focusing on marketing techniques and their impact on business operations.
There are some components are evaluating for making sound business strategies by the helps of
portfolio, hierarchy of brand and equity management. It will analyse the partnership and
collaboration at global and domestic level. There will be discussion on some tools for measuring
and arranging the value of trade name as well.
SECTION 1
P1. Significance of branding as a marketing techniques and the technique of emerging in
business practice
Making brand image in the minds of person along with also in marketplace is prominent
step for business entity in current competitive era. Each and every venture or start up needs to
build a positive image in the market as well as for buyers so that they are able to grab attention of
market and generate profit and revenue in order to survive in the competitive business market.
For all these elements, company needs to conduct market research so that they can be able to
produce goods and services in accordance with the present market trends, wishes, demands and
also, satisfy buyers. It also provides help to customers to find the products and services with
regard to their demand, needs and wants that fulfill them. It is important for all type of enterprise
to frame a optimistic picture of their product along trade name through offering the best and
1

sound superior merchandise so that buyers will turn allegiant for them and their trade name,
satisfy client can be work as the promotional tools for the firm cause they are able to make
publicity by their mouth for a particular product and whole brand (Kavaratzis, 2010). There are
numerous of benefits of brand direction from which one of them are able to make difference
between goods present in the market place and their fresh products.
Brand: It is determined as the stimulation of functional and emotional enterprises and
these all are various types of goods. Brand mainly focused on what buyer buys at the time of
product selection as what types of firm is made out. It can be a promise to the customer that
define the product and it performance in the best manner in order to match with expectation of
customers.
Brand as a marketing tool: Brand is always rolling as the marketing tool for a company.
There are various firm at marketplace who have the significant for techniques of merchandising
and they are concertinaing on making impressive and sound brand goodwill in the minds of
customised. Firm will hire larger numbers of professional in order to arranging and developing
that value of brand in the demanded market such as Yehel Demeter of Demetrend, they are
specialistic in making effectual and sufficient brands among competitor. They perform for it like
as-
Set up credibility for the trade good: All these occupational group broadly concentrated
on maintaining and establishing the services and merchandise incredibility for firm. They are
trying to frame effectual scheme for development their picture of brand and its worth at
marketplace in sufficient mode.
Key in to client psychology and link them emotionally: Another essential step that
needs to perform by the all professionals such as it needs to be required to make connections
with persons along with firm's product or services and tries to creates emotional attachments in
regards of firm so that the sound relations can be framed and with the help of it gain higher
competitive advantages.
Create loyal customers base: Each and every firm tries to creates their level of buyers
are loyal towards their goods and services through opting sound and top-quality scheme as they
are concentrated on framing impressive goodwill as well as build image at market place by
providing efficient users satisfactions in respect to the needs and demands. Customers are the
essential elements and key component in order to achieve success in business. So, it is important
2

to satisfy them and bring loyalty among customers with trying to improve them in an effective
manner (Bigné, 2012). Branding is focused on the procedure to determine particular goods and
services for the purpose of matching the buyer's wishes expectations and provide them sound and
effective experience.
Emerging in enterprise practices: Trade name management has sound and effective
impact on processing the enterprise and their pattern. Powerful and booming internation brand
can be arranged with the help of suitable balancing act in between international and local level
with a strategic visions. Branding is an essential marketing tools that helps in making effective
value and good will of a particular firm at the internal national level. There are several principles
that help in order to frame and maintain uniformity in the procedure.
Managing brands work time: In current time, some inter affiliated and hard
surroundings that are generally difficult for the every enterprise (Currás, 2012). There are several
factors which are able to make effect on the brand such as higher competition, regulations and
rules, distribution problems, supply chain as well as manufacturing process which are needed in
order to arrange honour of the firm. They needs to carry off and keep these all elements such as
intrinsic and extrinsic across geographics and internation brand direction activities which
required to be spirited etc.
Accommodative and flexible: A company must be succeed their worth of international
brand by consistence equalization brand railing. They all must be easy, negotiable and set to be
accepted any types of situation like exemption to opt of legal general development chances. In in
involves broaden, goods diversification and variant as the trade name ability needs not be erase
the core value of the trade name.
Leverage application: The beginning aid in the alteration exercise in regards of
technology of the brand management. Other and many of firm needs to opts new technologies by
the help of identifying some profit and scalability in arranging the brand equity of the company.
The Microsoft firm is generally concentrate on opting new solutions in respect of different and
several techniques as new innovation and applications in their system software in order to
promote the enterprise in the competitory surroundings.
Use custodians: Here in it, firm is ensure in regards of uniformity in the trade name,
strategy, individuality, activeness and merchandising that needs to be center responsibility and
role of the worker with in a company (Manzano, 2012). those workers are brand custodian
3

because they are roiling their prominent work in order to supply programme and instruct who
can make advise on general brand to the marketing team on the important problem involves
managing name way, confirms the consistence of aligning, opting and suitable interaction in
regards of managing outstanding brand.
Product vs Brand: Some times. It makes complexities in regards of the certain brand
and product as more number of person will get puzzle in betwixt some the factors it will be
comprehended with the help of difference among them such as:
Brand Product
Brand are creating with the help of buyer's
experience, perception and their expectation in
regards of particular goods and services under
umbrellas.
Product are usually produced through the firm
and they will sell it to the concentrating
audience in the exchange for fund.
All brand are different and unique and also
associated legal powers so that on one will be
able to make copy of any brand (Brodie, 2013).
These are different types of values that is based
on buyer’s perception, emotion and
expectation for those brand through last
experience with them.
All goods can be copied by their competitors
through using same product and substitute with
its complementary. It will be replaced by same
goods because buyers believes the two firm
that is providing the same attribute and profits
of the product.
It is true that a brand is timeless. Goods usually become a major thing which
offers in effectual mode.
P2. Central element of booming brand scheme and managing trade name equity
Firm concentrates on making their brand or goodwill with the help of several strategies as
well as techniques and tool that provides helps in arranging its equity of brand among their
competitors. It is basically focused with experience and expectation or perception of the
customers on regards of their product and employment for intention of measurement the worth of
brand in the market place. Numerous and more of firm evaluate in framing or making sound
representation with the help of opting the foremost scheme so that firm can be able to frame
sound and strong relation with customers and take care their needs and demands. It is an
4

effective tools or generating the more profit and revenue through the help of branding. Their core
aim is to provide satisfaction to their buyers and through it they will be able to capture the major
numbers of customers for the company. Microsoft is the one of the best and well known firm in
the field of information technology who are able to dealing in applications of computer software
and they are focused on opting new and innovative thoughts and tools in order to develop their
current services and product. They have reached at intercontinental and also have sound goodwill
at the international level. Soft measurement can be very beneficial in order to determinant the
honour of the definite institution at the market. It needs to be sounded by the firm through
focusing consciousness, brand trueness, value and image of the brand in among buyers with the
help of their representation as well as attribute of the services and product so on.
There are some scheme of branding which facilitates supports in order to boosting the
value of brand among rival hence that they can grab sound competitory benefits such as:
Networking Merchandising: One of the most essential scheme of the Microsoft as each
of window product are same and completable with the another product of window. There are
larger numbers of person who are using Microsoft office in order to creates or manage their
work and document hence it has constituted and made for the conception of web merchandising
in effective manner (Buil and Chernatony, 2013).
Regular products launches: Microsoft arillate larger marketplace at the world wide as
they will be existing generally every where as this is the music market with its Zune, computing
machine marginal. This firm is also known as industry follower in the operation system of rules
with having their personal tablets, play with the help of XBOX 360, and cloud computing hence
they are providing harder contention to their actual player.
Follower scheme: Microsoft is using their follower plan of action form the ancient time
nor much as it not usually come up with brand-new things or innovations. Thus, they will not
choose much innovations and new thoughts at daily manner and follow their own ago idea and
thought.
Acquisition and accommodate: it can be highlights that Microsoft firm consider in
order to maintain entire security system in their products as XP has the essential safety holes,
Windows Vista having various tools so that consumer will have little issues in regards of the
viruses or any problems in affiliated to the safety.
Component for construction brand equity:
5

Communications factors: It is a prominent elements which provide aid in boosting the
development or gaining competitory benefit by making sound representation of brand. Firm will
use this factors in order to arranging and maintain their values in between their competitors.
There needs to be sound, effective and sufficient communication processes requires that helps in
spreading the awareness in regards of any certain services and goods (Christiaans, 2012). the
firm Microsoft that is known as an leading firm in information technology in across the world as
they are design and manufacturing the hardware and software of computer and hence they are
following sound and effective process of communications as they are spreading awareness in the
market with the help of innovative commercial ads, advertisements, meetings and conferences
etc. so that buyers will be aware in regards of their goods, product and services. It is basically
use for the analysis or evaluate the demands and needs of customers in order to match with their
wished hopefulness.
Create maximum awareness: the company is also accept in making maximum knowing
among the rival and buyers in the market. This scheme is exercise by more and many of entity
in order to encourage an organization because in it, they are having aid by different techniques
and tools in order to spreading the awareness of brand and capture the larger numbers of
audience towards the firm's product and services
. this is very sound and effective in order to survive in competitory surroundings because there
are various competitors such as IBM and Apple both are bigger competitor of the Microsoft
which are dealing in the hardware and software of the computer and they are also opting their
best strategy in order to capture the market place so that the company needs to concentrate on
making demands through providing satisfaction to the customers and creates them loyal
(Dempsey, 2012). They are using different types of promotional techniques like as internet,
advertisement, trade fair and exhibitions in order to launching their innovative and new products
or services in the market.
Strategy: each and every firm needs to make their own strategy in order to boost the
demands and wishes because there are very sound competitors in the market place who are
opting techniques and methods for their branding cause as it provides helps for having
competitive advantages. Firm has to determine the objective, goals, along with the vision so that
they can creates effective and sound strategies in order to have these all aims or get their desired
result in pre determine time periods. The company Microsoft is also undertakes this element and
6

build their strategy and planning in suitable manner in order to frame their image of brand at
market place.
SECTION 2
P3. Various scheme of portfolio administration, brand equity and hierarchy direction
The brand governance is the procedure for generating knowingness and match with the
desire of the expectation of buyers and wants or demands with the help of effective product and
services. Many of firm follows their types of process in order to having success hence it can be
stated that it is an effective management of brand. Their core aim or objective is to attract larger
number of customer for their company so that they can be able to boost more profit and revenue.
The company also opts various strategies in order to maintain their brand place at market and
among challenger so the several of buyers will be captured. They are having sound and effective
image in the market hence it is needed to arrange and maintain the perspective and the worth of
brand among rival (Gruver, 2012). The firm Microsoft is dealing in the designing, manufacturing
and selling the hardware and software of the computer at the international level. Therefore, they
needs to form effectual and prompt scheme in order to living in the higher competitive
surroundings and grab its goal or objective in pre determine time in sufficient manner. Some of
the branding scheme are detailed as like-
Listing management: it is effectual or well notable scheme which are basically used by
the larger company or firm who are actioning their business at higher level. In it, this involves
those types of firm who are bigger in the size or quality and having various brands, products,
widen and services and any other company. In this types of scheme, the firm are using their own
trade mark that needs to be authorised through the legal bodies and they are having some legal
rights that are providing the help in order to differentiate them form other competitors (Esch,
2014). The portfolio management is very sound in order to coordinate and collaboration that
provide support in order to have best result or out come in effective manner. The firm is focused
to arrange and maintain its value of brand in effective manner with the help of promotion it
through using the top-grade scheme so there are some particular criteria to understand it such as:
 Properly characterized the roles of brands: each and every firm needs to determine
their objective of a certain brand so that they are able to grab all these for others. The
firm is generally tries to confirm about the goods and their duties that needs to be
7

performed in very effective manner. They are required to arrange and manage their brand
in effective manner in order to garb competitory benefit and have attainment.
 Understand Sub-brands: it is some other direction of brand as firm needs to create
space and distance from their sub brands in order to can be able to make their own image
in the market place. It is the duty of the firm in order to find the role of sub brands in the
regards of competing with their rivalry service and product at the market place. It is
essential and effective techniques or tools that provides supports in order to analyse its
weaknesses, strengths, possibility and danger for having development. Link with enterprise strategies: it is a prominent factor that each and all enterprise
needs to connect with its objective and goals for opting the best strategies so that they can
be able to have all these in the future. Firm is always concentrating on their objective and
result in effective manner. The firm use some advance technology for developing new
product and services in very effective manner.
Brand equity scheme: in this strategy, their are several elements influences on the
certain brand and product as well. There are a theory of Keller's that provides help in order to
understand the same in effectual and sound way (Gratwohl, 2011). the respective model is
basically use for evaluation the mental representation of customers, their experience and
hopefulness that facilitates support in order to frame good picture of brand within competitors. It
also assist in making optimistic think in regards of certain product and services in order to have
sound competitive advantages.
Brand hierarchy: this strategy is essential and helpful because it stimulates the branding
with high lights the all similarities along with differences about the components of brand. Firm
can frame its goodwill and brand image through boosting the development and make much
knowing (Hanna, 2011). It can be understood entire stigmatisation structure and in it involves
several factors like- Clarity: it is needed for promotion of brand by clarification with providing best in
internation level.
 Leverage: well-arranged structure is focused with effectual and sound inner management
as it help for offers investment to the company framing finer decision.
8

P4. Brands are managed collaboratively and in partnership
Brand is an essential thing that needs to be arrange by the firm because it support in
having high growth and profit in the industry. It show the company in front of buyers and frame
sound relation with them. Microsoft Corporations is an American multinational firm that are
located in US. They develop, manufactures and sell the hardware and software of computers to
the firm (Rowley, 2011). There are some competitor in the market like Apple, IBM and so on.
Brand management is essential for every firm for their survival. Some of strategies are
Brand extensions: it is determine as the expanding the brand with the help of using their
name and introduce a fresh goods and products in a certain class. Microsoft is suing this scheme
in order to promote their brand as they have introduce XBOX video game. It is the initial
product of the company in the industry of video game. Hence the game is introduced in 2001 and
have high revenue through sell this goods in several nations. This is called extensions strategy of
the Microsoft that helps in framing name of brand in effective manner.
Leverage: here in, firm took decision in regards of their expansions as they launched
their product and after it they have decision for how this goods will be speared in to various
market and so on this called as leverage.
P5. Various tools and techniques for evaluation and management of brand value
Brand value is important component for framing the organisation in the market. Brand is
very effective because it provide help in order to capture the mind of customers for the firm and
build them loyal so that they can make long term relation in effective way. There are various
tools and techniques that supports in keeping and arranging the brand value between the
competitor such as-
Clarification of brand value: it is an essential feature because it is important to clear the
brand of the certain firm within its competitors at the industry area. This will be divided in to two
factors like hard line and soft line. Value of brand will be created when company is using proper
tools and techniques and can build good image and value in market.
9

Understanding attitudes and behaviour of customers for brand: firm basically
observe the behaviours of buyers as their preference, attitude in regard of firm's product and
services (Kandampully, 2012).
Identification brand value and their components: firms are using different types of
strategies, tools and methods for promotion their values and product in the market. Products and
services can be promote and create value in market when company is using proper strategies.
Evaluation of perceived brand differentiations: firm will determine the customer’s
motive and perception in respect to values of brand. Every brand is different from other and for
this perception of customers can be created when proper techniques can must be used for
promotion.
Brand valuation is a term whose main objective is to analyse the current position of
specific brands in order to make changes as per requirements. Some of the major methods of
brand valuation is described as follows:-
 Cost based approach:- According to this element company needs to analyse the value of
brand by considering its actual price at marketplace. In fact, most simplest tool of
calculating valuation is cost based frameworks as it shows in two different forms one is
full cost pricing and another is direct cost. Basically, in this, expense of designing
subtract the depreciation plus land in order to identify the existing market value.
 Income based approach:- In this frameworks number of other tools are used for
analysing the value of economic benefits. Basically, there are six major tools are falls
under this approach . For example; price premium , volume premium, income split
method, multi-period excess earnings methods, royalty relied, and incremental cash flow
method.
 Market based:- Market instruments are used in this or policy for determining the current
position of a specific brand. Mainly, an organization needs to use various elements that is
price, product, competitors strategies, place, promotion and so on.
10

CONCLUSION
As per the above report is has been ended that the management of brand is starts with
some certain knowledge of concept in regards of brand. It usually focused on defining,
positioning and delivering a specific brand. It can be known as an art of making and sustaining
the brand. Hence for it they are involves some tangible and intangible feature. The report is
based on Microsoft firm that are dealing with IT industry. They are using different method for
boosting their brand at market.
11

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ashworth, G. and Kavaratzis, M. eds., 2010. Towards effective place brand management:
Branding European cities and regions. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Bigné, E., Currás-Pérez, R. and Aldás-Manzano, J., 2012. Dual nature of cause-brand fit:
Influence on corporate social responsibility consumer perception. European Journal of
Marketing. 46(3/4). pp.575-594.
Brodie, R. J. and et. al., 2013. Consumer engagement in a virtual brand community: An
exploratory analysis. Journal of Business Research. 66(1). pp.105-114.
Buil, I., De Chernatony, L. and Martínez, E., 2013. Examining the role of advertising and sales
promotions in brand equity creation. Journal of Business Research. 66(1). pp.115-122.
Christiaans, L., 2012. International employer brand management: A multilevel analysis and
segmentation of students' preferences. Springer Science & Business Media.
Dempsey, J. M. and Gruver, E., 2012. “The Public Interest Must Dominate”: Herbert Hoover and
the Public Interest, Convenience, and Necessity. Journal of Radio & Audio Media. 19(1).
pp.96-109.
Esch, F. R., and et. al., 2014. Corporate Brand Management: Marken als Anker strategischer
Führung von Unternehmen. Springer-Verlag.
Gratwohl, A. and et. al., 2011. Introduction of a quality management system and outcome after
hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Journal of clinical oncology. 29(15). pp.1980-
1986.
Hanna, S. and Rowley, J., 2011. Towards a strategic place brand-management model. Journal of
Marketing Management. 27(5-6). pp.458-476.
Hollebeek, L., 2011. Exploring customer brand engagement: definition and themes. Journal of
strategic Marketing. 19(7). pp.555-573.
Hwang, J. and Kandampully, J., 2012. The role of emotional aspects in younger consumer-brand
relationships. Journal of Product & Brand Management. 21(2). pp.98-108.
Jiang, T. and Iles, P., 2011. Employer-brand equity, organizational attractiveness and talent
management in the Zhejiang private sector, China. Journal of Technology Management
in China. 6(1). pp.97-110.
Kavaratzis, M., Warnaby, G. and Ashworth, G. eds., 2014. Rethinking place branding:
Comprehensive brand development for cities and regions. Springer.
12

Li, G., and Kambele, Z., 2012. Luxury fashion brand consumers in China: Perceived value,
fashion lifestyle, and willingness to pay. Journal of Business Research. 65(10). pp.1516-
1522.
Lucarelli, A. and Olof Berg, P., 2011. City branding: a state-of-the-art review of the research
domain. Journal of place management and development. 4(1). pp.9-27.
Merrilees, B., Rundle-Thiele, S. and Lye, A., 2011. Marketing capabilities: Antecedents and
implications for B2B SME performance. Industrial Marketing Management. 40(3).
pp.368-375.
Morgan, N., Pritchard, A. and Pride, R., 2011. Destination brands: Managing place reputation.
Routledge.
Nam, T. and Pardo, T. A., 2011, September. Smart city as urban innovation: Focusing on
management, policy, and context. In Proceedings of the 5th international conference on
theory and practice of electronic governance (pp. 185-194). ACM.
Park, C. W., and et. al., 2013. The role of brand logos in firm performance. Journal of Business
Research. 66(2). pp.180-187.
Punjaisri, K. and Wilson, A., 2011. Internal branding process: key mechanisms, outcomes and
moderating factors. European Journal of Marketing. 45(9/10). pp.1521-1537.
Santos-Vijande, M. L., and et. al., 2013. The brand management system and service firm
competitiveness. Journal of Business Research. 66(2), pp.148-157.
Som, A. and Blanckaert, C., 2015. The Road To Luxury: The Evolution, Markets and Strategies
of Luxury Brand Management. John Wiley & Sons.
Torres, A., and et. al., 2012. Generating global brand equity through corporate social
responsibility to key stakeholders. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 29(1).
pp.13-24.
Vivek, S. D., Beatty, S. E. and Morgan, R. M., 2012. Customer engagement: Exploring customer
relationships beyond purchase. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice. 20(2).
pp.122-146.
13