Brand Management Report: Strategies for M&S Brand Growth

This report delves into the realm of brand management, utilizing Marks and Spencer (M&S) as a central case study. The introduction establishes the importance of branding for an organization, particularly in enhancing recognition, attracting customers, supporting advertising, and increasing business value. The report then explores methods for developing and growing brand equity, including brand loyalty, awareness, perceived quality, brand association, and proprietary assets. Furthermore, it examines brand extension strategies to revitalize and reinforce a brand, such as being consumer-centric, streamlining product lines, rebranding, repositioning, and augmenting products and services. The analysis extends to models of managing brand portfolios, brand equity, and brand hierarchy, offering insights into the House of Brands, Branded House, and Hybrid approaches. It also covers the strategic management of brand equity through identity, meaning, response, and relationship, along with brand hierarchy management. The report concludes with an examination of brand leverage, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the M&S brand, and evaluating potential collaboration and partnership options for local and international growth.

Brand Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
a) The importance of branding for an organisation................................................................1
b) Ways by which Organisations develop and grow brand equity.........................................2
c) Strategies of brand extension to reinforce and revitalized.................................................4
M1 Managing brands successfully overtime..........................................................................5
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
a) Models of managing brand portfolio, brand equity and brand hierarchy...........................5
M3 Brand hierarchies, portfolio management and brand equity............................................6
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
Meaning of Brand Leverage...................................................................................................8
Strengths and Weakness of M&S brand.................................................................................9
Evaluate some options for collaboration and partnership to help grow the M&S brand local
and international...................................................................................................................10
M4 Use of different techniques............................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
Measuring and managing brand value..................................................................................10
M5 Measuring and managing brand value...........................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Brand management is a function of marketing that uses special techniques to increase
value of reputation of firm (Chernev, 2018). Present study is based on “Marks and Spencer”. It
was established in 1884 and its headquarter located in London, U.K. It is a multinational retailer
which specialises in home products, luxury food products and selling cloths. Report will cover
importance of branding as a marketing tool. It also lays emphasis on ways through which
organisation can develop brand equity. Study also highlights how brand can be revitalised and
reinforced. It will explain different strategy of portfolio management, brand hierarchy and brand
equity management. Assignment focuses on options for collaboration and partnership to help
grow the M&S brand local and international.
TASK 1
a) The importance of branding for an organisation.
Improve recognition: Branding is important for the Marks and Spencer because it helps
to increase global recognition of the company. It can help in improving recognition through
providing great consumer service (Gong, 2018). This will support firm in overcoming the decline
phase and establishing their name again in the market.
Branding generates new customer: Strong branding can increased the business and put
the positive impact on customers. This allows business to attract more consumers, people like to
buy products from well-known brand because of trust factor. For example: Marks & Spencer can
advertised its brand by creating a unique tag-line for its product or by making its goods different
from other competitors. For the re-establishment of company they can use effective
advertisement strategy like they can introduce new products to customer's Strong branding
motivates buyer to buy the products of firm. It creates credibility in the market, Mostly customer
likes to buy branded products. If company provide products according to customer’s demands
and needs then, it is helpful to satisfied them. Firm will be able to regain its position which has
been lost due to closing down of stores (Johansen, 2018).
Branding supports advertising: Advertising is effective component of the branding that
can help firm in building brand. Branding creates positive image in the mind of consumers, as
packaging, quality impress the consumers. By this way people gives positive comments to others
about firm’s product.
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Increase business value: Branding increases business value in the marketplace. M&S
uses effective branding techniques to increase its market value and gaining competitive
advantage. By increasing the brand value they will able to re-establish the brand at their places
with reputation.
b) Ways by which Organisations develop and grow brand equity.
Brand equity describe that the commercial value of brand’s products and services.
Aaker's model can use for developing and managing brand.
Brand loyalty: It’s necessary for the Marks & Spencer Company to maintain brand loyalty, this
can be created by reducing marketing cost and attracting new buyers by enhancing quality of
products. Responding timely to all threats may also help business in raising brand loyalty. For
the overcoming the issue of declining sales M&S can use new strategies like: provide free
sample of products and wait for the result. This will help in building consumer's loyalty towards
brand.
Brand awareness: It is important when company launch a new product and services. Marks &
Spencer can use social media, advertisement and other ways to promote their product and to
establish brand image in the market (Kasemsap, 2018). This can help firm in increasing the profit
thus, the loss from closing of stores can be recovered soon.
Perceived quality: The quality of goods and services play over perceived quality for long run.
M&S can differentiate its product from other company’s product by improving packing of goods
or through extension. For raising brand name again it has to offer better quality of clothes,
attractive packing of goods, reasonable price etc. All these things can attract the customer
towards brand that will aid in re-establishment of company again.
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Brand association: It is anything which is deep seated in the customer mind about the
brand. It helps in creating positive consumer attitude. Marks & Spencer can engage by
associating or collaborating with any popular brands so that it can grow business domestically as
well as globally. This will help it in re-building brand name and raising its sales. Association
assists firm in making the consumers positive.
Other proprietary assets: It is important for the brand to launch new product as well as
the existing product (Kumar and Jayasimha, 2018). The Marks & Spencer can register its product
through patent, trademarks and maintain the channel relationship. That would be helpful for
M&S in its increase growth and raising goodwill.
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Illustration 1: Aaker's brand equity model
(Source: Aaker Model – Defining Brand Identity (Philip Kotler Summary, 2018)

c) Strategies of brand extension to reinforce and revitalized.
Brand revitalization is a marketing strategy which is adopted when the product has
reached to its maturity level and profits begin to decline. In this situation companies are required
to make good reinforcement strategy so that it can create demand for goods and services. (Liu,
2018).
Brand extension is a marketing strategy in which new product is launched under the
existing brand name.
Brand reinforcement focuses on maintaining brand equity by keeping the brand alive
among both the existing and new consumer's.
There are some suggestions, through which brand can be revitalized, reinforced and extended.
These are described as below:
Being consumer centric: Company is going to close its store and facing a huge loss, so
to overcome it they need to revitalise the brand, Enterprise needs to apply consumer centric
approach. It has to analyse needs and demands of customer's which can assist them in attracting
more buyers. Mark and Spencer can be increase their product consumption by the frequent use
of product.
Streamline and Simplify: Streamlining the product line can help firm in recovering from
falling sales and diminishing brand recognition. Marks and Spencer can analysis the market and
introduce new product in market. Through that organization is able to establish its name and
position again in market for long run.
Rebranding: Brand can be extended and reinforced by Marks and Spencer by creating
differentiated identity in the mind of consumers. For this it can also improve designing and can
develop innovative products. New product can attract customer towards brand. That will be
helpful for M&S in its re-establishment.
Repositioning: That is another way to re-establish the company in the market by re-
positioning. It’s simply means changing any of their 4 P's marketing mix Product, price place
and promotion. For the establishment of position again in the market, they can change their
product price, can reduce the price and promote the product at same size in the market (Moliner,
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Monferrer and Estrada, 2018). The re-positioning set their image in the mind of customer. It can
also be done through
Augmenting the product and services: Marks and Spencer can give additional benefits alone
with the product and services to attract customer. Sometimes, some additional benefit can help in
gaining attention of buyers and that is helpful in re-establishment of firm in market.
TASK 2
a) Models of managing brand portfolio, brand equity and brand hierarchy
HOUSE OF BRANDS BRANDED HOUSE HYBRID
M&S Apple Coca Cola
In this sub brands are been
promoted rather than the
company.
Branded house means,
company itself is the brand.
It is a combination of both,
house of brand and branded
house. Here company names
matches with one of the
products
In this company is engaged in
marketing their sub brands.
Like for example they promote
indigo, north coast, and
autograph.
Company sales various
products like for example I-
phone, Mac Book but they
never get differentiated from
their parent brand. (Kasemsap,
2018).
Company here focuses on the
quality of beverages sold. Like
for example Diet coke
In house of brand approach each brand is free to its own term, sub-brands are featured
and promoted But in this method, hierarchies within the company is more complex to handle.
Strategy to manage Brand Equity
Brand Equity Model: Brand equity model can be expressed in strategic and
management, financial advantages and benefits for the brand. This model has four levels.
Identity: In this level M&S has responsibility to deliver message among consumer that
company has luxury brand with premium prices. Customers need to know about luxury brand
and premium prices in order to pricing to make sense. Establishing identity can help firm in
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gaining the respect again which they have lost because of closing 21 stores. This loss can be
minimised by the firm through establishing identity. It is basically making people aware about
the brand.
Meaning: This step is used to identify and communicate what brands mean and what it
stands for. According to model performance defines how product meets consumer's needs like
durability, reliability, service, efficiency, effectiveness, style, price, design etc. Building meaning
can help M&S to identify customer's interest and experience and support to make brand
personality again (Kumar and Jayasimha, 2018).
Response: this step is helpful to understand how customer feel and judge firm's brand.
Consumers judge brand quality, credibility using dimension like trustworthiness, likeability, and
judge superiority with comparing others. According to costumers’ response, M&S can improve
its brand and can make come back in market.
Relationship: Relationship is about the concept of resonance. Only some brands are able
to make a social community around it. At this level customers have full faith in store.
Considering this, M&S can be able to rebound its consumers and come back in competitive
market.
Strategy to manage Brand Hierarchy
Brand Hierarchy: Brand Hierarchy is branding strategy by presenting the nature and
number of distinctive and common brand in store.
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Illustration 2: Brand Hierarchy Pyramid
Source: (Brand Hierarchy, 2019)
BRAND HIERARCHY
Lines Specification
Indigo collection It is a feminine casual comfortable like Casual
women's scarfs, hand bags, cloths, and belts.
Classic Collection In aimed 55+ retired women such as seasonal,
summer classic shoes, blouses, flocks and
skirts.
Blue Harbour Britain's largest men's casual brand includes
Golf, Heritage, and Luxury.
To manage brand hierarchy M&S must use strategic factor to manage product
quality and pricing of product. It helps to manage multiple services, products and sub products
brand by using correct brand building (Liu and et.al., 2018).
TASK 3
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Meaning of Brand Leverage
It is the strategy to use power to support or introduce a new but relative product category
with the help of current Brand names by advertising valuable product information with the
consumers The brand name has a powerful impact on consumers because there is vigorous
relationship between these two items. Consumers usually relates the new product with pre-
existing knowledge of brand's quality because customers continue steady brand's perception till
they are not disappointed by the product which can create delicate convenience for established
brands.
Brand leveraging is an important part to introduce a new product which has positive
brand aspect and approach which sense familiar to the existing consumers. The consumers
having most preferable brand will definitely try the new product launched as they receive same
quality level of brand and virtue as their favourite ones.
To reduce the disappointment of brand-loyal consumers is the biggest risk involved in
brand's leveraging, so it is essential for Marks and Spencer to maintain a steady level of quality
of the brand. Besides, it is necessary to leverage brand into new category that is related to the
authentic product. The cost of brand leveraged product to introduce is cost effective compared to
introducing a new sovereign product as it takes very less effort to develop a brand and
advertisement created to achieve product's appreciation.
The larger number in products enhances efficiency of manufacturing facilities and fresh
materials.
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Strengths and Weakness of M&S brand
There are many strengths of this brand which consist brand value of the organisation and
ample amount of products consisting particular channels contributing the growth and range of
the product delivered to the consumers.
Strength
High recognition of the brand: The Mark and Spencer's is the mammoth in the UK's
street popular for delivering the quality known by most of the peoples in the market. As the
customers prefer the Mark and Spencer's most on the high streets to shop as they can find
quantity of products there.
Wide Variety of products: M&S have the huge collection of products in each shop
providing customers to choose accordingly. E.g. M&S started to sell vegetables and fruits over
40 years ago. And to provide the best quality of strawberries to customer M&S spend more than
3 years to test and taste the quality of strawberries to provide to customers before launching
Jubilee strawberry in 2003.
Famous designer brands: In men's collection the M&S has wide range of brands
consisting “Autograph, Big&Tall, Blue Harbour, Collezione and North Coast”. In women's
collection even M&S has variety of brands like “Autograph, classic, Indigo collection, Portfolio”
and many more.
Weakness
Bad Publicity and non-Trendy of the store: Although M&S has variety range of
products and contrasting brands in men and women collection there is general belief of people
that it out- fashioned and not so stylish and are not meant for the young people and is only for
aged people. This is a drawback with such perception which is making the business in huge loss.
Manual working increases the costs: Generally the big firms are concentrating upon
new technology for efficient work output, but M&S is not focusing on new techniques which
increase the different facet like money and time. So instead of increasing manual input in hours
and costs for marketing M&S should adopt new techniques like mechanised and automatic
material handling substitute as it helps in increase of productivity in very less time.
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Evaluate some options for collaboration and partnership to help grow the M&S brand local and
international.
Partnering and collaborating is working with just one partner, people or with an
organisation, agency. Collaboration is based on resources, goal, and outcome and shared goals.
Partnership is important for M&S to grow opportunities to its consumers and to improve
business locally and globally. Using correct strategic brand partnership or collaboration can help
M&S to build its business successfully again. Here is some advantage of collaboration for firm.
By using creative ideas' partnership can create large brand value for firm that it has lost
because of closing 21 stores. Collaboration increases growth and reduces costs. To gain
competitive advantage M&S should merge itself with the most appropriate partners. For
example, collaborate of M&S with Google can help to regain its brand value and image because
Google has great potential to attract audience and to increase brand value in market.
Brand collaboration can positivity attracts old customers and new one as well. While
entering in new market and updating brand image by producing new product, partnership can
help to amplify and advertise firm's business. Collaboration empowered both the firm to achieve
competitive advantage (So, Xiong and King, 2018).
TASK 4
Measuring and managing brand value
Brand Value: Brand value of an organization can be measured by assessing the
consumers taste, preference and knowledge about the products sold by the firm. It can also be
measured by analysing the goodwill of company in the market. Value can also be driven by the
quality of consumer experience.
Brand value can be managed by the company through maintaining the brand image and
creating continuous awareness about their products to the customers. Like for example Coca-
Cola is engaged in managing is brand value through regular promotions and keeping the quality
of its products high. By this they are driving customer satisfaction.
Brand awareness: Firm can measure brand awareness through conducting various
surveys, or personally interacting with the customers about how much knowledge they have
related to the product. Like for example Unilever to measure the awareness of their product like
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LUX conduct the brand survey. By this firm have an idea about the demand of their goods in the
market (Tatoglu, Sahadev and Demirbag, 2018)?
Brand awareness can be managed and created by organization through promoting their
goods and services via various channels. Like to make consumers aware about the product, they
can engage in celebrity endorsement. Unilever to promote their commodity like LUX make use
of advertisement on television, radio and social media channels.
Consumer Attitudes: Company can measure consumer attitude by analyse information
about perceptions, experiences, their feeling and beliefs about brands and intended behaviour
that is based on quality, equity etc. For that firm can conduct surveys on its apps, websites. By
this consumer attitude can be measured.
To manage consumer attitude, it is essential to satisfied them with products and always
try to make innovation. For example, Google always ready to invent new design in its product
like making operating system advanced, mobile web applications, statistical tools, desktop
applications.
Purchasing Intent: Purchasing intent can measure by reviewing firm's website. It shows
that how many people viewing the site. Analysing site traffic can help to measure purchasing
intent of customers. For example, if people are viewing Amazon site so there is possibility that
they by product as well (Theurer and et.al., 2018).
To manage purchasing intent M&S firm have to manage its website by regular updating
it. Whenever customers approach firm site they always find some new brand and products. For
that firm should use new technologies to attract consumers and to give better service. Due to this,
firm can manage purchasing intent.
CONCLUSION
This study has been concluded that brand image is very important to firm. Brand value
defines image of firm and give competitive advantage in market. It has developed and grown
brand equity of M&S firm again. Brand portfolio management gave different approaches to
maintain and manage business plans and strategies that helped firm to enhance its revenue and
brand image. Collaboration and partnership helped firm to grow brand locally and
internationally. It has increased growth and reduced cost and manage image of firm. Various
techniques of measuring and managing brand value, awareness, purchasing intent helped firm to
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understand customers behave, beliefs and brand image that supported firm in order to gain
competitive benefits.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
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Communication, pp.1-15.
Kasemsap, K., 2018. The roles of corporate marketing strategies and brand management in the
global retail industry. In Digital Marketing and Consumer Engagement: Concepts,
Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 294-325). IGI Global.
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leadership. Journal of Brand Management, pp.1-16.
Liu, Y. and et.al., 2018. Brand management in mergers and acquisitions: Emerging market
multinationals venturing into advanced economies. International Marketing Review.
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Theurer, C.P. and et.al., 2018. Employer branding: a brand equity‐based literature review and
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Wider, S., von Wallpach, S. and Mühlbacher, H., 2018. Brand management: Unveiling the
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Online
Aaker Model – Defining Brand Identity (Philip Kotler Summary). 2018. [Online] Available
through.<https://marketinglessons.in/aaker-model-defining-brand-identity/>
Brand hierarchy. 2018. [Online]. Available through <http://fabrikbrands.com/marks-and-
spencer-branding/>
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