Brand Management Report: Brand Equity and Portfolio Analysis

This report delves into the significance of brand management, examining its role as a crucial marketing technique and its impact on business practices. It analyzes the major components of a successful brand strategy, focusing on brand equity and its design. The report explores various brand strategies, portfolio management, brand hierarchy, and brand equity management, providing insights into how brands are collaboratively managed at both domestic and global levels. Furthermore, it evaluates techniques for measuring and managing brand value, using Google and Apple as case studies to illustrate practical applications of the concepts discussed. The report emphasizes the importance of innovation, improved organizational culture, and effective media strategies in building and sustaining a strong brand over time, addressing challenges such as communicating vision and objectives to employees.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
BRAND MANAGEMENT..............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Section 1...........................................................................................................................................3
P1 Explanation about the significance of branding as marketing techniques and its impact
upon the business practices.........................................................................................................3
P2 Analysis of the major components of successful brand strategy for design brand equity....5
Section 2...........................................................................................................................................6
P3 Explanation about various brand strategies, portfolio management, brand hierarchy and
brand equity management...........................................................................................................6
P4 Evaluation about how brands are collaboratively and in partnership both at domestics and
global level................................................................................................................................13
P5 Evaluation about various techniques for measuring and brand value using both brands....14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16
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INTRODUCTION
Brand management consists with tangible and intangible features of brand and it also a
planning on how that brand is perceived in the market. By effective brand, company can attract
large number of customer and gain impressive profitability. The brand management includes
tangible component such as price, packaging, look, features etc. On the other hand intangible
component are that experience of customer which has had with associated brand (Beneke and et.
al., 2013). Every organisation woks for make its brand more impressive, effective and innovative
in the market so as it can able to attract more customers and gain long term sustainability. The
present report is based on the significance of branding and key components of successful brand
strategy. In addition to this, various techniques and strategies for measuring and managing brand
value over time has been also addressed with respect of Google and Apple corporation. The
major objective of this report is to acknowledge the importance of brand management and its
several strategies which help to both brands in improving its position in the market.
Section 1 Understanding about how brand built and managed over time
P1 Explanation about the significance of branding as marketing techniques and its impact upon
the business practices.
What is brand
Brand is a symbol, feature, design, name, logo of product, service and concept that helps
to organisation in distinguishing it from other firms in the market. With help of brand, company
can easily communicate and marketed its product and services in the market and attract
customers toward brand. A unique sign and symbol can create image of company through which
it can differentiate its product and services from other rivals in the market.
Brand is an important tool
Brand is an important marketing technique through which firm can communicate its
product and services in front of customers (Bringle, Hatcher and Jones, 2012). The major
objective of using branding as a marketing technique is to differentiate its product and services
from other competitors in the market. While product have a unique name, symbol, feature,
packaging, appearance and image then it becomes easier for customers to find out product in a
crowded market. A brand helps to customers in reducing their time for search the product in the
market. In addition to this, with help of unique brand, customer can evaluate quality , features,
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uniqueness of products if they are unable to take the decision regarding purchasing the best
commodity. On the other hand in the context of seller, branding helps the organisation in
introduce new product and services in the market and develop its own brand image. In addition
to this it assists in identifying corporation's commodities making repeat purchase easier for
customers (Cozby and Bates, 2015). The major advantage of brand for organisation is enhancing
promotional efforts. Company can easily advertise and promote its product and services in the
market without making many efforts because different image, symbol and logo is a sign to
promote the products.
Brand Equity
Brand equity is an indicator of organisation ability, performance and effectiveness in the
public market. It consists with three major elements that is consumers perception, negative
effects and the resulting value. Brand equity refers to the value of a brand and its generally built
by customer perception which include experience and knowledge with brand and its products.
With effective brand equity, customer can attract automatically toward the brand thus it is very
important for organisation to design impressive equity for its brand (Gioia, Corley and Hamilton,
2013).
Brand differs from the product
The brand and product are two different terms which are usually encountered in the
marketing. The brand and product is different from each other because brand can built on the
basis of perception and experience of customers. Product is created by organisation in order to
fulfil the needs and demand of customers. The brand can not be copied and duplicated by any
organisation because it includes unique feature and characteristics. However, product can be
easily duplicated and it passes through a life cycle but brand is timeless (Kitchin and Tate, 2013).
The major difference between product and brand is that product is an item which is ready for sale
in the market whereas a brand is something which distinguishes a product from other
commodities in the market. Basically a product can created by manufacturer and it performs by
its functions. It may be tangible and intangible in nature. A product can outdated after its durable
time period whereas brand remains forever. A brand offers value and it is only tangible which is
created by customers in the market.
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A good branding is always easy to remember and recognise. Thus while any organisation
set its brand in the market then it should establish uniqueness with product name, symbol,
appearances, characteristics etc. A good brad should be easy to pronounce and easy to attract
attention.
M1 How brand brands are managed successfully over time application of appropriate theories,
model and concepts
CBBC model
In order to establish a unique and strong brand in the market, Keller's brand equity model
can help to organisation in large manner. This model is also known as customer based brand
equity model which have major four steps that is brand identity, brand meaning, brand response
and brand resonance. (Pujol, 2010 ).
In the second stage corporation identify and communicate what is the brand mean and
what is stands for. In this stage, company major focus on two things that are performance ad
imagery. In the context of performance, it measures who well product actually meets customer
demand and imagery defines that how well organisation meet customer requirement at social and
psychological level. In the third stage customer responses to brand on the basis of two categories
that is quality and credibility. In the quality context customer judge a product and brand based on
its actual quality perceived by them. On the other hand credibility mean customer judge based on
three dimension that is expertise, likeability and trustworthiness. At the end stage of brand
resonance four categories can consider that is behaviour loyalty, attitudinal attachment, sense of
community and active engagement.
P2 Analysis of the major components of successful brand strategy for design brand equity
Key elements of brand
It is very important for any organisation to manage its brand and develop over long time
period so as it can sustain in the market for long time period. If company brand have strong
position in the market then customer will automatically attract towards it. Profitability and
market share is also depends upon the suitability of brand in the market for long time. There are
several ways and criteria to manage and develop brand over long time period under which
innovation and creativity is one of the way through which company can sustain its brand for long
time (Somech and Drach-Zahavy 2013). With help of innovation and creativity, company can
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bring innovative features, characteristics and effectiveness along with its product and services. It
is very important for firm to serve something new and creative along with its services through
customer can get effective satisfaction. Another effective way to create the brand over long time
is improved culture of organisation. Well structured and sound culture provides opportunity to
learn something new within company so as they can contribute for attain objective in more
excellent way (Sarri,Bakouros and Petridou 2010). Company should also communicate its
employees about brand loyalty, uniqueness, objective, target, customer value, market value etc
so as they can give the best to its customers in the market. Another strategy to develop and
sustain brand for long time in the market is media through which company can easily promote
and communicate about its product and services in the market. Media includes all platforms for
advertisement like mobile phone, internet, camera, social media etc through which it can deliver
quick message, video, images, pictures about product and services to customers.
In order to establish a unique and strong brand in the market, Keller's brand equity model
can help to organisation in large manner. This model is also known as customer based brand
equity model which have major four steps that is brand identity, brand meaning, brand response
and brand resonance. By help of these mentioned four stage, firm can develop its own brand
equity in the market.
Major challenges developing a brand
While any organisation enters in the market for establish effective brand then there are
several challenges which faced by company. These challenges are as follows-
 In an organisation it is very hard for management to communicate its vision and objective
with its employees. In the absence of employees form can not achieve its determined
objective and promote its brand in the market.
Section 2
P3 Explanation about various brand strategies, portfolio management, brand hierarchy and brand
equity management
The brand portfolio strategy
A brand portfolio refers to an umbrella under which all brands and brand line of a particular firm
functions are included to serve the requirement of different market segments. A brand portfolio
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strategy defines roles, scope, structure of brand and interrelationship of the portfolio brands. It is
very difficult to create effective and impressive brand portfolio strategy for organisation.
In the context of Google company it is one of the American multinational technological
corporation that specialise for internet related services (Somech and Drach-Zahavy, 2013). It is
founded in 1998 and consisted with several services like cloud computing, search, software,
hardware, online advertising technologies etc. There are several brands included in the Portfolio
of Google that is Search, Google Maps, Google Translate, Google Chrome, You tube, Google
play Music, Google play Movies and TV, Chrome-cast, Google Home, Pixel 2, Goggle reader, G
mail, Google, Google Duo, Google+, Calendar, Keeps, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Google Fit,
Google play, Google messenger, Google play app, Google play games, Google store etc.
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On the other hand Apple Inc is American multinational technology corporation which
headquartered situated in the cupertino, California. It offers several products and services such as
consumer electronic, computer software, and online service. Apple Portfolio includes several
hardware products such as iPhone, smartphones, iPad tablet, computer, iPod portable media
players, Apple TV, digital media players, HomePod smart speakers. Apple also offers some
software such as macOS, iOS operating system, iWork creativity, iTunes media, Safari web
browser. In addition to this, online services includes such as iTunes stores, Mac app, apple
musicc, iCloud etc (Urban, Hauser and Urban, 2003).
Google company and Apple have its own portfolio strategy under which they have followed five
major challenges which are discussed below-
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 Define the brand role- In this portfolio strategy google and Apple have introduced more
and more brands for its customer to keep them satisfy. In this strategy, Google and Apple
have design such innovative product and services along with several brand through which
customers interest can increase toward brand and they repetitively purchase the product
and services from same brand (Chesbrough, 2006).
 Thing long term- In this strategy of brand portfolio, Google and Apple brand portfolio
have balanced the duel tension of near term profit and loss. Manager of both Apple and
Google company have use qualitative approaches so as they can take effective long term
decision for business.
 Take a consumer perspective- With help of this portfolio strategy, manager of Apple and
Google have meet the actual customer demand regarding product and services
(Davenport, 2013). In this strategy it is very important for corporation to understand the
actual needs of customer so both corporation have effectively understood the demand and
delivered product accordingly.
 Consider brand architecture models- It is the way through which brand portfolio structure
can designed by organisation. It defines that how brand differentiated from one another
(Davenport, 2013). In this strategy, Both Apple and Google manager have effectively
designed its own creativity and innovativeness along with product and services through
which it has able to distinguish its product from its rivals. Hire someone- In order to manage the portfolio of company brand, Apple and Google
have hired brand portfolio manager. They have responsibility to division of brand along
with product and services.
The management hierarchy of the two brands
Management plays a very significant role within organisation through which each activities and
function can organise and accomplish in systematic manner. Thus, it is very important for top
authority to set the structure of management in such manner through which every department can
easily carry out their work and achieve their objective. Google is currently one of the most
technological advanced and reputed firm which solve various works of organisation as well as
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citizens. A brand hierarchy is a means of summarizing the branding strategy by displaying the
numbers and nature of common and distinctive brand elements. Its professionals formulates the
hierarchy which is categorised on the basis of power, authority and decision making. These
classified is basically conducted on the basis of three level which are discussed below-
Administrative Google company level- This level professional undertakes entire administrative
work for the organisation. In this level includes Google chairman, president of the Google, vice
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chairmen, CEO, MIS director, chief information officer, Google vice presidents, Senior manager,
administration head etc.
Executive Google company level- All executive level responsibility are undertaking by this level
under which includes team leader of specific departments. They have to handle the entire team
professional and their activities. In this includes network architect, chief marketing officers,
senior Technology Engineer, Chief Sales Officer, Head of Web Technologies, Project Manager
etc.
Operational Google company level- This level experts have to manage some specific area's
activities and function within organisation. This includes database commissioners, application
engineer, help desk technician, software programmers, telecommunication engineers, head of
contend writer team etc.
Brand hierarchy of Apple and Google
A brand hierarchy is a means of summarizing the branding strategy by displaying the
numbers and nature of common and distinctive brand elements. It is based on the different
product and brand which is associated with organisation Apple Inc is American multinational
technology corporation which headquartered situated in the cupertino, California. It offers
several products and services such as consumer electronic, computer software, and online
service. Apple and Google brand hierarchy have major four potential level which are discussed
below-
 Corporate- Corporate brand is one brand which always present somewhere on the product
packages and services.
 Range brand- In this strategy includes range brand which is lower as compare to
corporate brands.
 Individual brand- In this includes specific brands of organisation.
A brand pecking order is short rundown of marking methodology which portrays the number and
nature of some regular components and furthermore unmistakable of brand crosswise over
organisatinns administrations and items. It depends on the acknowledgment in which firm items
can be rebranded or repeat in different techniques. It is altogether relied upon the past
components which is utilized for marking effectively.It characterizes the blend of making any
item or administration. What's more, image chain of command moves from top level to base
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