Brand Management Report: Apple and Google Brand Management

This report provides a detailed analysis of brand management, emphasizing its importance as a marketing tool and its evolution in business practice. It explores the key components of a successful brand strategy, focusing on building and managing brand equity, with examples from Apple and Google. The report delves into different strategies for portfolio management, brand hierarchy, and equity management. It also examines collaborative brand management and partnerships at both domestic and global levels, along with techniques for evaluating and managing brand value. The report covers brand roles, long-term thinking, customer perspectives, brand architecture models, and connections to business strategy. It also includes Keller's brand equity model, discussing brand identity, meaning, response, and resonance.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Explain the importance of branding as a marketing tool and why and how it has emerged
in business practice.....................................................................................................................1
P2 Key components of a successful brand strategy for managing and building brand equity....3
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................5
P3 Different strategies of portfolio management, brand hierarchy and brand equity
management................................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
P4 How brands are managed collaboratively and in partnership at domestic and global level. .7
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
P5 Different types of techniques for evaluating and managing brand value............................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Brand management importance in terms of increasing business value in the market
towards customers is discussed in this report. Importance of marketing as a marketing tool and
how it emerged business practice is also assessed. Key components of brand strategy to build
and manage a successful brand equity is also explained in this report. Different strategies for
portfolio management of Apple and Google to manage the brand hierarchy and equity is also
discussed very well in this report. Collaboration between two brands for effective partnership at
both domestic and international level will be discussed in the report. Finally, the techniques to
measure the brand value and strategies to manage them is will also covered in this reprot
effectively.
TASK 1
P1 Explain the importance of branding as a marketing tool and why and how it has emerged in
business practice
DEFINITION OF BRAND
Brand is a design, term, name, symbol or a feature which helps in identifying the service
and products of seller and also differentiating from others effectively. Trademark is the legal
term for any brand. It also leaves a mental picture of products and services offered by the seller
or firm (Aaker, 2010). The brand is also a set of expectations and memories for a customer,
which helps him to make a decision for the product and services that he should choose over
another effectively and efficiently.
IMPORTANCE OF BRANDING
Branding is important for Apple. It is a technology firm which leads towards innovation
within its products and services as well as software platforms. Apple sells mobile phones,
computers, laptops, headphones and many electronic devices which are useful for customers
effectively. Further, Google is also the largest internet service provider with estimated revenue of
141,703 $m (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2012). Google is also a technology firm which collect
and organise the world's information and data and make it universal, useful and accessible for
customers. Google also provide electronic devices such as mobiles, tablets, computers and
laptops for the customers effectively. Branding is very crucial for both organisations in order to
expand their markets. A brand considered eight basic blocks such as name, logo, colour,
messaging, sound of the brand, position, packaging and the experience of brand effectively.
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Branding is also important for marketing that helps Apple and Goggle to increase their market
shares effectively.
 Remembering: It is very difficult to remember a firm with its name that brand helps
Apple and Google to ensure their customers about thir thinking for recognising the
business. . An effective brand image helps organisations to remember their business and
activities towards customers in the market.
 Increase customer loyalty: Loyal customers demand for quality products and services in
which they can trust effectively (Abrahams, 2016x). This is a fact that customers build a
strong bond with brand identities. Happy customers will tell their friends and family to
use the products and services of Apple and Google brands efficiently.
 Increase Reputation: An effective brand help organisations to increase their reputation
in market towards customers effectively. Customers remember brand image and name to
describe someone about the firm that a brand with qualities will help them to express
their views and loyalty.
 Differentiate: Branding helps Apple and Google to differentiate their products and
services from each other effectively and efficiently. In respect to this, both firms are
similar towards their products and services that an effective brand image and name helps
them to create their different values and images towards customers in the market.
 Perceived value: It is all about the way customers perceive brand and what they think
about the brand has a significant impact upon business that weather they are interest to do
business with Apple or Google or not (Abrahams, 2016). Brand identity work helps
organisations to enhance their perceived value by looking more professional and
effective.
 Good branding creates meaning: Marketing is everywhere which is assessed with
advertisements across multiple channels. Thus, an effective branding of organisations
helps them to express their purpose, initiatives and meaning towards customers in the
market effectively. Marketing is winning the hearts and minds of customers with
effective services and products that a good brand can help Apple and Google to create a
messaging platform for their customers to clear communication, values and meaning
effectively and efficiently.
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 Good branding creates strong emotional connections: Emotion is a strong energy
which helps organisations to drive their decisions every day. Emotions can influence,
how Apple and Google behave, what they decide and what they do. This will help
customers to know about the business activities. Brand work also helps organisation to
identify and determine their target customers in the market effectively.
Thus, the main purpose of branding in business practices is to advertise the specific
products and services, which will help customers to know the quality of services and products
offered by the organisation in the market (Belei, Noteborn and De Ruyter, 2011). This will also
help them to increase their selling and profitability effectively and efficiently. Branding also
plays an important role for business in terms of marketing tool to enhance the market share and
reach the desired objectives and goals effectively.
P2 Key components of a successful brand strategy for managing and building brand equity
IMPORTANCE OF BRAND STRATEGY
Brand strategy is very important for Apple and Google in order to do their businesses and
understanding the requirements of customers in the market effectively. Strong brand not just
happen that it is a result of long term strategy which guides business, how to do their operations
in the market. Solid brand strategy is crucial in Apple and Google that it serves shorthand for
decision making towards customers demands and expectations effectively. In case any customer
chooses a wrong brand of mobiles, they have another option to change the brand if the product
does not work according to their demands and requirements effectively (Bivainiene, 2010).
Brand strategies help businesses to find and evaluate the needs of customers according to their
perceptions and wants. This will also help them to increase customer loyalty and trusts for the
product and service effectively. Brand strategy is an economical mean which helps to address
consumers concerns at scale. It will also help them to increase their target customers loyalty
from which they are able to compete with others in the market.
BRAND EQUITY
Brand equity is a phrase which is used by Apple and Google in the market in order to
describe the value and brand name towards customers which is based on ideas to create a brand
name. Brand equity also helps organisation to increase their revenues. rand equity can be also
described as a value which a firm generates from the products and services offering with a
recognisable name as compared to a generic name or equivalent. Apple and Google can create
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their brand equity by making their products and services easily recognisable, superior,
memorable and reliable towards customers’ perceptions effectively. The three basic components
of brand equity are resulting values, customer perceptions and positive and negative effects.
Brand equity is built with the help of customer perceptions, which will involve both experience
and knowledge with a product and brand effectively. Brand equity is important for the business
in order to increase their products and services line effectively and efficiently. It is important for
Apple and Google to make an effective brand strategy which will help them to manage their
brand equity effectively (Braun, 2012). Here are some components and elements which will help
them to build and manage their brand equity:
 Target audience: Target audience or customers are those people who are likely to buy
the products and services offered by Apple and Google. It is important to evaluate the
nature of purchasing process to look not just at customers who are likely to purchase
products but at who within the market are likely to purchase products and services from
Apple and Google effectively.
 Brand promises: Brand promises are the key components for Apple and Google in order
to achieve the perception of customers effectively. Brand promise tells customers about
their expectations from buying the products and services (Bresciani and Eppler, 2010). It
is also known as a message which speaks the target of organisation towards customers
and audience effectively.
 Brand perception, value and voice: Apple and Google should look at the past and
present perception in order to achieve the future perceptions effectively. Brand values
help business towards decision making and voice which describes the brand personality.
KELLER'S BRAND EQUITY MODEL
It is also known as customer based brand equity model which develop a strong strategic
brand management and helps to build a powerful brand. Keller's brand equity model considered
brand identity, meaning, response and resonance which helps organisation to build a strong
strategy for brand management to manage the brand equity effectively and efficiently
(Christiaans, 2012).
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TASK 2
P3 Different strategies of portfolio management, brand hierarchy and brand equity management
BRAND PORTFOLIO STRATEGY MANAGEMENT
A brand portfolio strategy determines the structure of brand portfolio and roles, scope as
well as interrelationships of the brand portfolio. Brand portfolio strategy is very important as
well as difficult for the firm. Here are some guidelines from which Apple and Google can make
their brand portfolio strategy effective and efficient to reach their customer perceptions.
 Brand roles: Apple and Google need to be sure about brands well defined roles in each
product and service market context effectively. In addition to this, new brand should have
well defined roles that will help to strengthen the brand portfolio efficiently. For an
example, endorser brands, emerging platforms for the brand and lynchpin brands (Cova,
Kozinets and Shankar, 2012).
 Think long term: Apple and Google who are managing their brand portfolio should
manage their resources in order to drive their future profits and growth effectively. The
firm should also balance the dual tensions of loss and near term profit with the creation of
long term values for assets. Moreover, the brand valuation tool is also useful to utilise
and assist in decision making procedure effectively. Qualitative approach is also effective
to assess brand portfolio.
 Customer perspectives: Brand portfolio decisions will not only involve the financial
information review but also take customer perspectives that originate inside the board
room effectively (Förster, 2011). Qualitative and quantitate both approaches are useful
and important to achieve the customer research and conducting market.
 Consider brand architecture model: Brand architecture is the structure of brand
portfolio which includes the pieces and way used for making portfolio effectively. This
will also help Apple and Google to determine how brands will differentiate from each
other.
 Connect to the business strategy: The strategy for brand portfolio is connected with the
business strategy which helps to determine the market growth of product and associated
propositions values effectively.
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Thus, a brand portfolio is all about a family of brands, roles and relationship with each
other effectively. This should be deliver leverage, differentiation, synergy, clarity and energy to
accomplish the objectives and goals which helps to review the casual needs.
BRAND HIERARCHY
A brand hierarchy is simply summarising of branding strategy with the help of showing
the nature and number of distinctive and common elements of brand across Apple and Google
products. Brand hierarchy is based on realisation that a product or service can be branded in
various ways which depends on the elements used of existing brand and also how they mixed for
making any product (Foster, Punjaisri and Cheng, 2010). There are so many ways from which
the brand elements and levels of hierarchy can be defined. In case of more brands, any hierarchy
moving from the top level to bottom involves more entries at each succession level. Various
level of the hierarchy can receive different accent for developing and improving branding
strategy effectively and efficiently.
The brand management hierarchy is engaged in evaluating the design of logo and image
for brand with the help of information measured from market research effectively. This brand
management hierarchy include two levels, the strategic decision making and the executive
support level.
KELLER'S BRAND EQUITY MODEL
It is also known as customer based brand equity model which develop a strong strategic
brand management and helps to build a powerful brand. Keller's brand equity model considered
brand identity, meaning, response and resonance which helps organisation to build a strong
strategy for brand management to manage the brand equity effectively and efficiently.
Brand identity: In the first step, the goal of Apple and Goggle is to create awareness or brand
salience in order to ensure that the brands stands out and the customers can easily recognise it
and also be aware of it effectively (Golant, 2012).
 Knowing the potential customers with research and understanding customer needs.
 Identification of customer perception and decide between brand and competitors brand.
 Decision making process for customer segmentation.
 Classification of brand and products.
Brand meaning: The second step considered the identification and communication of brand
meaning and the purpose which it stands for. Imagery and performance are the two building
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blocks for the step effectively. Performance describes the achievement of customers
requirements and imagery refers to the requirements of customers on a psychological and social
level (Gundala and Khawaja, 2014).
 Customer experience with Apple and Google brand products.
 Products and services should meet the requirements of customers (Zarantonello and
Pauwels-Delassus, 2015).
 Creating brand personality with accounting performance and imagery.
Brand response: Brand response refers to the response provided by customers. This will be in
two categories or building blocks which is feelings and judgements effectively.
 Quality judged by the customers on the basis of brand and product.
 Credibility with three dimensions such as liability, expertise and trustworthiness.
 Consideration of customers for relevant product with unique needs.
 Superiority of brand as compared to others.
Brand resonance: It is the most difficult and desirable level to reach for the organisation that it
comes at the top level of brand equity (Hanna and Rowley, 2012). Brand resonance can be
achieved by Apple and Google with the psychological bond and feelings of customers.
 Customers behaviour loyalty which includes repeat of purchasing.
 Attitudinal attachment which shows the love of customers towards products and services.
 Sense of community that customers are associated with the brand and become the
representatives (Tsai, 2014).
 Active engagement with the brand even they are not purchasing or consuming.
TASK 3
P4 How brands are managed collaboratively and in partnership at domestic and global level
EXTENSION APPROACHES AND STRATEGIES OF APPLE AND GOOGLE
Apple and Google is a famous electronic devices supplier firm which needs effective
strategies to develop and extent its market at domestic and global level effectively. This can be
achieve by life cycling of a product and service effectively. Here are some extension approaches
and strategies to develop the market of Apple and Google efficiently.
 Ignoring critics: As a normal people Apple and Google CEO and other managers heard
a lot of critics about the products and services offered by Apple and Google in the
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market. In respect to this, Apple and Google listens the critics provided by people more
patiently and decided to flip the script effectively (Iosifidis, ed., 2010).
 Ordinary to beautiful: Apple and Google tries to focus upon designing new and
innovative things in their products and services such as operating system and computer
systems. This will help them to increase their market share and extension that who can
forget their amazing I phone 4 and Google Pixel (Till, Baack and Waterman, 2011).
 Justifying the price: Strategy for pricing is all over the place that Apple and Google
build beautiful products for the customers in order to justify their high prices with
effective and high quality. For an example no product can match the display of a 27 I
mac and Google effectively.
 Re-packaging: Re-packaging provides a simple way for Apple and Google to give a
mature image of products which will help it to manage the market extension with new
preferences effectively (Tieman, 2011).
 Discounting: Re-pricing or giving discount on previous products and services is also an
effective way for Apple and Google to extend their market and sell their previous
inventions as well effectively (Johansson and Carlson, 2014).
 Expanding abroad: Apple and Google is managing the products and services at
domestic as well as in international level effectively. The products and devices are so
useful for people from all over the world. This will help Apple and Google business to
extent their business in domestic and global level effectively.
BRAND REINFORCEMENT AND REVITALISATION
Brand reinforcement is just about maintaining the brand equity effectively (Som and
Blanckaert, 2015). In simple words, this is to ensure that the customers have desired knowledge
of structures which will help them to receive necessary and important resources for managing the
brand equity. This can be achieve by market activities which carries the actual meaning of brand
to the customers. This could be in form of brand image or awareness (Kavaratzis, Warnaby and
Ashworth, eds., 2014). Sometimes, the strategy for reinforcement also fails because of different
reasons such as competitors, new technology, customer preferences and taste. In this situation
Brand should revive their luck by coming back to their roots to recapture the lost equity sources.
This process is called brand revitalisation.
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REVITALISATION STRATEGIES
It is very crucial for Apple and Google to know their managerial and marketing action
which revitalise the brand in customers minds effectively. The main key for that is
differentiation which can be achieved by continuous improvement and innovations for Google
and Apple effectively. There should be a well maintained planning for promotional and
advertising campaigns for revitalisation (Schultz and Block, 2012). New uses, innovations,
opinion leaders, 360 degree feedback and communication, changes in business model etc. these
are all the basic strategy for revitalisation effectively.
 Identification of additional opportunities: The strategy is all about reminding
customers about the usage of brand and try to enhance the frequency of use effectively.
This will help Apple and Google to increase their opportunities (Klopper, Lubbe and
Prins, 2016).
 Identification of different ways to use the brand: Identification of new and different
ways for selling unique products or propositions with changes in the brand. This will help
them to attract their target and new customers.
 Changing brand elements: This will include one or more than one brand elements to
convey the customers that the brand has taken a new meaning in terms of products and
services or market campaign.
 Entering new markets: Entering in new markets is the identification of potential
markets in order to build a new market communication plan which decided the Apple and
Google brand position in the new market segmentation effectively (Scholz, 2014).
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP
Corporate partnership and collaboration is become successful when it is built on the
unity, vision, and strengths of purpose effectively. Partnership between Apple and Google will
work through the loan of brand equity to each other efficiently. For an example Nike enhanced
the Nike experience with integrated Apple technology effectively. This will help both firm to
generate a huge revenue and commercial value for reaching and attending new customers with
the help of this collaboration (Melo and Galan, 2011).
 Be strategic: An effective and efficient marketing can be boosted with an idea of what
the firm wanted to achieve or accomplish. Developing the collaboration with market
activities is not so different. In simple words, evaluating what is the objectives of firm
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will help to clear what you like to do with another brand in terms of operations or
activities (Özsomer, Batra, Chattopadhyay and ter Hofstede, 2012).
 Think like your consumer: Effective marketing and collaboration can be only done with
knowing your customer or keeping him at the heart effectively. This will help Apple and
Goggle to determine the brand which they want to collaborate with.
 Be true to your brand: The final step is to find the best brands for the collaboration to
work together with mixed efficiencies and effectiveness. Some part of the firm should be
maintained separately that make a successful relationship with another brand and also
give a significant impact on customers minds.
TASK 4
P5 Different types of techniques for evaluating and managing brand value
BRAND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
 Surveys: Survey is very helpful for Apple and Google to evaluate their brand value in
the market towards customers effectively. Surveys can be done by websites, telephone, e-
mail and from the existing customers effectively.
 Website traffic: Evaluating the website traffic is a simple way to reveal the brand
awareness for Apple and Goggle effectively (Melo and Galan, 2011). The direct channel
in Google analytics tracks will help both to measure the number of customers or people
who trying to approach the firm in any manner effectively.
 Social listening: Social media is also a platform from where the Apple and Google can
measure their brand value in the market. Social listening such as comments and posts
given by the customers on social media about the brand, organic conversation and
opinions etc.
Thus, volume of mentions, engagement, are some metrics which should be measured by
both firm effectively and the benchmark. Share of voice are some elements which should be
measured against and effectively (O'Neill and Mattila, 2010).
BRAND EQUITY AUDIT AND TECHNIQUES
 Clearing the perspectives: Brand equity can be evaluated or measure by different
perspectives effectively. Financial results will tell both Apple and Google firm to look at
price premiums. This will help them to measure the price which a customer will pay for
the product and service.
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 Determining brand equity research objectives: The market research for brand equity
divided into three parts exploring, tracking and extending brand power effectively. This
will help both firms to evaluate their position among competitors efficiently.
 Customer attitude: The measurement of customer perspectives will help to evaluate the
brand equity with the experience of customers towards brand. Strong customer attitude
will increase the brand value and equity effectively (Morgan, Pritchard and Pride, 2011).
 Qualitative and quantitative approach: Measurement of brand equity will include both
approaches, which will help both firms to exploring customer perception and motivation
effectively. This will also help them to develop their brand strategy and support return on
investment analysis.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO VALUING BRAND
 Brand sale comparison method: The method is very useful for Apple and Google firm
in order to look at their brand value effectively (Mosley, 2014). In this method both firms
will look at the recent transactions made by other firms in same market and compare the
data to them. The main advantage of this approach is that the firms can evaluate the brand
value with third party perspectives effectively.
 Equity evaluation method: The equity determining method involves the results and
advertising in prices and profits effectively. Apple and Google has an advantage this
method will also help them to analyse the financial market value and assumes strong state
of effective markets' hypothesis effectively and efficiently (Nam, Ekinci and Whyatt,
2011).
 Residual method: Keller brand equity model will also help Apple and Google to
evaluate their brand value using different approaches effectively. In this method, exercise
price, risk free and interest free and expectations of customers are involved which help
both firms to determine their brand value in the market and with the perspectives of
customers effectively and efficiently.
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CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that brand management is very important for
Apple and Google in order to maintain their operations and customer perception and perspectives
effectively and efficiently. Branding is also crucial for both firms that it enhance the marketing
strategy and also contribute in business practices. Brand strategies also help to manage the brand
equity of both firms. Different strategies for portfolio management, brand hierarchy and equity
management also help both to retain in the market and attract their customers effectively. This
will also help them to manage the customer perspectives using Keller brand equity method
efficiently. Brand can be also managed collaboratively and partnership at domestic and
international level effectively and efficiently. Finally, the techniques to evaluate and manage the
brand value effectively and efficiently. Thus, it can be said the overall brand management is very
crucial for both firms to increase their brand value in the market effectively.
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