The purpose of the research was to study the concepts of branding, branding and brand identity. The research results provide an outline for the core brand identity of the case brand.
Introduction to the case company and case brand
The reader must gain a comprehensive insight into the concepts of brand, branding, brand identity and basic understanding of the process of building strong brands. The data collected during the research will then be analyzed and used to outline a basic brand identity for the case brand.
Definition of the management decision problem for the company
The more detailed presentation of the brand will be provided in the following chapters of this thesis. The management decision problem of the company was to explain how to build a strong brand identity that will increase the level of brand awareness and contribute to the growth of the brand in the long term.
Research problem
The aim of the research is to create a better understanding of the concept and present brand management tools and theories that can be used to create a brand identity. The theoretical framework developed during the research will serve as the basis for the empirical part of the research.
Research questions
The basic brand identity outlined in the empirical part of the thesis can be used or further improved or modified by the company according to the company's vision of how the Napsie brand should be perceived. The author will conduct a research to understand the concepts of brand and branding.
History of branding
Later on, advertisements began to repeat as lines of text across the pages of the newspaper - in the same way they do today. This campaign conveys the brand message of "unleash your inner baby" and highlights Evian's main differentiation from its competitors - the purity of the water.
The concept of brand
It is important that brand elements capture the essence and intangible assets of the brand, especially in case of less concrete product benefits. Well-designed brand elements contribute to brand awareness, convey favorable and unique brand associations, and elicit positive feelings about the brand (Keller.
Role of brands
Role of brands for consumers
Lovemarks enable companies to set higher prices for their products due to having strong relationships with consumers based on love.
Role of brands for companies
The term "brand" is examined with three different aspects: brand identity, brand image and brand personality. In the following chapters of this thesis, the author will explain the term "brand identity" to address the topic of designing brand identity, the term "brand personality" to describe the content around brand.
Brand identity
Insight into Brand Identity
The core brand identity is closely related to the values and culture of the organization behind it. According to Aaker (1996), elements that are not included in the core identity form the extended brand identity.
Creation of unique brand identity
With an efficient and correctly executed branding, the brand image represents the same values as the brand identity. It's not just about the creation part though - it's more about living the brand according to its brand identity.
Brand Personality
Dimesnions of brand personality
Jennifer Aaker introduced a framework for measuring and structuring brand personality in her research work ''Dimensions of Brand. The Brand Personality Scale helps describe a brand's personality by using an analogy with a human being.
Brand personality drivers
Brand images have a strategic value for the brand, as they allow the brand to appeal to certain groups of users without disturbing the brand identity and brand personality (Aaker. Second, brand personality indicates certain relationships between the brand and its consumers, which personal relationships are similar to relationships between people.
Brand archetypes
User images are "a defined set of human characteristics associated with a typical user of the brand". Therefore, brand personality helps to develop brand identity, brand communication and even provide guidelines for marketing programs (Aaker 1996, 174).
Kapferer’s brand identity prism
Reflection facet identifies the reference to stereotypical consumer of the brand and is the source of identification. More specifically, the author wanted to examine the importance of brand identity and its impact on growth and success of the brand. The author was able to gain an understanding of how a strong brand identity contributes to the success of the brand.
Data Collection
The author collected primary data through action research and unstructured interviews with organizational members. For the purpose of the study, the author chose unstructured interviews as one of the sources of primary data. The author conducted unstructured interviews with members of the organization during the action research to collect primary data for the study.
Ethical issues
Benchmarking can be used as a tool for improvement as it helps organizations learn from other organizations that are more successful in certain areas. The same practices can then be adapted by the organization to improve its own performance (Stapenhurst, 2009). The information gained can then be used to benchmark the case brand against its competitors, identify areas of improvement and provide potential solutions for each area.
Data Analysis
When conducting a business research, researcher must be concerned about ethics throughout the process and be careful about matters that go beyond the ethics. Primary data for this research was collected through unstructured interviews during the process of action research. Secondary data was also obtained from news articles and internet publications, case company's website, case brand's website, competitors' websites and during the process of benchmarking.
Validity and reliability
The author analyzed the results and outlined suggestions for creating a strong brand identity for the case brand according to the verbal instructions, data collected during the benchmarking process, interviews and supporting the theoretical background. The author has used reliable data sources to fulfill the principles of brand identity and the process of its creation. The empirical part of the thesis focuses on creating a brand identity for the case brand Napsie.
Overview of the competiton
The brand identity developed in this part of the thesis can be used in the company or further developed according to the company's vision of how the Napsie brand will be perceived. Mattress startups that have been among the first to bring change to the industry include Tuft and Needle, Casper, Leesa, Yogabed and Eve. The success of Casper has led to an increasing number of new mattress companies entering the industry with a similar business model.
Tuft and Needle
To answer the quiz questions, the author used knowledge about Tuft & Needle's brand identity, brand history, values, and mission. The author reviewed the website, the tone of communication, the brand's social media activities and generally made an intuitive assessment of the brand's personality. According to the results of the "Brandality" quiz, Tuft and Needle's brand archetype is Sage. "Sage believes that the road to happiness is paved with knowledge and that by seeking the truth and sharing it with others, we can make the world a better place. place. The author believes that this aspect resonates with the brand's T&N characteristics that aim to uncover the truth about the industry and change it for the better: "The reformer seeks to find ways to improve the existing system rather than destroy it completely." (Smith, 2016).
Casper
A brand's website should be designed in a color scheme that supports the feelings the brand wants to convey to its customers (Cetinkaya, 2014). Casper's dark blue and white color scheme communicates trust, peace, brand transparency and product perfection. The visual harmony of Casper's website evokes the desired emotions and feelings, communicates the brand message and generally contributes to a strong brand identity and recognition.
Eve
The Eve mattress was created with the feeling that most people are not interested in technical details like foam layers and mattress density. Most important is how the layers come together and complement each other in function. It is quite difficult to stand out among the competition. Eve differentiates itself with a unique brand that focuses on the positive feelings after a good night's sleep, rather than the sleep itself. While the rest of the industry is saying, 'Good night,' we're saying, 'Good morning.' Eve is positioned as a lifestyle brand, feeling good after a good night's sleep.
Napsie Brand Identity Prism
Creating brand identity for Napsie is a process of defining the brand and creating consistent content for it. It aims to establish the desired brand image and identify what kind of brand identity will be effective in delivering brand's message to its consumers so that they will perceive the brand correctly. People of images are those who can be considered as typical consumers of the brand; those that the brand's target audience can easily identify and connect with.
Napsie brand personality
Image is an important brand asset that communicates its personality and establishes the connection between the brand and its consumers. The exact combination of colors that are similar to those used in the country, combined with the theme of the image that is closely related to the core message of the brand, enables Napsie to offer similar atmosphere as it does with its brand images. Napsie uses illustrations extensively to communicate its brand message and reflect the playful and whimsical aspect of the brand.
Napsie Brand Archetype
The core message of the brand is communicated by the characters who get a good night's sleep on the Napsi mattress and live their lives more actively. Stories are expressed through quirky, catchy illustrations that reflect the personality of the brand and communicate its message in an unusual, remarkable way.
Napsie verbal identity
However, it is equally important to build a unique brand identity that will help differentiate the brand among its competitors. Coupons.com and Claremont Graduate University Study Reveals Coupons Make You Happier and More Relaxed. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/mattress-startup-casper-relies-on-social-media-word-of-mouth-2015-02-18.
