Brand Elements Lead to Brand Equity: Differentiate or Die

Mosarrat Farhana

doi:10.22610/imbr.v4i4.983

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss brand elements and to explore its contribution to brand equity based on some relevant research reviews and some examples of prominent brands where brand elements have played a significant role to reach consumerâ€™s head and heart. Brand is a combination of name, symbol or design, which creates a distinctive identity to consumers within a crowd of choices through its different brand elements. A distinctive or unique offering as well as get-up of a brand is the primary key of survival from the immature death in competition. Differentiating approach of different brand elements always cause a high level of brand awareness and familiarity among target consumers and later on individually or collectively, brand elements work as clue to consumers to recall and recognize the brand. Proper integration of both strong and weak brand elements of a brand contribute to brand equity, which has been focused here through some literature reviews.

Highlights

The word ‘Brand’ has become an integral part of our daily life
Brand is a mental game where each element tells a story about the brand itself and these stories are destined together to a single goal to draw a distinct image in the consumer’s mind
This differentiation starts from developing each brand element distinctively to avoid the ‘me too’ approach

Summary

Introduction

The word ‘Brand’ has become an integral part of our daily life. We start a day with branded toothpaste and end it with several branded durable and non-durable goods and services. Whatever the product or service, when it becomes a brand, it promises a particular level of quality, trust-worthiness and distinctive position among a dizzying array of choices. The bond between consumer and a strong brand mostly depends on high level of brand awareness and its positive unique association with consumer’s memory. Brands can simplify choice, promise a particular quality level, reduce risk, and/or engender trust (Keller & Lehmann, 2006). Brand elements can be chosen to enhance brand awareness; facilitate the formation of strong, favorable and unique brand associations; or elicit positive brand judgments and feelings (Keller, 2001, 2003). Brand elements facilitate the process of consumer brain mapping and play a key role in building brand equity. The aim of this paper is to discuss on brand elements and its contribution to brand equity based on some relevant research reviews and present some examples of prominent brands where brand elements have played a significant role to reach consumer’s head and heart

Brand and Brand elements: identity to consumers

Contribution of brand elements to reinforce brand equity

Conclusion