Branding can be used as a differentiation strategy when the product cannot be easily distinguished in terms of tangible features (which invariably happens in case of many CNDs, service and even durables) or in products, which are perceived as a commodity (e.g. cement, fertilizer, salt, potato chips etc.) In all such situations marketers use branding as a differentiation strategy and try to develop and deliver customized products and auxiliary services with tailor – made communications to match with the customer’s self – image. Such differentiation is an on-going process and the initial and on-going actions are depicted as
Differentiation Mechanism in Brand Building
| Means | Initial step | Ongoing actions |
| Core product or service | Highlight distinct benefits like contents | Use the tangibles or positioning to create an identity. |
| Auxiliary Services | Exceptional Handling | Loyalty development programmers |
| Efficient Packaging | Retain customer interest by repeated communication | |
| Innovative promotion, communication | Develop customer pull by different marketing mix | |
| Use channel and ensure push |
Brand building is a conscious customer-satisfaction orientation process. The brand owner tries to retain you as a customer to its fold over their competitions by a mix of hardware and software because when you feel satisfied you may develop a kind of loyalty for the same. Therefore, a strong brand, apart from name, symbol or design, ensures quality, stability of assured future market and effective utilization of assets. Further, a strong brand, which a retailer wants to stock because of high customer pull, also provides the owner of the brand with a platform for the sale of additional products.
We can describe Brand symbol as a visual entity and includes Brand Character and Brand Logo. Both are elements of brand identity. Brand Symbols lead to –
- Awareness of brand, e.g. the Doughboy for Pillsbury, the Captain for Captain Cook, the devil for ONIDA, Gattu for Asian Paints, the rabbit for Energizer, and the penguin for Kelvinator.
- Brand associations, e.g. lightning for Rin, jetfighter for Jet Mosquito repellents, rose for breeze, lime for Cinthol Fresh, and mangoes for Frooti.
- Likeability and positive feelings, e.g. Mc Donalds (Ronalds) smile and Amul Girl
- Stronger memories for the brand, e.g. Jolly green Giant, which is present on all packs of Green Giant products, and Amul girl.
Brand symbols can be created across ten concepts in order to add value to brands.
Non-living characters, e.g. Jolly Green Giant, Doughboy for Pillsbury, Captain Cook, strongman for MRF tyres, lady Milkmaid, two men for Citibank, cricketer batsman for MILO. Animal, e.g. tiger for Tiger Biscuits, tortoise for Tortoise Coils, camel for Camel cigarettes, robbin bird for Robin Blue, crocodile for Lacoste, black cat for Eveready and penguin for Kelvinator. Nature, e.g. coconut tree(s) in Parachute, apple in Apple Computers, lightning in Rin, rising sun for Aditya Birla group, rose in Breeze, butterfly for HPCL, sunrays in Sunlight detergents, and lime in Cinthol Fresh soap and mangoes in frooti.
