Confidential Reference Contact::
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
Steve Wasserman
Wasserman, Comden & Cassleman
(818) 705-6800.
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
Terry Martinez
California Apparel News
(213) 627-3737 ext 213
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
Jeff Rudes
J-Brand Denim
(213) 749-3500
˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜˜
Dov Charney
American Apparel
dov@americanapparel.net
Behind Every Great Brand is a Great Idea
Brands are an important influence on our lives.
They are central to free markets and democratic societies.
They represent free choice
They also have a profound impact on the quality of live and the way we see our world. They color our lives.
They reflect the values of our societies.
Megabrands, such as McDonald's and BMW, can even embody the spirit of many nations, if not the spirit of an age.
Most importantly, strong brands bestow value far beyond the performance of the products themselves.
Brands that do this possess an idea worthy of consumer loyalty.
The more inspiring the idea, the more intense and profound the commitment. And the more the consumer believes in the brand, the more value the brand returns to its owner.
Great Brands Inspire
What kinds of ideas generate great brands? Ideas that touch the heart. Ideas that remind us of our humanity. Ideas that work in small ways to re-ignite our dreams and aspirations as we go about our daily lives. Ideas that remind us of our connection to a larger world.
Great Brands Become Legends
Some brands are so powerful they defy time. They are icons that grow to become part of the fabric of our lives from one generation to the next. They stand resolutely against the passage of time, competitive assault and the fickleness of consumer trends because they never lose their grip on the affections of the general public. Such brands become as strong and permanent in our collective consciousness as any legend. But behind the apparent effortlessness of their durability lies the careful, disciplined and consistent management of these brands, which secures their rock-solid foundation from decade to decade.
Great Brands Know No Boundaries
We live in an age when global expansion and global branding are critical sources of growth. Therefore, and important test of the strength and value of a brand is to measure the breadth and depth of its appeal. Great brands have universal appeal. They are cultural emblems carefully developed to represent ideas that cross the boundaries of culture, geography and generation. They are ideas that inspire human beings.
Great Brands Define Markets
We are all creatures of habit. We know what we think, what we want, who we are. But do we? Sometimes, great brands enrich our lives with novel ideas that challenge old ways of thinking and how us we did not know everything about ourselves after all. When brands define a market with bold new ideas, they own the market forever and competitors almost always are forced to imitate.
Great Brands are Multi-Dimensional
Great brands live. They feed the mind, body and soul. They are rich and multi-dimensional. Therefore, the idea and consistency of brand expression from retail environments and trade shows to corporate environments must be as well conceived, developed and managed as the product itself. Our environmental and interactive practices employ state-of-the-art technologies to design brand environments in a three-dimensional world, including the design of interactive media and virtual environments. These technologies help drive customer relationships with your brand by bringing your brand to life.
Great Brands Have a Future
Great brands never stand still. They evolve over time, adapting to new generations and responding to new technologies. To capture the imagination of new customers and take advantage of new forms of communication, brands must be able to stand the test of time, yet be able to undergo subtle transformations of style and delivery. When new, interactive technologies become widespread, there is only one direction for brands and the ideas that sustain them forward. Great brands embrace the future in the present.
Great Brands Build Value
How do you think of the money you spend on your company’s brand? As cost or investment? Does the CFO understand your goals for the brand and why you support it? We know from countless brand valuation projects across virtually every product and service category that brands are assets with significant, quantifiable economic value as much as 70% of total corporate worth. With this much at stake, effective managers should know the value of the brand and how to strengthen it. As assets move inexorably from tangible to intangible, we are ushering in an age not simply of brand management, but of brand value management. Using my unique methodology I can help you understand and increase the value of your brands, which ultimately provides a means to manage shareholder value.
Great Brands Begin With a Great Name
Volvo. Kodak. Sony. Over time these names have become vested with powerful meaning. But today’s world is different. In a climate of increased competition and fierce economic pressure, companies cannot afford to wait for a great brand to develop. A great name encapsulates the brand and ignites consumer recognition. It is an effective as any graphic design in defining the personality of the brand and differentiating it from competitors in the marketplace. In combination with great design and powerful identity systems, the results can be both breathtaking and profitable.
Great Brands Are Protected
What if a rival company began marketing ketchup under the name of Heinz? Would the Heinz brand retain its unique place in the consumer's consciousness? Of course not. However, the Heinz company would never allow such a challenge to its brand. In fact, approach any element of the Heinz brand from packaging to trademark and you will quickly hear from Heinz. That is because Heinz recognizes that protecting the brand is as important as protecting the product formula itself. Elements such as typestyle and music anything that differentiates your brand from another are protected too. This degree of protection is a significant contributor to the value of your brand. If the brand is not protected properly your company is vulnerable to someone else trading on your intellectual property.
Top ten primary responsibilities include:
1.Understanding the dynamics of your brand in the marketplace and the needs of your customers.
• Tracking the marketplace indicators and trends that
impact the retail segment your company competes in.
• Conducting customer research and competitive analysis, as
needed.
• Communicating marketplace findings with your marketing and
product teams.
• Transfer marketplace knowledge into successful marketing
strategies and branded communication.
2. Assisting in the development of company goals.
3. Working with the marketing team in setting and aligning brand and marketing goals.
4. Fiscally responsible for financial objectives of the eCommerce initiatives; develop budgets and ROI goals. Work in concert with your team and strategic partners, to develop strategies that increase sales for both the eCommerce department and your stores. Responsible for strategies, planning, implementation and coordination of eCommerce online SEO and offline marketing initiatives; drives site traffic through SEO marketing efforts.
5. Setting, implementing and coordinating the strategic direction for all direct marketing efforts. Track and monitor results.
• Brand positioning
• Brand development and marketing plans
• Direct marketing programs
• Local marketing
• Store and sales associate communication
• E-Marketing
• Marketing materials
• Advertising
• Public relations
• Associate materials
6. Ensuring all your branded communication is consistent with the company and brand positioning. Coordinating the development and implementation of all marketing campaigns, and trade show programs.
• Key messages
• Printed marketing materials
• e-Marketing
• Signage
• Advertising
• Other public communication (printed, electronic, verbal)
7. Working with the Product team in the development of products that support the brand positioning and marketing programs.
• Featured products for marketing campaigns
• Product planning to ensure product availability and
appropriate allocations
8. Coordinate Global Trade Shows.
9. Creating and executing new product launch initiatives from initial launch strategy through in store execution.
10. Supporting and developing associates to be successful in their careers with your company.
|
