Role of brand identity development and the role of marketing communications
Recently academics outlined the importance of manufacturer relationships and brand experiences as constructing blocks of manufacturer identities. New marketing communication tools, which allow interactions and purchaser engagement, are among the most essential tools mentioned for strengthening company relationships and enhancing company experiences by way of academics. Therefore the paper analyses the perception of company identity constructing blocks through brand professionals and their usage of new marketing communication tools. Twelve in-depth interviews have been conducted
Among manufacturer experts in Slovenia. Our findings suggest that company experts’ expertise about manufacturer identity is now not constant with the newest brand identity conceptualizations, by no longer considering manufacturer relationships and manufacturer experiences as building blocks of manufacturer identity.
According to the modern approach in branding academics study brands from the internal and external stakeholder perspective (de Chernatony and Harris 2000; Konecnik Ruzzier and Ruzzier 2009). On this basis a two-dimensional approach to branding became evident in the literature (Konecnik and Gartner 2007; Konecnik, Ruzzier and Ruzzier 2009; de Chernatony 2010) where on the one side the emphasis is centred on internal stakeholders and brand identity development (Kapferer 1997; de Chernatony 1999; Konecnik Ruzzier and Ruzzier 2009)and on the other side on external stakeholders and brand equity development (Keller 1993; Aaker 1996).
Changes in the market opened up several new research topics in marketing, the place branding and marketing communications have one of the leading roles. The outlined theme is of a huge significance to scientific advertising research worldwide, which is evident also in Marketing Science Institute (2010) lookup priorities for the length from 2010 to
2012, where two among eight research precedence subjects outlined the importance of modifications in advertising communications and the assignment of managing manufacturers in the new, converted market.
Alike to initial brand definitions, which equated brands with visual elements (de Chernatony and McDonald 1992), also the earliest brand identity classifications equated brand identity with visual identity (van Riel and Balmer 1997). Even though visual identity has a huge importance in
Brand building, it represents only one component among all other elements that form brand identity (van Riel and Balmer 1997; de Chernatony 2010). The brand iceberg represents the recent view in brand identity theory, separating brand identity to its visible and invisible part, where the invisible part is gaining in importance (Davidson 1997). Proposed brand identity building blocks are vision, mission, values, personality and core competencies which are evident in the most reviewed brand identity models. Vision represents the reason for the brand’s existence and embodies its core values (Collins and Porras 1996). Mission is seen as the most essential element of brands’ philosophy (Abratt 1989; Melewar and Karaosmanoglu 2006). Stakeholders are presently considered not solely as co-creators of brand experiences and relationships however should additionally contribute to manufacturer identity creation.
The importance of marketing communications in building strong brands
Academics stress out that marketing communications contribute to brand building if they are based on unique brand identity (Aaker and Joachimsthaler 2000; de Chernatony 1999). . In the digital era new advertising mediums appeared; Internet and cell phones and for this reason on-line and mobile advertising emerged. Also standard advertising and marketing mediums are changing, especially television advertising, which is with its additional functionalities becoming more and more adjusted to the digital era.
Furthermore, word-of-mouth marketing, which was in the past only in the domain
Of consumers, in recent years occurred as a planned marketing communications activity and can be defined as the planned act of influencing consumer to consumer communications by engaging special word-of-mouth (hereinafter: wom) marketing techniques, such as viral marketing , guerrilla marketing, buzz marketing or social media marketing
(Kozinets et al. 2010). Regarding tendencies in advertising communications in Slovenia the majority outlined the future is in digital media. They agree that newspapers and magazines will not be in the same shape in the future as they are now. As one brand manager explained: ‘Also common mediums will adapt to changes, considering the fact that we can’t speak anymore about regular media, these
Are evolving, adapting to the consumers’ needs.’ Even though most respondents emphasised that television advertising and marketing will nonetheless remain in the number one position, they believe it will have to change. Not solely there will have to be less saturation of commercials which are in todays’ form
By their faith irritating no longer solely for shoppers but additionally for advertisers,
Since advertising blocks are becoming too long, but also tv will have to adapt to other platforms.
Conclusion
In-depth interviews revealed that organisation experts in Slovenia, regardless of their brands’ market orientation and manufacturer type, observe the latest changes in the environment and they are in majority adapting to them. Only by engaging shoppers into the brands’ messages brand specialists can experience the proper blessings of new advertising communication tools. To conclude new advertising conversation tools can enhance consumer engagement with manufacturers due to two-way interactions among the brand and consumers. The most successful manufacturers in the future will use this
Advantage and overcome consumers’ minds and hearts. In order to succeed they ought to rewrite their company identities and include manufacturer experiences and company relationships as the brands’ core. The ones that will not adapt to these challenges now, will lose their shoppers in the near future.