1. MORAWSKI
Brand coaching & Marketing research management
Introduction to
The Brand Concept PlatformSM

2. Contents
• My definition of a brand
• About branding
• Beliefs
• The Brand Concept PlatformSM
• Methodology
• Client’s brand list
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

3. 1. My definition of a brand
A brand is a dynamic mental construct made by the brand stakeholders
and linked to one or more products/services, or to a company or a person.
It is the mix of all that the individual brand stakeholder is knowing, thinking
and feeling as a result of his/her perceptions and experiences.
 Dynamic: changes over time
 Made by brand stakeholders: it’s not only what you say it is (forget about you
“owning” your brand), but what each single person of distinct traditional
stakeholders (suppliers, distributors, customers/consumers, prospects,
investors, analysts and press, public/locals, employees, potential hires and
contractors, …) and new stakeholders (opted-in customers, community
captains, platform partners and eService entrepreneurs) thinks
and feels what it is (source: Firebrands, Michael Moon, 2000)
 Knowing, thinking, feeling: in peoples minds and hearts, rational and
emotional
 Perceptions and experiences: tangible, intangible and psychological factors,
objective and subjective
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

4. 2. About branding
 Branding is all about creating a positive differentiation that in consequence leads
to a dominant (market) position or at least profitable market shares
 Brand marketers must deliver tangibles and/or not tangibles that differentiate a
brand amongst others
 This differentiation not only needs to be perceived, but also valued
Mastering of disciplines in brand building:
• Research: search for the facts, don’t (only) rely on intuition
• Collaborate: like building a house branding is a collaborative project
• Differentiate: search for your real brand added value
• Focus: our brains act as filter to protect us from too much information
• Validate: test what they know, think and feel in order to validate your brand
• Interact: it’s a dynamic relation with the brand stakeholders
• Cultivate: bring the audience into the creative process
• Innovate: a brand is a living thing in a changing context
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

5. 3. Beliefs
 The consumer/customer should be at the center of our business
 Building strong and enduring relationships between the brand and the
consumer/customer is imperative
Therefore we must develop …
 an unique and differentiating brand
 clearly define our brand in peoples mind and heart
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

6. 4. The Brand Concept PlatformSM
Background
One key dimension (or even the most important) of marketing is the managing
of the relation between the brand and the brand stakeholders.
While considering a relation, several aspects are of some relevance.
These aspects also can be found in a relation between real people.
 In order to start a relation there should be at least two persons (persons
who should be searched for, found, defined, known each other in their
behavior, attitudes, perceptions, thinking, emotions, motivations, needs, …)
 A relation is thinking and feeling, finally based on trust
 A relation is a dynamic interaction, one has to build and make growing it
continuously
 A relation, should it always be a equal win-win
The process of building a Brand Concept PlatformSM can be a real re-sourcing on
thinking about and acting on your brand as a starting point of the relation
Let’s now explore a way to construct the personality of the brand
(indeed, a good relation starts by knowing yourself in order to and developing
yourself as a person).
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

7. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
The purpose …
is to build a cognitive structure of a mental representation by defining the most
appealing combination of claims and overall imagery for a brand
The Brand Concept PlatformSM consists 3 elements:
1. The Brand Concept Frame: the schematic design of the brand
2. The Brand Concept Visualization: can complete the concept while
illustrating the Concept Frame
3. The Brand Concept Statement: the essence of the Concept Frame
translated into consumer language.
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

8. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
The Brand Concept Frame …
 is the schematic design of the brand
 with all the argumentation towards the consumer/customer
 taking into account the complexity of human behavior
 driven by both rational and emotional elements
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

9. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
The Brand Concept Frame
PROMISE PRODUCT/SERVICE REASON TO BELIEVE
COMPOSITION TONE
CONSUMER BRAND ADDED OF
BENEFIT REASON WHY VALUE VOICE
Instrumental
Functional
Rational
What’s in it How can your Why should I What’s
for me? product/service believe you? your style?
provide this?
Emotional
Affective
Expressive
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

10. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
The Brand Concept Visualization …
 can complete the Brand Concept Frame, especially while illustrating
tone of voice elements
 because a picture tells more than 1000 words
 a picture can give several different associations (interpersonal and
intercultural) and is not stable over time
 so it may never be used isolated from the two other elements of the
Brand Concept PlatformSM
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

11. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
The Brand Concept Statement …
 is the essence of the Concept Frame translated into consumer/customer
language
 while creating the Concept Statement most attention must be paid in
checking semantics, trying alternatives to create an effective, homogeneous
argumentation with no intrinsic contradictions in it, and well understood by
consumers/customers
 the concept statement should not be too wordy (about 100 words and no
more than 5 sentences) and give the basic elements
 adding too much information rarely helps and will probably undermine the
proposition
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

12. 4. The Brand Concept Platform (cont.)
Further remarks
 The input for the Brand Concept PlatformSM should be based on real
consumer/customer research findings
 The reactions and feedback during the building process of the Brand Concept
PlatformSM give more insight in the different needs addressed
 The Brand Concept PlatformSM (Frame, Statement, Visualization) is the base
(“the golden standard”) for further development of the brand
 It can be used in briefing documents (advertising, packaging, NPD) and as a
touchstone for market research activities
 It’s also a platform for common vision for al parties concerned in developing,
introducing en managing a brand and/or products/services toward success
 Someone should have full and long term responsibility while building, adapting,
conserving and stimulating use of the Brand Concept PlatformSM
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

13. 5. Methodology
Example of methodological roadmap
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5
Preparation of First Workshop Intermediair Second Workshop Finalisation
Workshops stage
Objectives - Bekomen van - Verzamelen en - Verdere uitdieping - Consolidatie Brand - Consolidatie van het
achtergrondinformatie expliciteren van de en optimalisatie Concept Frame
over de klant (huidige bouwstenen voor het Brand Concept - Ontwikkelen Brand Brand Concept
objectieven en status) Brand Concept Frame Concept Visualisation Platform
en de markt (structuur, Frame - Voorbereiding en - Definitie van het
dynamiek) - Ontwikkeling van organisatie tweede brand DNA (soul of the
- Voorbereiding en het Brand Concept workshop brand)
organisatie eerste Frame (liefst ook van - Opstellen Brand
workshop de voornaamste Concept Statement
concurrenten)
Activities - Opvragen informatie - Inleidende - Feedback opvragen - Confrontatie met het - Feedback opvragen
bij klant: Market uiteenzetting van en verzamelen van en verzamelen van
Review, rapporten probleemstelling, deelnemers eerste geoptimaliseerde deelnemers tweede
consumenten objectieven en workshop. Brand Concept Frame workshop.
onderzoek, … methode - Verder structureren en finaal akkoord - Verder structureren
- Desk research - Modereren eerste en optimaliseren van - Collage maken met en optimaliseren van
- Zo nodig primair workshop het Brand Concept het verzamelde het Brand Concept
marktonderzoek Frame visuele materiaal Platform
- Ontwikkelen agenda, - Verzamelen visueel - Brainstorming en
structuur en inhoud materiaal voor de redactie Brand
van eerste workshop Brand Concept Concept Statement
Visualisation
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

14. 6. Client’s brand list
The Brand Concept PlatformSM was introduced for …
Douwe Egberts Belgium (Douwe Egberts, Jacqmotte, Chat Noir, Pickwick)
Senseo
Duyvis Netherlands
Electrabel (Superkabel)
Campbell Foods Belgium (Devos Lemmens, Imperial, Royco Minute Soup,
Campbell’s Soup)
Coca-Cola Belgium (Coke, Coke Light, Sprite, Fanta, Nalu, Minute Maid,
Chaudfontaine)
Human Interface Group
Connections (travel agency)
Pajottenland (regional brand)
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

15. “It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer,
to treat everything as if it were a nail”
(“The psychology of science: a reconnaissance.”,
Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966.)
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management

16. John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management
Rogery 55
6671 Bovigny
Belgium
GSM +32 (0)477 62 18 75
E-mail: john.morawski@skynet.be
Blog of John Morawski
© 1999 John Morawski
Brand coaching & Marketing research management