Lessons from a Tide Brand Manager: The Branding Strategy Worksheet

We’ve been sharing some learnings from Procter & Gamble based on my 23 years of building brands and businesses with them. The most recent articles have focused on brands, branding and product positioning. This article provides an overview of how P&G creates its positioning strategies for its brands. You can also know this as the copy strategy or the advertising strategy or the branding strategy in addition to the positioning strategy. This is important since in many cases brand support goes beyond advertising.

A brand positioning strategy identifies the basis on which we expect our brand to be bought over the competition. The content arises directly from the product or service and the basic need of the consumer that it is intended to satisfy. It should clearly state the basic benefit that the brand promises and that forms the main basis for the purchase. It should also include a statement of the product characteristics that make this benefit possible and the tone or character you want to build for the brand.

This will provide a direction for the basic message of the brand, which must remain consistent across all communication vehicles, although the execution of the message may change. It is inherently competitive as it is the basis of preference vs. competence.

Develop strategy by using creative work plan

Start at the top and work your way down through the rest of the elements.

1 key fact

A single known piece of information related to the brand that is considered the main factor influencing or describing the performance of the brand. It can be information about the brand itself, the competition, the customer, the innovation, etc. but it must be a single fact.

2 Problem that advertising must solve

This is a consumer problem. It describes the awareness, perception or behavior of the potential user that has resulted in the Key Fact and that we wish to change.

3 Advertising objective

Usually it is simply the counterpart of the problem, although there are many different options. For example, “persuade consumers to try my brand” or “use more of my brand.” Or “use my brand in a different way.” Persuade them that my brand is a viable alternative to brand x. “

4 Strategy

a) Definition of prospects

Both demographic and psychographic.

b) Main competence.

Not just a list of competitors, but a description of the segment we want to get business from.

c) Promise

The most persuasive deal that can be advanced for the brand framed with the customer and the competition in mind.

d) Reason why

The strongest piece of support for the promise. Occasionally, there may be more than one piece of support, but never a list.

e) Tone / Character

The tone that the messages should convey to give the message personality and bring it to life. This is not execution.

As you can see, the format is very simple. However, like everything in Procter & Gamble, the use of this simple tool is in charge of experts in the field. That is what makes the tool so effective.

If you want to have the benefits of this simple tool, support your brand or your business and contact us. We would be delighted to help you.

Thanks.

John

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