EOC Week 2: Chapter Questions

1.                  Describe the relationship between branding and marketing.
Some people think that they are the same, but they are not. They work together to create the entire brand. Branding is a process that highlights a proposed value for a product and transforms it into a real customer experience. "Marketing supports the development of brands in all of its stages; it plays an integral role in the creation of the emotional value through the shaping of the brand personality and then communicating it to the outside world through its various communication channels." (Hameide 43)

2.                  How does the decision-making process differ between that of luxury brands and mass-market brands?

One difference between luxury brands and mass-market brands lies in the power and role of the designers. Luxury brands live on creative superiority and trendsetting. In many cases, full control and creative authority are given to the designer. "As a matter of fact, in many luxury brands, the position of brand managers does not exist. On the other hand, mass-market brands are, for the most part, trend followers." (Hameide 42) Mass marketing focuses more on marketing their products and will almost always have brand managers involved getting their product out to the consumers.

3.                  Explain the meaning of “brand identity” and highlight its role in the positioning strategy

Brand Identity can be simply described as the “meaning of the brand.” Identity is also affected by the image established by the user for the brand, which is an aspect the brand cannot directly control. The image is a mental perception of how the buyer sees and understands the brand's identity and value. (Hameide 60) Brand identity also use symbols to represent the brand and create a relationship with the customer and the brand.