Brand mapping – Correspondence Analysis explained
By Andrew Dalglish - 14th November 2016
View blog postCircle is an expert in B2B brand development research. Through a programme of primary research we’ll:
Based on these insights we’ll then make clear recommendations about the optimum brand positioning and map out the journey needed to reach this.
Over the last decade, we’ve supported the development of dozens of world-leading business-to-business (B2B) brands. Brands like Wiley, Microsoft, Old Mutual and Ericsson. We couple this extensive experience with a deep understanding of B2B branding and a suite of smart research techniques which probe far beyond the superficial.
The result is research which makes a real difference.
Based on our extensive experience and the self-funded research undertaken by our CircleLabs™ team, we’ve developed an exclusive model which explains the dynamics of branding in B2B markets. This model guides (but never constraints) our approach and is based on four fundamental observations:
1. You don’t own your brand. That’s because it lives in a customer’s mind – it’s the sum of all their perceptions about you. Furthermore, these brand perceptions are both conscious and sub-conscious, with even the former being hard to articulate accurately. This means that to effectively develop and manage a brand you need to a) get inside the mind of your target market and b) use smart techniques to uncover their true perceptions.
2. Brand perceptions are formed in three ways. Most powerful is an interaction (every experience a customer has with your brand and its representatives) as this reveals the true face of the brand.
Brand perceptions are also influenced by communications (everything seen or heard directly from your brand) and reputation (everything seen or heard about your brand). Mis-alignment between these three sources can breed distrust and lead to confused brand perceptions. This means that in identifying the optimum brand positioning you need to ensure that it can be lived day-to-day by your organisation.
3. Each member of your target market has a space in their mind dedicated to your product or service category. Your brand (and competitor brands) live in this space and has a mental signature which represents what it means to the individual.
There are five core elements to the brand signature in B2B markets and these tend to be tied to decision making and more rational than in consumer markets. They are:
This means that you need to understand your brand’s unique signature, how it relates to competitor brands and what the ideal signature looks like – one which is compelling, differentiated and credible.
4. When buying decisions are being made, the signature of each brand determines whether it comes to mind and the thoughts and feelings triggered about it. In turn, these perceptions influence judgments and buying decisions. This means that in identifying the ideal brand positioning you need to ensure that it will translate into commercial success – higher levels of consideration, preference and advocacy.
By Andrew Dalglish - 14th November 2016
View blog postBy Andrew Dalglish - 31st October 2016
View blog postWe mapped the customer journey for IAG Cargo and developed an ongoing monitor of customer satisfaction.
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“We are delighted with the progress we have made on our change management programme.”
We assessed the potential of a new service, Flight Profile Monitor (FPM), for air traffic control provider NATS.
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The result was a service designed to build customer relationships rather than NATS’ revenues, and the AOA’s Best Environmental Initiative award.
We advised Ericsson on the optimal brand migration strategy for recent acquisitions and a new brand positioning.
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The result was a 1+1=3 approach which contributed to 15% year-on-year growth.
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