I have a paper on this, I wonder if you want it?

When we see the logo "VOLVO", we first think of it as a car trademark, and then, Pictures of various "Volvo" cars appeared in my mind, either parked on the street, speeding on the road, or seen in commercials... At this time, one of their common characteristics - safety, has been strengthened in our hearts. Because Volvo = safety, this equation has long been established in our minds. Things you have seen, heard, or personally experienced before provide various evidences for this equation. What we know is: "Volvo" is an internationally renowned automobile manufacturing company; "Volvo" cars are thick, generous, and noble; people who drive or ride in "Volvo" cars are successful people who are steady, modest, and competent. Talented but not ostentatious, with a strong sense of responsibility for career and family...

The above fragments can represent an ordinary consumer's general understanding of the "Volvo" brand image. "Volvo" has gradually established such a brand image among its target consumer groups through long-term planning, management and communication of its brand. This example is also a successful case that we often cite in our brand management research.

In fact, for every brand owner, the process of establishing a unified, clear, and lasting brand image among the target consumer groups is proactive and controllable. More importantly, we must clarify what is the connotation of brand image? How can we build the brand image we want among our target consumer groups?

Next, we will build a brand image construction model starting from the connection between brand image and consumers, the actions of brand owners, etc., and further discuss how to effectively build a successful brand image based on this model. The issue of brand image. The author hopes that through the analysis and discussion of the issue of building brand image in this article, it can provide some ideas and references for companies to establish a successful brand image in the real business environment.

1. The definition and importance of brand image

There are many definitions of brand image in academic circles, but in terms of their substantive content, they are all similar.

Levi analyzed the definition of brand image from a psychological perspective. He believes that brand image is a collection of images and concepts about various elements of the brand that exist in people's psychology, mainly brand knowledge and people's overall attitude towards the brand.

Ronalds and Guntermann proposed from the perspective of brand strategy that "brand image is a collection of associations that differentiate the meaning of a product or service in competition." They also listed strategic ways to operate brand image: product recognition, emotion or impression, trust, attitude, image personality, etc.

Sizi proposed that a brand should have a personality image like a person. This personality image is not determined solely by the substantive content of the brand product, but should also include other content... At this point, the understanding of the brand image Enter the personality level of the brand.

Parker and others proposed that "brand image arises from the marketer's concept of brand management, and brand image is a method of brand management." They believe that any product or service can theoretically express its image using functional, symbolic or experiential elements.

The author believes that brand image is consumers’ overall impression and judgment of a certain brand. This impression and judgment is generated during the long-term contact between consumers and the brand, and is reinforced by consumers' brand associations. The ultimate goal of corporate brand management is to establish the brand image desired by the company in the minds of target consumer groups.

Enterprises establish core brand values ??and brand cultural elements based on their own advantages, characteristics of products or services, consumer needs, market conditions and other factors. Then use the brand core value and brand culture as guidance to design the brand logo, select the brand name combination, define the brand attributes, and formulate a brand communication plan. By performing various functions of brand management, the company's preset brand image can enter the target consumers. heart.

Having a good and distinctive brand image is an important evaluation indicator to measure the success of a brand. Looking at those world-famous brands, we can all picture their unique brand images in our minds.

“Marlboro” represents the image of a western cowboy, “McDonald’s” represents a happy and friendly image, “Mercedes-Benz” represents a solemn and noble image, and so on. These successful brand images are carefully designed by brand owners based on their own strategies and target consumer psychology. They can be recognized and accepted by their consumer groups, and even form consumer preferences, leading to a fanatical pursuit of the brand. Once consumers develop a preference for a certain brand, they will purchase the brand's products when they have demand for such products. As long as consumers' purchasing preferences do not change, this purchasing behavior will continue. In other words, consumers are relatively loyal to the brand's products.

2. Brand image that belongs to consumers

Why is it said that brand image belongs to consumers? We have to analyze it from the essence of brand image.

Psychology believes that perception is the process by which people select, organize and interpret perceptual stimuli into meaningful and relevant images. Image is an overall perception of an object formed by consumers over a period of time by processing information from different sources. Brand image represents consumers' overall perception of the brand and is formed based on consumers' inferences about the brand. This inference is based on external stimulation or imagination and is the consumer's belief in the product formed from experience. This is the essence of brand image.

Since brand image is the comprehensive response of consumers to the brand and is something owned by consumers, brand owners can only guide and cultivate it through a series of brand planning, design and communication methods. Consumers' mental models repeatedly stimulate consumers to have positive associations with the brand, gradually forming the brand image that the brand owner needs. This process will be quite complex and lengthy. It is estimated that in the United States at the end of the 20th century, it took about US$30 million and five years to establish a good brand image for a small brand. It can be seen that establishing a successful brand image is not something that can be achieved overnight. It is a process that requires patience, careful planning, money and time.

Brand association is an important way for consumers to establish brand image. Kohler believes that brand associations are formed by long-term contact between customers and the brand. They reflect customers' cognition, attitude and emotion towards the brand, and also indicate the future behavioral tendencies of customers or potential customers. Brand association reflects the brand image as a whole and determines the brand's position in the minds of consumers. Therefore, through the analysis of brand association content, we can have a more detailed understanding of the process by which consumers generate brand images, which is of great value in guiding us on how to build a successful brand image.

Usually, consumers’ associations with a certain brand include the following: company image, user image, product or service image, expectations for products or services, their own previous experience or other people’s usage experience, events, etc. It is worth noting that consumers’ emphasis on brand association is different depending on the product and industry. Moreover, because of the differences in individual consumer needs, the degree of attention consumers pay to these contents is also different.

1. Company image

Since the history of market economy development in our country is not very long, consumers do not have a deep understanding of brands. Some even use company names and trademarks. , "brand" and product category names are confused. In the previous planned economy period, most of the product brands produced by enterprises were named after the company's name, which cultivated the habit of consumers only recognizing the manufacturer and not the brand when buying goods. This is an important reason why Chinese consumers attach great importance to company image. Of course, a good corporate image is more conducive to establishing a successful brand image in the minds of consumers. Consumers are more inclined to purchase products from well-known companies with strong financial strength, large scale, and strong technical capabilities. This can reduce consumers' purchase costs and purchase risks and maximize benefits.

2. User image

When consumers consume the products and services they purchase, they not only pay attention to the quality of the product or service itself, but also value the same as their own consumption. Other consumer profiles of the product, such as age, gender, professional background, income status, education, etc. When a consumer feels that there is a big difference between consumers who consume the same product or service, he will think that the brand's products are not suitable for his consumption, so he will switch to other brands. This is one of the reasons for market segmentation and targeting of consumers.

Another situation is that some consumers have never consumed a certain brand of goods, but consumers who consume the brand's goods have certain characteristics that these consumers expect to have. In this case, these consumers will try their best to own or use the brand's products in the hope of being recognized by others as a member of the target consumer group of the brand's products. Even if such consumption cannot be realized, consumers can still get psychological self-comfort and satisfaction in the process of pursuing the brand's products. A typical example is the consumption of luxury goods. For luxury jewelry, the vast majority of consumers do not have the ability to demand it, but people still very much recognize and yearn for the brand image of these luxury goods.

3. Image of the product or service

For different products in different industries, the image of the product or service may be quite different. For daily small commodities that are low-value and easy to consume, consumers pay more attention to whether their packaging is exquisite and whether the color matching is appropriate; for household durable commodities, such as refrigerators, washing machines, etc., consumers pay more attention to function and quality; fashion accessories , what consumers value is its appearance design and whether it conforms to the trend of the times; for service products, consumers pay more attention to the environment of the business place, the dress and behavior of service personnel, etc.

When consumers purchase branded goods and services, they will choose products with packaging and design they like, and receive services in an environment they like. When consumers find that a certain brand of goods can always meet their visual and psychological needs well, they will have a good impression of the brand. The next time he makes a purchase, he will give priority to products from this brand. Over time, the brand has established a positive brand image in the mind of this consumer, and the consumer's loyalty to it has also increased.

4. Expectations for products or services

Consumers’ expectations for products or services are actually part of the consumer’s perception of the value of the brand’s goods after receiving a certain brand information. a hypothesis. Before consumers come into contact with a certain brand product for the first time, they actually believe the information conveyed to consumers during the brand communication process. They will always think that the content in the advertisements of those brand products is really credible until they experience it personally or listen to others talk about the actual value of the brand products. During this period, the information spread by the brand will help build the brand. Build brand image. Of course, the information expressed in the brand communication process must be able to meet the needs of the target consumer group and stimulate consumers, so as to guide consumers to purchase.

For example, a newly married woman may have never touched any shaving products before getting married, but she often sees Gillette advertisements on TV or other media. blade, knowing that this is a men's razor that is both sharp and smooth. Her assumption about the "Gillette" brand razor is: This is a very easy-to-use razor, and my husband will be satisfied with it. When she needs to buy shaving equipment for her husband, she will naturally choose the Gillette brand, because the sharp and smooth impression of the "Gillette" brand has been stored in this wife's memory.

5. Consumers’ previous use experience or other people’s use experience

What can form a brand image better than consumers’ expectations is the consumer’s past use experience or use of a certain brand of goods. It is other people’s experience using the brand’s products. Consumers will directly have a good or bad impression of a certain brand based on their own or others' usage. This impression is very important in building brand image.

After having a consumption experience with a certain brand of goods, consumers will make a judgment about the brand based on their own preferences and decide whether to continue to consume the brand's goods next time or try another brand. of goods. Of course, a single consumption experience is not enough to support consumers in establishing a clear and lasting brand image. Consumers will gradually accumulate impressions of a certain brand during multiple consumption processes, and ultimately establish their brand image of the brand. Once consumers have formed a brand image of a certain brand, it will be difficult to change this impression. It is much easier for consumers to form a negative brand image of a brand than to form a positive brand image.

6. Events

The events mentioned here include various public relations activities, crisis events, brand news, company dynamics, R&D innovation, etc. These events often reinforce the existing brand image in consumers' minds.

In today's social environment, consumers are exposed to too much information every day. People subconsciously reject information that has no interest in them, and only care about information that can improve their lives and work. , learn information that makes a difference. In other words, consumers pay far more attention to brands they have been exposed to than to unknown brands. For this kind of information, if consumers do not accept it, it will strengthen the original brand image.

Since consumers’ association and memory of brand image include the above aspects, brand owners can completely guide and cultivate consumers’ impression of the brand through a series of brand management measures, and establish a consistent brand image. Self-interested brand image. Next, we will continue to discuss how companies should work based on consumers' brand associations in the process of establishing a brand image to establish a successful brand image.

3. The actions of enterprises in establishing brand image activities

Although the brand image of the brand owner belongs to consumers, how to establish the brand image and what kind of brand to establish Image is something that the brand owner can control. Brand owners are always in a dominant position in the process of establishing brand image. Through a series of brand planning, design, management, communication and other activities, they guide consumers to form a good impression of the brand and gradually establish a unified, lasting and distinctive brand image.

The process of an enterprise establishing its own brand image in the minds of consumers can be roughly divided into three steps.

1. Establish brand core value and brand culture

Brand core value is the soul of the brand, and is the general policy that runs through all aspects of brand building and guides all aspects of brand management. The development of all brand activities should obey and serve the brand's core values. It can be said that brand management is an activity that uses the core value of the brand as a guide to establish a good brand image in the minds of consumers. This is enough to reflect the important position and role of brand core value in brand management activities.

We can cite the core values ??of many brands. For example, the brand core value of "Head and Shoulders" is "anti-dandruff"; the brand core value of "Haier" is "sincerity"; the brand core value of "Neptune" The value is "health and future". However, there are still many excellent brands whose core values ??we cannot accurately state, such as "Microsoft" (Microsoft), "General Motors" (GM), "Disney" (Disney), etc. It cannot be said that these brands do not have a clear brand core value. It can only be said that we do not have the opportunity to deeply understand the connotation of their brand core values. We can only analyze and speculate from the various information disseminated by their brands. Even experts who specialize in brand research cannot collect comprehensive and accurate brand core value information for each brand. The reason is simple. Brand owners do not directly describe the core values ??of their brands to consumers. Instead, they perform or interpret them through corresponding brand communication activities to establish a unified, lasting, and distinctive brand image in the minds of consumers. .

Brand core value is a guideline used to guide various brand management tasks and establish the brand image desired by the brand owner. It is an internal management tool and management method of the enterprise, rather than used to display the corporate brand. Management skills and gimmicks to win the approval of peers. However, many companies currently do not know how to effectively interpret and interpret the core values ??of the brand and establish a brand image. They would like to turn their core brand values ??into advertising slogans and see them in newspapers every day, trying to use this method to let consumers "learn" the connotation of its brand. Such an approach is a manifestation of eagerness for quick success and is not conducive to building a successful and long-lasting brand.

There can be three types of brand core values. In other words, we can define the core value of the brand from any of three perspectives.

①Functional attributes of products or services. At this level, the brand’s unique advantages in meeting consumers’ basic commodity needs should be emphasized. For example, the safety performance of Volvo and the handling performance of BMW can highlight the core values ??of its brand.

②Emotional attributes. Defining the brand's core value at this level is mainly based on consumers' emotional needs for certain things. These emotional needs include: family affection, love, friendship, a sense of career accomplishment, family warmth and harmony, praise, caring interpersonal relationships, etc.

For example, "Crystal Love" (jelly) represents love; "Red Bean" (clothing) represents longing; "Goldlion" represents success; "Livzon Dele" represents care and so on.

③Values. The core value of a brand at the value level is represented by the brand's pursuit, which originates from the target consumers' pursuit of a certain aspect of life. Consumers can satisfy or reflect their pursuit of life by consuming the brand's products or services. For example, "GE" represents the pursuit of the future and dreams (imagination at work); "NIKE" represents self-breakthrough and self-transcendence; "Neptune" represents the pursuit of health and the future, etc.

A good brand should have cultural accumulation. The core value of the brand should be rooted in the brand culture and is the refinement and sublimation of the brand culture. Only by spreading the core value of the brand will it leave some impression in the minds of consumers, and will not give people the feeling of a "quick brand".

Brand culture is gradually enriched and improved in the process of brand establishment. It carries the brand's mission and pursuit, reflects the brand's care for consumers, and is the emotional basis for communication between the brand and consumers. The establishment of brand culture is a long process. It is accumulated through continuous development during the growth of the brand. It is established by enterprises constantly adapting to the needs of the market and consumers and conducting extensive communication.

The values ??and spirit of the brand are the core of the brand culture. Brand culture is the enhancement of brand value. It gives the brand its spirit, raises consumers' single demand for products to the level of emotion, and gives life and vitality to the products. Brand culture is reflected in every contact between the brand, consumers and the market. When consumers purchase products, they recognize and choose the brand's culture.

Now there is a way to use "brand totem" to summarize and express brand culture. The method is to find things, objects, people or pictures that can represent the brand's core value and brand culture to describe the brand's connotation to consumers and create the effect of the brand having a profound cultural heritage. This is also a common technique used in commercials to interpret advertising themes. But unlike a single commercial, the totem elements such as things and objects that appear as brand totems will be the long-term components of the brand's communication activities and must remain consistent and stable for a long time.

Brand totems can vividly and vividly convey the cultural connotation of the brand to consumers. This method is easy for consumers to accept, and it also makes it easy for consumers to quickly associate when stimulated by brand communication information. and recall the brand image, forming lasting memories. Our common brand totems include: the wolf of the "Seven Wolves" brand, the crane of the "White Sand" brand, the little lion of "Rising" (software), and the western wilderness and cowboy image of "Marlboro", etc.

2. Design and organize brand image elements

After establishing the brand core value and brand culture elements, what the company needs to do is to under the guidance of the brand core value and brand culture, Design and organize various brand image elements. These elements must be able to match the content of consumers' brand associations, control and grasp consumers' psychological activities to the greatest extent, and build a brand image according to the elements designed by the enterprise.

The brand image elements that brand owners need to design and organize include: company image, user image, product or service image, consumer interests, brand visual identity, brand personality, etc.

①Company image

Most of the time, the company's image plays a role in guaranteeing and endorsing the brand, and can affect consumers' trust in the brand. A well-known company launching a new brand is more likely to succeed than a company consumers have never heard of launching a new brand. This is because consumers have a certain degree of understanding of the backgrounds of well-known companies, and the images of these companies already exist in consumers' minds. Under the same conditions, consumers tend to choose brands from companies they are familiar with.

So, what the company has to do is to show the company's advantages to the target consumer groups, let consumers know the company's technical strength, financial strength, R&D strength or professional level, etc., and give consumers a reliable , the impression of being trustworthy. Advertising and charity events are often effective ways to improve a company's image.

②User image

The user image should come from the brand's target consumer group.

If the target consumer group of the brand product is relatively narrow, then the consumers in this group will have similar age, occupation, income, education, lifestyle, personality, temperament, social status and other indicators, and the user image will be easier to shape. If the target consumer group of a brand product is relatively broad, covering all walks of life and all age groups, then its user image will be relatively difficult to summarize and shape.

When designing the user image of brand products, we must have an understanding of the target consumer groups in advance, including consumer needs, pursuits and ideas, living environment and lifestyle, work and emotions, concepts, etc. Conduct a comprehensive analysis to find out the characteristics that represent the uniqueness of this consumer group, refine and condense them, and put them into various brand communication messages for widespread dissemination. Since these unique characteristics are commonly possessed or pursued by consumers in the target consumer group, it is easier to gain recognition and acceptance from consumers and get closer to them. For those brands with a relatively broad target consumer group, some emotions and personality traits that are generally recognized as beautiful can be incorporated into brand communication to increase the affinity of the brand image.

③Product or service image

Before designing packaging and appearance for brand products, companies should fully understand the values ????and aesthetic levels of their target consumer groups, and design according to consumer preferences Design and production. At the same time, the packaging and style of branded products must be consistent with, or at least not conflict with, the core values ??and cultural ideals expressed by the brand. For example, the outer packaging of a food brand whose core brand value is health and happiness should try to avoid using cold colors such as black, dark blue, and silver as the main colors, but should use red, yellow, orange, and other warm colors that symbolize vitality and joy as the main colors. .

The place where branded goods are purchased or consumed should also reflect the cultural atmosphere of the brand, allowing consumers to accept brand information during the process of shopping or receiving services. And through face-to-face communication between service personnel and consumers, we can understand consumers' views and understanding of the brand, accept consumers' feasible opinions and suggestions, and transform brand image communication from one-way passive acceptance to two-way interactive communication.

Sales or service personnel need to undergo strict pre-job training and practice before taking up their posts, so that they can deeply understand the brand connotation, value and communication skills. In this way, they can deal with common sense questions raised by consumers about brand products when communicating with consumers, which is conducive to establishing a good brand image.

Product and service image is the bridgehead for contact with consumers, and it is also an important means to effectively occupy consumers' mental resources and establish a successful brand image.

④Consumer Benefits

As mentioned above, consumers’ brand associations include expectations for the use of branded goods, that is, consumers expect that branded goods will be useful before using them. To what extent and how to meet their needs. Consumer interests include brand products that meet their material needs and psychological needs. The realization of consumers' material needs mainly involves the satisfaction of consumer interests by the functional attributes of branded goods, such as the refrigeration function of refrigerators, the beauty function of cosmetics, and the thirst-quenching function of beverages. Consumers' psychological needs are realized through the emotional attributes of brand products that satisfy consumers' emotions, consciousness, and psychology.

The design of consumer benefits should not be too exaggerated and divorced from the use value of brand products. Otherwise, there will be a gap between the consumer interests of branded goods and consumers' expectations for use, which will often cause great harm to the brand image, and the greater the gap between the two, the greater the damage to the brand image. . However, overly conservative consumer interests will not stimulate consumer demand and will not be conducive to the successful creation of brand image. Consumer interests should find a balance between the use value of branded goods and consumer needs, which should not only conform to the characteristics of branded goods but also satisfy consumer needs.

⑤Brand visual identity

Brand visual identity mainly refers to symbols and pictures such as brand name and LOGO that consumers can intuitively understand. Brand visual identity is an abstract visual expression of the brand's core values ??and brand culture. It interprets the connotation of the brand through elements of language, pictures, and symbols.

Brand visual identity must be designed to combine subjectivity and objectivity, that is, on the one hand, it allows designers to use their imagination to design beautiful and vivid brand names and LOGOs, and on the other hand, it must cater to the target The aesthetic requirements of the audience are recognized and accepted by consumers.

Secondly, brand visual identity must have its own distinctive characteristics and be able to differentiate it from other brands. After all, the most essential function of brand visual identity is to differentiate it from other brands and facilitate the memory of the target audience. Finally, a brand’s visual identity should remain relatively stable over a longer period of time. Frequently changing brand visual identity is not easy for consumers to remember, which is also not conducive to consumers establishing a clear brand image.

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